Ficus altissima aka Counciltree

Ficus altissima is an evergreen tree. It belongs to the mulberry family, Moraceae. Its common names include false banyan, lofty fig, and council tree. Its native range spans southern China and tropical Asia. It grows in India, Nepal, Bhutan, and mainland Southeast Asia. The range includes Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines as well. It lives in wet tropical areas, in lowland and mountain forests.

This tree grows fast and forms a broad crown. Its branches spread out, and it keeps its leaves year-round. Useful Tropical Plants gives a height of 82 feet [25 metres]. The same source describes trees reaching 98 feet [30 metres] or more. It gives no separate size range for garden trees. The trunk can be about 1.3–3 feet [0.4–0.9 metres] across. Low buttresses, or flared roots, help brace the trunk's base.

It often starts as an epiphyte, growing on another tree. At first, it grows within a fork or branch. It then sends aerial roots down toward the soil. These roots thicken and feed the fig once they reach the ground. The roots can wrap around the host tree's trunk. They limit its growth while the fig's crown shades its leaves. The host may die and leave the fig growing alone. This way of growing helps explain its large, spreading form.

Wild trees grow at heights of about 328–6,562 feet [100–2,000 metres]. In the cooler north, most grow at higher sites. Farther south, they also grow in lowland forests. In Java, trees grow in both lowland and mountain sites. It can also take hold on walls, buildings, and bridges. These records describe where it lives. They do not give tested care needs for garden trees. Wasps pollinate the tree. The supplied evidence gives no flowering season for this species. Nor does it describe the fruit.

People grow this fig for its looks. In Thailand, projects that restore land use it as a pioneer tree. People also gather bark fibre and latex from wild trees. They use the bark fibre to make cordage, such as rope. Latex from the trunk and stems can yield rubber. This rubber is poorer in quality than rubber from Ficus elastica. Useful Tropical Plants lists no known uses for food or medicine. It also reports no known hazards. This does not prove that the tree is safe for people or pets.