Monochrome Monday July 19....2009

"Strangler Fig" taken at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary & Blair Audubon Center, Naples, Florida

The roots of the strangler fig are often thought to be vines growing on a host tree. Strangler figs can grow like a normal tree from the ground up; they also may start hight up in another tree and send roots down to the groung. As the roots grow, they wrap around the host tree, sometimes killing it. At Corkscrew, frost limits strangler fig growth and they do not kill their host trees. The fig fruit is a favorite of pileated woodpeckers.

(This information is from the brochure purchased at the Sanctuary)