Weeds of Australia - Fact Sheet

Top Scientific Name Family Common Names Origin Naturalised Distribution Notes

Scientific Name

Ficus carica L.

Family

Moraceae

Common Names

common ficus, common fig, edible fig, fig, fig tree

Origin

This species is thought to be native to northern Africa (i.e. northern Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia), southern Europe (i.e. Greece, Italy, southern France and Spain), western Asia and northern Pakistan. However, it has been cultivated since very early times and its exact native range is obscure.

Naturalised Distribution

Common fig (Ficus carica) is widely naturalised in the temperate regions of southern Australia (i.e. in south-western Western Australia, the south-eastern and eastern parts of South Australia, eastern and central Victoria, and some parts of eastern New South Wales). It is also occasionally naturalised in the Northern Territory, sparingly naturalised in south-eastern Queensland, and possibly naturalised on Norfolk Island.

Naturalised overseas in other parts of Europe, in southern Africa, in New Zealand, and the in southern and eastern parts of USA.

Notes

Common fig (Ficus carica) is regarded as an environmental weed in Western Australia and South Australia. It has escaped cultivation in gardens and plantations and spread into natural areas, particularly moist sites near habitation.

This species is currently of most concern in the south-western parts of Western Australia, where it is a common weed of wetland areas and waterways. For example, it has spread to waterways and wetlands around Perth and is present in riparian zones in the Wooroloo Brook catchment. In fact common fig (Ficus carica) ranks quite highly in the Environmental Weed Strategy of Western Australia, due to its perceived invasiveness and impact.

Though it is of less concern in the eastern states, common fig (Ficus carica) has already become naturalised in several conservation areas in South Australia (i.e. Belair National Park, Kaiserstuhl Conservation Park, Cleland Conservation Park, Sturt Gorge Recreation Park, Onkaparinga River Recreation Park, Horsnell Gully Conservation Park and Morialta Conservation Park) and in Yarra Bend Park, in suburban Melbourne, in Victoria.