Ficus racemosa L.

Tree up to 30 m tall, becoming buttressed; latex white, cream, or pinkish. Leafy twigs 1.5-3 mm thick, sparsely to densely white appressed-puberulous; internodes solid; periderm flaking off. Leaves spirally arranged (to subdistichous); lamina oblong to lanceolate to subovate (or to subobovate), (2-)6-20 by (1-)3-9 cm, symmetric, (sub)coriaceous, apex (sub)acuminate to subacute, base cuneate to rounded (to subcordate), margin entire, sometimes faintly irregularly dentate or sublobate; upper surface sparsely pilose and glabrescent or appressed-puberulous on the midrib, smooth, lower surface sparsely pilose and glabrescent or appressed-puberulous on the main veins; cystoliths only beneath; lateral veins 4-9(-12) pairs, the basal pair up to 1/5-1/3 the length of the lamina, unbranched or faintly branched, running ± parallel to the margin, tertiary venation scalariform; waxy glands in the axils of the basal pair of lateral veins, often inconspicuous; petiole 1.5-7 cm long, (sub)glabrous or appressed-puberulous, the epidermis flaking off; stipules (0.5-)1.2-2(-3) cm long, sparsely to densely appressed-puberulous to subtomentose or only ciliolate, subpersistent or caducous. Figs cauliflorous on clusters of up to c. 25 cm long, often branched, leafless branches on the older wood, down to the trunk; peduncle 0.3-1.2 cm long; basal bracts 3, 1-2 mm long, persistent; receptacle subglobose to subpyriform, 1.5-3 cm diam. when dry, 3-5 cm diam. when fresh, puberulous, without lateral bracts, pink red to purple red or orange at maturity, apex flat to slightly concave, ostiole c. 3 mm diam., prominent; internal hairs absent.

It is a tropical plant. It does best in humus rich, moist soil. It needs to be well drained. It suits a sheltered sunny position. It is damaged by drought and frost. It occurs naturally along the banks of lowland freshwater streams in the monsoonal vine forests. It can cope with being flooded for short periods. In Nepal it grows up to 1000 m altitude. In Sikkim it grows between 400-1,000 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 9-12. In Yunnan.

The ripe fruit are eaten fresh. The fruit are usually eaten green as a vegetable. They are also dried and ground into flour and eaten with sugar and milk. The powder from roasted fruits are used as a breakfast cereal. The young leaves are eaten in salads. They are also cooked. The fruit are also used for jam.

Plants can be grown from seed or by using cuttings. It can also be grown using aerial layering.