Common Name: Bush Fig

General Information

Bush fig is a briefly deciduous tree that can grow up to 30 metres tall, though in the drier parts of its range it is more likely to be less than 10 metres[, ]. It has a massive, spreading crown, with white latex present in all aerial parts[]. The bole is up to 150 cm in diameter, sometimes with buttresses[].
A multipurpose tree, it is harvested from the wild for its many uses. The tree is often left standing when land is cleared and is also sometimes cultivated as a shade tree and in hedges, and is grown as an ornamental[]. Magical properties are often ascribed to the tree and it is a symbol of fertility[]. In Uganda the leaves are made into good-luck charms[].

Known Hazards

Although used medicinally, the plant contains toxic substances - both root and bark decoctions are recorded to have caused death[].
The latex and decoctions of the twig and leaf are recorded as being used for arrow poison, and the plant has been used for criminal poisoning[].
The wood is recorded as causing dermatitis in workers handling it[].

Botanical References

Range

Tropical Africa - Cape Verde to Somalia and Yemen, south to Angola and S. Africa.

Habitat

Riverbanks and in riverine forest, but also in upland forest, woodland and wooded grassland, from sea level to elevations of 2,500 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Semi-deciduous Tree
Height	12.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Wasps
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Semi-cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in tropical and subtropical climates. Young trees are sensitive to frost[]. In Tanzania it grows in areas where the mean annual rainfall is in the range 800 - 1,800mm[].
The tree prefers full sun, but tolerates partial shade[]. Grows on a wide range of soil types, though it thrives best in red sandy clay loams and sandy loams[, ]. Prefers moist sites, growing well near watercourses[].
Young plants grow fast and may reach a height of 1 metre or more in the second year[].
Plants have an aggressive root system and so should not be planted near buildings, draines etc, because they could damage the foundations[].
The tree responds well to coppicing and pollarding[].
The fig is not a true fruit but a fruit-like structure (syconium) developed from an inside-out flower stalk containing many flowers inside[]. This is a closed structure with only a small opening at the top through which small female wasps enter, after which they lay eggs in special infertile 'gall flowers', while pollinating the fertile female flowers[].
The figs are borne in large clusters mostly low down on the trunk and can even appear at ground level arising from the roots[].
Fig trees have a unique form of fertilization, each species relying on a single, highly specialized species of wasp that is itself totaly dependant upon that fig species in order to breed. The trees produce three types of flower; male, a long-styled female and a short-styled female flower, often called the gall flower. All three types of flower are contained within the structure we usually think of as the fruit.
The female fig wasp enters a fig and lays its eggs on the short styled female flowers while pollinating the long styled female flowers. Wingless male fig wasps emerge first, inseminate the emerging females and then bore exit tunnels out of the fig for the winged females. Females emerge, collect pollen from the male flowers and fly off in search of figs whose female flowers are receptive. In order to support a population of its pollinator, individuals of a Ficus spp. must flower asynchronously. A population must exceed a critical minimum size to ensure that at any time of the year at least some plants have overlap of emmission and reception of fig wasps. Without this temporal overlap the short-lived pollinator wasps will go locally extinct[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[].. The ripe figs are sometimes eaten and are also made into jams, puddings and preserves[, , ]. Juicy, with a sweet flavour[, ]. They can be watery and tasteless[]. The fruit is an ellipsoid to oblong-ovoid drupe 15 - 40mm long[, ]. They are often riddled with small insects[].

Young leaves and shoots are occasionally cooked and eaten as a vegetable[, , ].

Young aerial roots are said to be edible[].

The bark is chewed with kola nuts in parts of Africa[]. It helps to relieve thirst[].

Medicinal

Bush fig has many applications in traditional medicine, though great care should be exercised when using it since the plant contains toxic substances and both root and bark decoctions are recorded to have caused death[].
Bark, leaf and root extracts have shown in-vitro antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activity[]. Methanolic extracts of the leaves, stem bark and root bark have shown in-vivo antimalarial activity[].
Aqueous and methanolic extracts of the dried leaves have shown in-vivo anti-ulcer activity and in-vitro spasmolytic effects[].

The latex is used for treating wounds, toothache, eye problems, general body pain, lung and throat problems, gonorrhoea and as an anti-emetic[]. It is used for treating burns[].

Root preparations are used for treatment of cough, sore throat, diarrhoea, stomach pain in babies, chest pain, infertility, uterine pain, gonorrhoea, oedema, and as an emmenagogue and emetic[, ].

Bark decoctions or infusions are used against pain, rheumatism, diarrhoea, stomach problems, oedema in children, infertility and as a galactagogue[, ]. Bark macerations are drunk for treatment of fever and cough[].
The powdered bark is applied on skin rashes and mouth sores[].

The leaves are chewed as a remedy for peptic ulcers[]. A leaf maceration is drunk against chest problems[]. Leaf infusions are drunk to treat tonsillitis and stomach pain[].
Sap squeezed from leaves is applied onto wounds[]. Leaf decoctions are used as a disinfectant wash and in the treatment of ophthalmia[].

The sap of young shoots is taken against gonorrhoea[].

Fig preparations are used to treat infertility, tuberculosis, abscesses and sores, and as a lactogenic, purgative and aphrodisiac[].

The seed is used as a lactogenic[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree is used in hedges[].
Grown as a shade tree for coffee[].
The tree is considered to trap moisture, and other moisture-demanding plants are often found regenerating in its shade[]. It does not compete with agricultural crops[].

Other Uses

A latex obtained from the plant is used to make balls[].

The rough-textured leaves are used as a sandpaper[, ].

The inner bark is used to make rope and cloth[, ].

The bark contains tannins and yields a brown dye[].

Small pieces of wood are used as firesticks to ignite fire by friction[].

The heartwood is white or yellow and not clearly demarcated from the sapwood[]. The wood is not durable, it is porous and lightweight, soft, brittle and not strong[]. The grain is straight or interlocked, texture moderately coarse to coarse[]. The wood has a sweet smell when green[]. It is slightly sticky when freshly sawn due to the latex[]. The wood is easy to saw, although the presence of the latex may cause clogging of saw blades. Nailing and screwing usually do not cause problems, although the nail and screw holding capacity may be poor. Gluing, painting and varnishing give good results. The peeling characteristics are good[].
It is used locally for construction, furniture, mortars for grinding flour, kitchen utensils, pots, boxes, beer troughs, drums and beehives. It is also suitable for sporting goods, agricultural implements, hardboard and particle board[]. It was formerly used for making brake blocks and bed boards for ox wagons[]. Wood from the branches is made into knife-handles[].
The wood is also used as fuel wood[].

Propagation

Seed - germinates best at a temperature around 20°c[]. The seed should be sown on a fine medium and remain uncovered[]. They germinate in 15 - 20 days[]. Seedlings are ready for planting out in the open when they are 1 metre tall[].
Air layering[].
Tip cuttings around 4 - 12cm long, taken from lateral branches[]. Plant in moist sand[].

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