Green Island fruit and some fascinating history

taipan(deceased)

Hi Jerry, Yes we do have the microcarpa as a native around the place but it doesn't look like the Green Island Ficus I have as my avatar...

Here we go on the ridiculous "Name that bloody ficus" Game show!

My Green Island Fig I use as my avatar and the fig pictured above by pootsie...Is...drumroll!!!....Ficus Okinowenisis!

That's what we've called it here for about 30 years...and the judges at the World Bonsai Contest, took it as Ficus Okinowensis...

You guys call it Microcarpa...wish someone would sort this mess out...

Anyway we have millions of wasps swarming all over the figs in the garden but they never touch the GI fruit? All other figs are fair game but not a GI.

Another dilemma in the bonsai garden
Tai

Advertisement

Jerry Meislik

Si,
If you search online you can find the 7 or so fig species that are on the pest list in Hawaii and a few in Florida. All because the fig wasp for these trees was indtroduced! Looking online you can see a bit of information here
http://www.hear.org/starr/hiplants/..._microcarpa.htm
If you have reproduction of a fig in your area you may wish to notify your state pest agency!
Tai,
Interesting that the GI is not a suitable host to one of the wasps. It may be that GI is a sterile variety found as a variant seedling and because it may have incomplete sexual parts it may not form seed ever! Reproduction will only be asexually with cuttings. Very interesting! Kind of a mule of the Ficus world.
Jerry

__________________
Jerry Meislik
Whitefish Montana USA
Zone 4-5
http://www.bonsaihunk.us/