Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Strangler Figs

I am lucky enough to live close to a beautiful patch of remnant rain forest [Mary Cairncross Park] which was donated to the community early last century. It is a 'must see' when I have friends from other parts of the country/world come to visit. My friends Helen and Dave McIntyre from Stanley, NE Vic., were here on the weekend and we enjoyed this spectacular walk. Dave is a keen native tree man and was happy to find a few white and red native beech trees still standing. Helen is the wildlife spotter and found us a pademelon, bush turkey, scrubwrens, giant earth worm and trapdoor spider holes, and I took lovely photos of my favourite undulating lines and textures whilst trying to sound knowledgable about the local area.
The strangler figs wrap around the host trees, killing them eventually; and once they decay, a hollow wonderland is left behind. The buttress roots extend far from the base of the tree, flowing across the ground like a stiffened ball gown.

3 comments:

  1. Amazing pictures. I have just been hunting the internet for Ficus religiosa seeds to give as a gift. Little Bodhi Trees.

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  2. We don't have 'strangler figs'...but I like to find unique trees shaped by our local twisting vines, in my patch of woods...love your stiffened ball gown description!

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  3. Beautiful photo's Noela! Worthy of an entry into the FOW photographic comp for sure...

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