i'm no botanist but i don't reckon you can grow a moreton bay fig as
an epiphyte, they do germinate and grow in old stumps and in the forks
of other trees etc.,. but they aren't growing like say an orchid or
bromeliad does. in those cases i would suggest the seed has been
deposited in a birds droppings and that there is some humus type
material built up enough to germinate the seed and give enough life
for the fig to send roots to the ground and establish it's own system.

m/b figs a very hardy i have pulled many very small seedling from
different places put them into pots until they rejuvinate then plant
them out never lost one yet. if you get it going in the pot then
planting into the ground should work.

my thoughts

len

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happy gardening
'it works for me it could work for you,'

"in the end ya' gotta do what ya' gotta do" but consider others and the environment
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"Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish" wrote in message
...
SNIP
So, does anyone have any experience with planting epiphytes of this
nature? Any advice on techniques to help ensure success would be great.


I am not sure what you mean by planting them as epithytes.
They are pretty hardy trees, and I would imagine in would need some pretty
heavy handed handling to kill one during transplanting of a seedling.
I have collected a few from a friends property that were growing amongst
rocks, making great bonsai.
You mention the tree is on its last legs. It's a pity, 'cos the best way to
propagate them is aerial layering. Basically you choose a branch approx the
thickness of a broom handle, and a foot or 2 from the end of the branch
remove some bark by making a light cut around the branch, then another a
couple of inches along, and remove the bark between the cuts. Pack some
moist sphagnum(sp?) moss around the wound, then wrap alfoil around the moss,
tying string at each end of the foil to seal it. Roots will form in the
moss, then you can cut off the branch at the section with roots and plant
it. Instant plant!
I say it's a pity it's on it's last legs as if it's due to disease, then the
cutting you take could have it too.
I would collect the seedlings, and pot them up, eventually planting them out
in the ground.
You could try collecting and planting the seeds, though I am not sure if
there is any preparation needed for getting these seeds to germinate, such
as having them being passed through a birds digestive system?
Keep the water up to them, especially when in ground, not wet though, moist.
Good luck

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Andrew G wrote:

"Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish" wrote in message
...
SNIP
So, does anyone have any experience with planting epiphytes of this
nature? Any advice on techniques to help ensure success would be great.


I am not sure what you mean by planting them as epithytes.


Well, we have one that has come up in the gravel in our hydroponics
tray.
Probably deposited in bat/bird shit from eating the figs 100 metres up
the street.

On Mon, 08 Dec 2003 08:32:16 +1100, Terry Collins
wrote:

yep very tenacious aren't they so long as there is a bit of dirt
medium (loosly termed) and water available a fig is right at home, and
if there isn't any readily available moisture they'll seek it out. one
reason why it should be made sure that they are at least 100 feet away
from sewerage/storm water undergrouind pipes for 1.

len

snipped
--
happy gardening
'it works for me it could work for you,'

"in the end ya' gotta do what ya' gotta do" but consider others and the environment
http://home.dnet.aunz.com/gardnlen/

isn't the strangler fig a different fig than the moreton bay fig? the
strangler is generally found in the rain forest up north as i know it.

might do some research later ie searches on the web and see what comes
up.

len

snipped
--
happy gardening
'it works for me it could work for you,'

"in the end ya' gotta do what ya' gotta do" but consider others and the environment
http://home.dnet.aunz.com/gardnlen/

the strangler fig aka 'ficus destruans'

then another source says that this one is the strangler: 'Ficus
watkinsiana'.

and another says this one: 'Ficus aurea'

but none say 'f. macrophylla' aka moreton bay fig is capable of this
growing style.

might be 3 stranglers hey?

len

snipped
--
happy gardening
'it works for me it could work for you,'

"in the end ya' gotta do what ya' gotta do" but consider others and the environment
http://home.dnet.aunz.com/gardnlen/