Dorstenia gigas aka Socotran Fig Tree

Dorstenia gigas is a shrub or small tree with thick stems. It comes from Socotra, an island in the Indian Ocean. The island lies off the northeast coast of Africa. The plant belongs to Moraceae, the mulberry family. Its English names include Socotra fig and Socotra fig tree. Kew places it in desert or dry shrubland. In the wild, it grows on rocky limestone hills.

On Socotra, it grows in cracks on steep rock faces. It also takes root on ledges where few plants grow. The height above sea level varies between the north and south coasts. In the north, plants seldom grow below about 1,640 feet [500 metres]. On the south coast, they grow down to 328 feet [100 metres]. These records show where it grows in the wild. They do not describe sites in gardens. The sources give no size range for plants grown in gardens.

LLIFLE gives a height range of 6.6–16.4 feet [2–5 metres]. It also gives a diameter of 1.6–4.9 feet [0.5–1.5 metres]. The swollen stem makes up much of the plant’s bulk. Few branches grow from this broad, thick frame. Its green shape can look like coral with branches. The term pachycaul means this kind of thick-stemmed growth. The plant has a caudex, or swollen stem base, too. Leaf blades reach about 0.33–0.66 feet [0.10–0.20 metres] long. The source gives no more facts about their shape.

Tiny flowers share a base called a compound receptacle. This forms a flower head, not a showy bloom. The plant is monoecious: one plant bears both male and female flowers. Yet LLIFLE says it needs two plants for fertilization. It also notes concerns about shared clonal stock among plants in gardens. The sources do not say when the plant blooms. They give no details of the ripe fruit. Nor do they say what carries pollen between plants.

LLIFLE calls for warmth and moisture through the winter. Its brief care notes link these needs to Socotra’s winters. It also says that cuttings can take root. It gives no temperature limits or hardiness zones. The sources do not state its light or soil needs. They give no details of pests or disease, either. They do not assess its use as food or its toxicity.