General Information :

• Ficus glomarata is an evergreen or deciduous tree.
• The trunk is regularly shaped, often with low buttresses.
• Bark is grey with brownish specks, smooth, exfoliating inirregular rounded flakes.
• Leaves alternate, spirally arranged and broadly ovate, glossy, dark green leaves.

Distribution :

• Widely scattered throughout India.

Habitat : All types of forest area of the low elevation

Soil : Deep, alluvial sandy loam with good drainage

Soil pH : 5 to 7

Altitude :Up to 1200 m (MSL)

Rainfall :500-5000 mm

Temperature : 16-35ºC

Terrain : Plain

Tree Characteristics :

• Drought resistant and light demander.

Habit : Deciduous tree

Natural Regeneration :

 

• Naturally regenerates by seeds and root suckers.

 

Artificial Regeneration :

• Propagated by seeds and vegetative cuttings.

Seed collection and Storage :

• Fruits are collected and depulped and squeezed in water.
• The floating seeds are collected and dried on blotting paper in shade.
• The dried seeds are stored in a clean polybag.

Seed Treatment :

• Cold water treatment for 24 hour.

Nursery Technique :

 

• Seeds are broad casted in the mother bed mixed with sand and red earth.
• watering is done as on when  required
• germination starts in about 2 weeks.
• Tow leaf stage individual seedlings could be pricked out into a polybag Shade was provided for at least 1 weak after each transplanting. Seedlings were susceptible to over-watering until the final transplant.

Plantation technique :

• Planting out is carried out during July in 30 cm3 pits,
• Under dry conditions, pit size of 60 cm3 with an interval 5 to 10 m Planting should be carried out after the commencement of monsoon

Care & Disease Control :

• Regular weeding and soil working should be taken care.

Major uses :

  Food:  

• Figs are consumed as famine food during periods of food

  Fodder:  

• Its leaves are lopped as fodder for elephants, camels, goats and cattle; having about 10-14% crude protein. Silage prepared from the tree is palatable and digestible.

  Fuel:  

• It is used as firewood.

  Timber:  

• It is little used but is occasionally converted into packing cases, cheap boarding, yokes, spoons and bowls