Species · genus Ficus · Moraceae

False Banyan

Ficus altissima Blume

Also known as: Council Tree · Lofty Fig · Counciltree · Mountain Fig

Growth habit

tree

Native range

Andaman Is., Assam, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China South-Central, China Southeast, East Himalaya, Hainan, India, Jawa, Laos, Malaya, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicobar Is., Philippines, Sri Lanka, Sulawesi, Sumatera, Thailand, Vietnam

Ficus altissima — reference photo — M108t · CC BY 4.0

Cultivars of F. altissima

The named forms growers keep — each with its own page, each honest about how much we know.

No named cultivars catalogued under F. altissima yet. When growers document a stable, named form, it earns its own page here.

Guide

The species-level account. Cultivar pages build on this and say where they differ.

A Rare Ficus Find

Ficus altissima is a lesser-grown member of the ficus family, sometimes mistaken at first glance for a rubber tree because of its similarly shaped leaves. Look closer and its own texture and structure set it apart. It remains a species collectors have to search for, rather than one found at every garden center.

Source: Epic Gardening

Native to Tropical Asia

This tree's natural range stretches from South China through Tropical Asia, taking in places such as India, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. It grows as a tree in the wet tropical biome. Where it occurs naturally, people have put it to use as animal fodder, in medicine, and for fuel and food.

Source: Kew

Worth the Search

This species is uncommon enough that simply tracking one down feels like an achievement, and once found it is considered a worthwhile addition to any ficus collection. Its variegated cultivar, Yellow Gem, is described as tolerant of some neglect, doing well in a bright spot with leaves wiped clean now and then to keep their shine.

Source: Epic Gardening

Propagating from Cuttings

New plants of the Yellow Gem cultivar can be started by trimming off a section of new growth and setting it into a soilless mix to root.

Source: Epic Gardening

Leaves Like a Rubber Tree

At a glance, the leaves resemble those of a rubber tree, but they carry a distinct texture and overall form once you look closely. The variegated cultivar Yellow Gem, bred from this species, shows the same broad leaf shape dressed in patches of bright green and yellow with a noticeable sheen, held upright to display the color.

Source: Epic Gardening

Care recipe

The species record — the baseline every cultivar inherits unless it says otherwise.

Care notes are early — not yet verified

Light: ai:claude-opus-4-8
Water: ai:claude-opus-4-8 (range 7-14d)
Humidity: ai:claude-opus-4-8
Soil: ai:claude-fable-5
Care: ai:claude-fable-5

Light

Bright, indirect

Water

≈ every 14 days

Humidity

Medium

Temperature

16–29 °C

Soil mix

Well-draining, peat-based potting mix

Propagation

Stem cuttings or air layering

Fertilizing

Balanced liquid feed monthly in the growing season

Growth rate

Moderate

Flowering

Does not flower indoors

ToxicityAuthoritative · species

Toxic to cats & dogs

Fig / rubber plant — irritant latex (ficin); GI upset, dermatitis. This is where toxicity lives: every cultivar of this species inherits it and none can override it.

Reference images

Every image credited. Licenses link to their deeds.

Sources: ai:claude-opus-4-8 · ai:claude-opus-4-8 (range 7-14d) · ai:claude-fable-5 · ASPCA

Kept true by its growers

Every fact here carries its source. Grow False Banyan yourself? What you’ve observed — how it drinks, how it holds its color, a name that’s off — and a clear photo of your plant are exactly what keep this page honest. Contributions are reviewed before anything changes.