AusBonsai

I took this cutting about 5 months ago. I wanted a Port Jackson true- all of mine are what Ray Nesci calls 'bastardised port jacksons' - pjs that have genetic variation from what we normally would expect, such as glabrous leaves. I took this cutting from a tree near me, right near port Jackson itself actually. But today I noticed what I think is fruit! On a young cutting!? Is this possible? I find it very strange. The rounded things on top are leaf buds but I'm sure the little berries below are fruit. Would love your thoughts on this, I simply didnt expect fruit on a thing this young.

Hi Dusty Rusty,

Port Jackson Fig is a common name usually applied to southerly collections of Ficus rubiginosa, particularly ones with rusty leaves that come from Port Jackson. Your cutting fits this bill, and yes they are those are the reproductive syconia forming on your cutting. Northern Ficus rubigionsa might be what Nesci is talking about - they don't have as many of the features of the Sydney region Port Jackson Figs, they tend to have larger glossy leaves.

Ash

thanks Ash. Yeah i've read about the distinction between the hairy southern rubiginosa and the hairless northern one. What Ray was saying was that if you plant PJ fig seeds most of the seedlings will display different qualities to each other: hairlessness, leaf size, leaf colour, bark differences etc. I've collected some others from around here too (such as the wall out the front of my house) which has red petioles and sheath tips (fits the bill for ficus eugeninoides - but i would have expected a PJ around here not a QLD small leaf).

I could talk all day about identifying native figs, but what I'm really interested in is whether or not it's unusual for a cutting to produce fruit. This is all new growth. I will of course remove it as i want it to grow, not focus on fruiting, but i'm still amazed something this small could reach maturity so quickly.

Not unusual for a cutting to produce flowers or fruit. If the bit of wood you used is mature enough to fruit on the tree it is still mature enough on the cutting (it is the same bit of wood isn't it?). The only immature part are the new roots.
We use the same facts to produce flowering crabapple in 1 year by grafting mature, fruiting spurs onto the rootstock and they will flower the following spring. Seedling wisteria take many years to mature enough to flower but cuttings taken from a flowering plant will flower in a year or 2.

Wow never knew that. Thanks Shibui.

Yes it was mature wood from a tree that was fruiting at the time. Will have to make sure I watch out for these figs so they don't suck the energy away from growth.

I also have some PJ figs from cuttings off a mature tree and they have produced fruit every year since they were struck. They have never grown as quick as the seedling figs I also grow but not sure whether that's down to the fruit or the variety.