Ficus watkinsiana or macrophylla?

[sheepdawg]

I bought a fig from a local nursery and it was labelled as a Ficus macrophylla. I then came across a tree labelled as a Ficus watkinsiana in a local park and it looked very similar to my plant.

The leaves are huge (easily bigger than the palm of your hand), with medium sized leaf-stems, and no "hair" underneath. The larger leaves lack the characteristic "M" connection that is pointed out in viewtopic.php?f=79&t=19726 . But the smaller leaves do have them.

Normal, large leaf:

16522334_1185405981515235_1457950059_o.jpg

Back of leaf:

16593689_1185405938181906_621820398_o.jpg

Terminal buds:

16586492_1185405948181905_2059776452_o.jpg

16586550_1185405904848576_1260793438_o.jpg

Branch:

16523498_1185405954848571_129939222_o.jpg

Smaller leaf, with M connection:

16593386_1185406001515233_566726555_o.jpg

16523204_1185405924848574_890365273_o.jpg

[literati79]

Macrophylla

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[Max]

looks like a rubber tree Ficus elastica

[sheepdawg]

I went and had another look at the F. watkinsiana and noticed some huge differences in bark texture and colour. Plus the leaves weren't so large but were very similar in shape. The petioles were also much shorter on the watkinsiana. So, it must be a macrophylla

I've just never really seen one without the rusty bottom I guess I have now

I know people seem to think these are bad for bonsai, but I figured I'd give it a try because the plant was only $5 or something and I had space in my grow bed. I'm hoping to turn it into a huge banyan one day, and with the way it's putting out aerial roots this summer I can't wait to get started