Bio Diversity Park

Common Name : White Fig

Hindi Name : पिलखन | Scientific Name : Ficus virens
Family : Moraceae
Uses : The leaves are eaten boiled as a vegetable in Northern Thai curries, referred to in the Northern dialect as phak hueat. It has long been used in Ayurveda, for various diseases/disorders including diabetes, liver disorders, diarrhoea, inflammatory conditions, haemorrhoids, respiratory, and urinary diseases. Young shoots and young leaves - raw or cooked. They are sometimes used, in the preparation of curries. It is grown as a shade tree in coffee plantation. The latex is used for caulking boats and waterproofing. The light-coloured wood is soft and porous. The wood, including the aerial roots, is used locally in light construction, tool making etc. The wood is used for fuel.
Native: Indian Subcontinent
General Description:

It is a large strangling fig with a spreading canopy. The aerial roots commonly wrap around the main stem instead of forming props. The leaves are from 8-19cm long and 3-6cm wide, with a whitish midrib. Stipules are less than 1cm long. The pea-sized figs are in pairs and greenish-white to brown with spots. It is a beautiful shade tree. Leaves begin to drop mid-February. New leaves emerge in March with colours of purple and red and bronze, giving the tree a wonderful look. The colour transformation goes on till April.