Ficus benjamina 'Exotica' - Calandstr, Leiden, NL 22 Aug 2008 02 Leo
On Cultivars: Did you know that you have probably seen, and will probably see,
only one Ficus benjamina plant in your entire life!?
Let me explain- The plant you see above is an unaltered clone from the
ultimate mother F. benjamina 'Exotica', the first registered cultivar,
a (1950's/60's, USA (Florida)) selection from seed collected in the
Philippines, if I'm not mistaken. Commercial indoor Ficus cultivars
are all grown from cutting, and have always been. Almost all of the
some 62 F. benjamina cultivars I've noted are all somatic mutations
which arose spontaneously in mass croppings grown for the ornamental
indoor plants market with 'Exotica' as their parent, or their parent's
parent. So you see, all the F. benjamina plants you are ever likely to
see are just different versions of exactly the same tree!
Almost all modern F. benjamina cultivars are patented. This means it
is illegal to propagate these plants commercially without a license.
'Exotica' is actually the only commercially interesting cultivar which
isn't patented (which is one of the reasons that most patented
cultivars are all stated to descend from 'Exotica', the other
unpatented cultivars are a few difficult-growing, extreme mutants
valued by indoor bonsai enthusiasts). Most of these patents are held
by Dutch growers, but there are also a number of patents held by guys
from Florida, and a handful from elsewhere in the USA.
I have a lot to say about the patents in F. benjamina. There is so
much crap written in these patent applications I'd really like to
interview the patent-holders; it's not that I don't think these new
cultivars are recognizably distinct, for the most part, but why lie
about all this stuff about resistance to certain diseases? Show us
proof!
And then one more thing on 'Exotica'. I am noting a great discrepancy
between US and European 'Exotica' plants and the descriptions thereof.
The US versions seem just like normal F. benjamina var. benjamina
plants, lacking an undulate margin and having more robust, duller
leaves. This is puzzling but possible, after all, eventually even
clones of clones of clones of clones will start to diverge!
On taxonomy: This plant should more precisely be F. benjamina var. benjamina 'Exotica' (syn. F. benjamina var. nitida, syn. F. nitida), because F. benjamina var. nuda (syn. F. benjamina var. comosa) also exists. The main differences are the colour and size of the fruit and the thicker, duller, slightly different shaped the leaves with a more rounded apex in F. benjamina var. nuda. F. benjamina var. nuda is rarely seen in cultivation (sometimes as bonsai or street tree in south China).
On native distribution: This tree originates from the tropical zone of southeast and south Asia, and is also found in some parts of Australia. See tags for which countries precisely. Note New Caledonia isn't in there, although it seems possible if the Solomon Islands have a native population.
Origin: My mother plant (the plant above is a cutting) is a twisted twenty year old monster and it resides in the Hauge.
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