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DH and I went to St. Pete last weekend to check out a museum. This beauty was directly across the street. This has to be some sort of Ficus, any guesses what kind?

BTW this is ONE tree! As the aerial roots grow down they take hold and start new trunks.

WOW!!

Looks like a strangler fig.

http://www.sfrc.ufl.edu/4h/strangler_fig/stranfig.htm

It reminds me of banyan trees that I saw in Hawaii.

Wow, that is amazing. I've never seen anything like that. Is that you peeping out from the roots? I bet it is gorgeous in person.

Thank you for sharing this.

ve

I've seen those trees before. Hmmm, in Miami maybe??? Very interesting for sure.

Yes that's me hiding in there. I looked up and there was a squirrel about three feet away just staring at me. There are so many nooks and crannies, I'm sure it's home to many critters.

The leaves look and feel like a regular Ficus benjamina but were as big as the leaves on a rubber plant or Ficus elastica.

I have had tiny aerial roots sprout on my 30 year old ficus tree I have in a pot....I can't imagine how old this tree must be.

Wanda, in Miami I saw Rubber plants as big as live oaks, I had no idea they got that big!

WOW!

I have seen a similar tree in Key West, FL. They are amazing!

Z9, I would have gotten the "willies" wondering what was hiding above my head

Great tree!

Yes, there are some similar in Hawaii. There were some HUGE ones very close to that in a park we visited on the big island, Hawaii. But I have no idea what kind any of them were.

Grapefruit, I think it is a banyan!

Yippee!!! You mean I finally know what I am talking about???

Lady, did you look at the picture of the strangler fig, aka Ficus aurea? You can see a good picture of the leaves at the link above.

It could be a banyan, too, of course.

Wowee TFS

Hey Grapefruit and Florida Farm Girl are BOTH right!

http://www.botanical-journeys-.../strangler-figs.html

Thanks for identifying this strange and wonderful tree. I wish it was in my backyard.

Hey, I just learned something. Didn't realize they were one and the same!!

We saw huge ones in Hawaii.

I just read the original post again. I'm going to be in St. Pete in early March. Was the museum worth going to?

If I go, I'll look for that tree

It's right across from the Dale Chihuly Collection at 400 Beach, if you're a fan and a few blocks from the new Dali Museum. The whole area is beautiful with sidewalk cafes, nice boutiques and shops. There's the famous Pier and parks too.

http://www.stpetepier.com/

This message has been edited. Last edited by: zone9alady,

Thanks Z9L! It looks like fun I will definitely check that out.

Awesome tree! You just got me thinkin...DH and I are headed to St. Pete/Clearwater to see his beloved Phillies at training camp in a few weeks. I'll put on a smile and watch some ball, but he's gonna have to take me somewhere, too! What museum did you visit? Know of any gardens we can visit?

Hi Shook, the Dali Museum and the Chihuly Collection, The Morean Arts Center and Sunken Gardens are very nice.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Att...ersburg_Florida.html

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Att...ersburg_Florida.html

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Att...ersburg_Florida.html

They all look fabulous! Thank you!