San Diego's Moreton Bay Fig: All You Need To Know

This is not just another humongous tree. This giant with a bundle of boles making an enormous trunk, and mighty limbs and roots that look like they were carefully carved, is a Moreton Bay Fig Tree. The place to visit, to be able to see it is Balboa Park in San Diego, California.

Balboa Park has a collection of interesting trees from around the world, and this fig tree is one of the bigger attractions among them. This Moreton Bay Fig tree is said to be among the largest three fig trees in California and might even be the largest tree in San Diego.

Moreton Bay Fig Tree - San Diego's Pride

Undoubtedly a natural sculpture, this fig tree was close to 80ft. in height and over 120ft in width, when it was measured in the late 90s. As for its age, this gigantic tree is over a hundred years old. It is believed to have been planted around 1910, specifically for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition.

Moreton Bay Fig Tree -- A majestic living landmark

The Moreton Fig Tree botanically called the Ficus Macrophylla is native to East Australia. This variety of fig which gets its name from Moreton Bay in Queensland, is known to adapt to several different climates and soil conditions. This tree with a multi-trunk body and lush foliage can grow up to 150 ft in width, say experts.

Figs — Leaves and fruit of the Moreton Bay Fig Tree

Figs and fig leaves — Leaves and fruit of the Moreton Bay Fig Tree

The Moreton Bay Fig Tree which is considered to be the ‘largest one in the US’ can be found in Santa Barbara, CA
See a couple of Bottle Trees in Balboa Park in San Diego.
Coming soon to this space — A Dragon Tree, also in Balboa Park
See other gardens and botanical exhibits in Balboa Park
If you’re a dendrophile, you’ll like these Tree posts 🙂