AusBonsai

HOW TO IDENTIFY MORETON BAY FIG vs PORT JACKSON FIG

This question seems to pop up so often, that I thought I would put up a thread showing the most simple way to identify these 2 species.

All you have to do is remember, look at where the stem attaches to the leaf :

Moreton Bay Figs start with the letter 'M' and they have an M shape at the base of their leaf.
Port Jackson Figs have a U connection at the base of their leaf.

As the leaves on a Moreton Bay Fig get bigger, it becomes even more obvious. If you look under the leaf where the stem attaches, you will notice on a Moreton Bay Fig it connects a little bit in from the start of the base, and on a Port Jackson Fig it connects perfectly at the base.

This is the fundamental difference that will be always be visible .... unless it has been completely defoliated.
If you let both species grow without being cut back, then the leaf size is a signifcant difference from a viewable distance. My Moreton Bay Figs can easily produce a leaf 25cm long after a few seasons. My Port Jackson Fig leaves don't generally get much longer than about 8 - 11cm long if left to grow for a few seasons.

Now, you only need to give a viewer a simple way of identifying the 2 species apart from each other. You can go on to describe the minute differences, or the texture/colour differences, but there is no point in confusing the viewer or detailing this information, because that information is useless if you only have a PJ or only a MB in front of you. You would need 1 of each to be able to decipher the difference from most peoples advice, and then it is always going to be how you interpret someones description of texture/colour/leaf underside etc etc. This way you don't have to wait for the fig to fruit, nor for the leaf to gain a huge size to distinguish them apart.

Here are the differences visually.....

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The following pictures are leaves on a Moreton Bay Fig.
I have highlighted the 2 leaves of the 2nd photo, showing the 'M' on each base. The red dot is the point where the stem connects on a Moreton Bay fig.





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The following picture shows an Australian 10 cent piece, sitting on a Moreton Bay Fig leaf. It shows the immense size that can be achieved in only 2 seasons growth if left unchecked. Again, notice the 'M' that is formed from where the leaf connects, and how it doesn't connect at the start of the leaf. It instead produces these 2 'flap' parts of the 'M'.



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The following picture shows a small Moreton Bay leaf, but you can still notice the 'M' at the base of both leaves and the 2 flaps that this has produced, even though it is not as obvious as on a large leaf, it is quite obvious nonetheless.



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The following picture shows the leaves on a Port Jackson Fig.

The following picture shows a leaf from a Port Jackson Fig. Notice how the stem connects right at the base of the leaf, forming an almost 'U' shape.



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I hope this helps all of you for those that are never quite sure which species they have purchased / want to purchase / or are just curious.

For interest sake, the advantages of the Port Jackson fig are that they produce smaller leaves. The advantages of the Moreton Bay fig are that they tend to produce more aerial roots and that they take easier rather than the PJ, who can die off easier than the MB aerial roots. I also find that the base of the trunk is easier to widen than a PJ. This is just worth of extra advice if you are not sure which to go with. In my opinion the Moreton Bay figs make better bonsai if you are prepared to constantly reduce the leaf size. They are both incredibly hardy, but I find the Moreton Bay fig is just that little bit hardier for drought tolerance and over watering. But this last paragraph is obviously just my opinion.

Wow Rory very simple and clear. I'll go outside and check my trees tomorrow. Thanks very much!

you've answered a question I've had for a while now ----many thanks

Thanks for posting Bonsaibuddyman.

Ent

Great post. Makes differentiation between the two species very easy.

Hey Rory,

I was curious as to where you came across this information. I did a little research and I haven't seen a botanical description that describes the leaf of a moreton bay fig being as you described. All pictures I have seen have shown mature leaves that are as you describe the Port Jackson leaf. See here.

I have seedlings grown from a local Port Jackson Fig that have M shaped bases but without the overlapping flap. Another batch that I lost the label from which I have assumed are Moreton Bay (or Ficus watkinsiana) have the M shaped base with the majority having a flap, but not all. These are still young plants and the leaves are juvenile. Is it a characteristic that grows out as the leaves mature?

Dansai.... U might have missed the main point of the article. It is where the stem of the leaf attaches to the leaf that you primarily look for. With the moreton bay, it will develop the back attachment that gets more obvious as the leaf gets bigger. A lot of online material will use Pj or Mb pics as reference and not accurately distinguish the difference. This is also true for nurseries which don't distinguish and just assume. That pic is an illustration that u showed. Get yourself to a botanical garden, and look at the attachment of both stems of the 2 species, and you will see what I am talking about. Do not use 3rd party websites or material you think may be one or the other.

The source of identity was provided by Megumi from bonsai art, who explained how easy it was to identify.

Hope this helps

G'day.

Thank you, I just learnt something.

Cheers.
Irish Junee

my lesson for the day, thanks for passing it on

I shall be having a close look at all my figs when I get home. Thanks!

Great post, thanks Rory. Very informative.
Cheers

well, looks like my MB is in fact a PJ hahaha

Rory wrote:HOW TO IDENTIFY MORETON BAY FIG vs PORT JACKSON FIG

...Moreton Bay Figs start with the letter 'M' and they have an M shape at the base of their leaf.
Port Jackson Figs have a U connection at the base of their leaf... on a Moreton Bay Fig it[stem(actually a petiole)] connects a little bit in from the start of the base, and on a Port Jackson Fig it connects perfectly at the base. This is the fundamental difference that will be always be visible .... unless it has been completely defoliated.

Actually Rory, I tend to agree with Dansai.

What you state is simply not the case. Both species have extremely variable leaf shape and sizes. You can make general statements such as "the average leaf on Ficus macrophylla is larger than Ficus rubiginosa" but leaf morphology is not a good identification feature for these species.

The photos displayed by PlantNet (which is run by the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney) are chosen specifically because the subject looks typical for that taxon. I.e. this is what Ficus rubiginosa typically looks like: http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-b ... 0fruit.JPG

And the same applies to the Australian National Botanic Gardens in the ACT who supply this photo for Ficus macrophylla:
http://www.anbg.gov.au/images/photo_cd/ ... 6/080.html

You will notice that aside from colour (which is also not a great indicator or identification tool) the most prominent morphological difference between the two species is the length of the peduncle; the stem that joins the syconia (the "fruit") to the branch. This is why it is used with a few other things to help people key out which species they have. Check step 5 here: http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-b ... name=Ficus

I know this is not very convenient for us bonsai growers, but neither is getting the name wrong!

HOW TO IDENTIFY MORETON BAY FIG vs PORT JACKSON FIG

Thank-you Rory,

Your time in which you would have committed in helping me and many others with this awkward ID between MB and PJ would have been considerable and personally i do appreciate your efforts.

Joel, while blunt, his post did have some merit. However, completely useless to me as my 3 plants were acquired without flowers and have never flowered in my ownership.

As my 3 fig species are technically classified as "Yamadorie" (I learnt that word last night). It appears my only reliable botanical or scientific method available is my initial method, which involves the gastrointestinal tract and labelling my trees identical to the geographical location of the closest other fig species. Politely meaning - i have no idea.

Has further information or alternative ID methods become available?

Thanks again,
Kevin

That is fair enough to all your comments of the above users. We are all here to learn and help.

If you let a Moreton Bay Fig grow unchecked for multiple seasons, the leaves become VERY large. The same is not said for a Port Jackson Fig, so I am not trying to disagree, but I'm just not sure why this is being disputed.

My Moreton Bay figs will also have very dark red growing tips as opposed to the Port Jackson Fig as the new leaves are being formed.

The Moreton Bay figs on average have a tendency to bulge in new growth randomly, especially after a cut-back, whereas the Port Jackson figs usually have a more tapered growth to their branching.

As usual I hope this helps. If it doesn't, then continue to disagree.