Ficus belongs to the mulberry family, Moraceae, a large family mainly confined to the tropics and subtropics. This family consists of 37 genera and 1 180 species. Ficus represent the largest in the family with about 850 species (Christenhusz 2017).

The botanical name Ficus is probably derived from the Hebrew ‘fag’ or Persian ‘fica’. The specific name ilicina pertains to the leaves of the laurel fig, which resemble those of the holm oak, Quercus ilex. The common name laurel fig pertains its resemblance to the laurel, (Laurus nobilis), in the Lauraceae family.

Ficus ilicina was first named as Urostigma ilicinum by the botanist Sonder, in 1850, from plants collected by the German collector Carl Zeyher. It was transferred to Ficus in 1867. Another species from Namibia, Ficus guerichiana, was named by Engler in 1894, but later found to be a synonym of F. ilicina. However, there are small differences between the 2 taxa. The Namibian plants have broader leaves, tend to grow more erect and the stems are slightly hairy at the nodes. The Namaqua plants have narrower leaves, the stems are hairless and they tend to be more of a rock hugger. These characteristics are retained in cultivation.

The laurel fig (both from Namibia and Namaqualand) can be seen in the Botanical Society Conservatory as well as in the Matthews Rockery, in Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden.

I planted these in 1997 on the entrance pillars of the Conservatory and some others on the western flank, training them up an attached net, and in the Matthews Rockery.

The result: a green pillar to the roof top in about 10 years, and the plant producing and extensive network of adventitious wandering roots, which eventually (in the last 8 years) have spread onto the concrete ceiling (where no free water ever reaches). This network of roots can clearly be seen on the pillars but more clearly on the ceiling of the concrete roof, and clearly represents a strategy so many of the rock-splitting and epiphytic figs follow. Opportunistic roots will exploit each little crevice or portion of the rock closest to the fig, searching for additional moisture sources.

These plants grown in the Conservatory, represent 2 collections, one of these from a collection of seed by Werner Voigt (a student at the time), which he brought back after an 8 day walk in the Namib Naukluft National Park, in 1997. This plant has broader leaves and is slow growing. The other collection is grown from cuttings collected by me from plants in Namaqualand. The latter is much faster growing and have narrower leaves. These plants were established in large containers, but the wandering roots soon found the adjacent sandstone fringed beds, where it soon enlarged. Ficus ilicina was also grown with success in the open, just south of the Botanical Society Conservatory, on a stone-dressed wall, as well as the Matthews Rockery where the plants can also be seen. The latter represent the Namibian slow-growing form and can be seen among the rocks just NW of the largest naboom (Euphorbia ingens).

Ficus ilicina appears to be closest to the veld fig (Ficus burtt-davyi) from the southern and eastern parts of South Africa. The latter with much smaller leaves and stems.