Sanctuary for the Senses

One of the most wondrous sights one is presented with in SW Florida are the Banyan Trees, IMHO. If you've never seen one in person, the photos do not really do them justice, their multiple trunks forming a lattice-work of complexity that is completely foreign to northern dwellers. Ever since I first encountered them, they have captivated my curiousity with their rainforest appearance standing proudly in a temperate setting, tying into my childhood fondness for the sights of Disney's Jungle Book, my favourite book/film so many years ago. That curiousity, plus their abundance in this area, spurred a little research that I found both surprising and illuminating, so I thought I would share. Chief among those tidbits of knowledge uncovered, I discovered these trees have their own tagline ... Sanctuary for the Senses! How cool is that?

A Banyan, also spelled "Banian", is a type of fig that develops accessory trunks from adventitious (happens by chance, not design) prop roots that allow the tree to spread outwards in order to create a more stable base, giving it that unique "jungle" look. These roots distinguish Banyans from other trees since they begin life as an epiphyte (a plant that grows on another plant) when its seed germinates in a crack or crevice of a host tree or edifice. When they germinate and grow roots down toward the ground, they consequently may envelop part of the host tree or edifice. This is colloquially known as a "strangler" habit, which Banyans share with a number of other tropical Ficus species. (Source)

The term Banyan often specifically denotes Ficus benghalensis, or "Indian Banyan", their national tree, but the name has also been used for all figs that share a common life cycle. One of the largest of all, the Great Banyan found in Kolkata, India, features a canopy that covers a mind-boggling 4.67 acres (1.89 ha) with the ability to shelter an estimated 20,000 people! To put it into perspective for us non-farmers, that's about the same as 4.5 football fields (the American size) or 68 tennis courts! Although it appears to be a series of trees thanks to the hundreds of prop roots, it is actually all connected and is considered a single entity. A 330-metre-long (1,080 ft) road was built around its circumference, but the tree has continued to spread beyond that boundary. In 1989, it was recognized as the largest tree specimen in the world, in terms of area covered, in the Guinness Book of World Records. (Source)

That's one seriously large tree!

The shortleaf fig (Ficus Citrifolia) is native to South Florida, the Caribbean islands, Central America, and South America south to Paraguay. The Florida strangler fig (Ficus Aurea) is also native to South Florida and the Caribbean islands, and distinguished from the above by its coarser leaf veins. Banyans are ecological MVP's since they produce vast crops of figs that sustain many species of birds, fruit bats, primates and other creatures, which in turn disperse the seeds of hundreds of other plant species. (Source) For thousands of years, people have used banyans as sources of medicines with its bark and leaves possessing analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. The bark in particular is considered useful in burning sensations, ulcers, and painful skin diseases, but can even be used for toothaches! Today in Nepal, people use banyan leaves, bark and roots to treat more than twenty disorders. (Source)

One interesting factoid; The Portuguese name for Ficus Citrofolia, os barbados, gave Barbados its name.

The first Europeans to encounter banyan trees were Alexander the Great and his army, who after reaching India in 326 BCE, took notes back to Greece much to the delight of Theophrastus, the founder of modern botany. Banyans are reputed to have influenced 17th-century English poet John Milton who intonated in his novel Paradise Lost that Adam and Eve made the first clothes from banyan leaves. 

Regardless of the circumstances of their presence, I'm going to proclaim these curious giants my favourite things to witness in southwest Florida, other than the company of course.