Native Trees

Port Jackson fig — Ficus rubiginosa

Ficus rubiginosa

Food for native birds Host plant for butterflies and insects Shelter for wildlife Resilient garden plant

$7.00

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In stock and available to order

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Plant profile

At a glance

The essentials for finding the right garden position.

Mature size: Height: 8–20 m · Width: 8–20 m
Light: Full sun, Part shade
Water: Moist
Soil: Sandy, Loamy, Clay, Rocky
Drainage: Free-draining
Vegetation type: Coastal, Dry Eucalypt, Wet Eucalypt, Rainforest
Plant lifespan: Long-lived perennial
Plant form: Trees

Plant ratings

A quick guide to this plant’s value for wildlife and the garden.

Bird food value
Host plant value
Pollinator value
Shelter & habitat value
Flower display
Garden resilience

About this plant

Port Jackson fig is an appealing tree for gardeners wanting lasting greenery and strong habitat structure. Tiny flowers are enclosed within paired figs that ripen yellow to red and feed many animals. Its developing canopy can anchor a garden composition while adding shelter and visual depth over time.

Image credits:
Mature image: Consultaplantas via Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 4.0
Feature image: Steve Fitzgerald via iNaturalist — CC BY-SA 4.0

More plant details

Garden uses: Habitat tree, shade or canopy planting, restoration-style garden and layered wildlife corridor; especially suited to sites reflecting Coastal, Dry Eucalypt, Wet Eucalypt, Rainforest.
Wildlife value: Ficus rubiginosa has some pollinator value, but its flowers are less abundant, less accessible or not a major garden food resource. Ficus rubiginosa produces substantial fleshy fruit and/or forms a major foraging plant for fruit-eating birds. Ficus rubiginosa develops substantial, persistent structure that can provide excellent refuge, nesting or screening habitat. Its figs support developing larvae of pollinating fig wasps in the Pleistodontes imperialis species complex. The tree provides both food and a breeding site for these insects as part of its specialised fig–wasp relationship.
Flowering and fruiting: Tiny flowers are enclosed within paired figs that ripen yellow to red and feed many animals.
Growth habit: Woody tree contributing canopy or mid-storey structure; indicative mature size 8–20 m × 8–20 m.
Cautions: Develops powerful surface roots and a broad canopy; keep far from pipes, paving and buildings.