A large strangling fig (Ficus benjamina) with dome shape plant architecture growing in an open space.
Birds such as the white bulbul, parrot eat the small ripe fruits of the fig, the ingested tiny seeds covered with sticky mucilage found in their droppings may land on twigs, top of buildings or ground. The seeds when landed on buildings soon sprout and the roots soon grow into the crevices. The crevices enlarged because of the enlarging and lengthening of massive roots causing cracks to buildings.
An abandoned shop-building being strangled by a fig.
After centuries of being abandoned, Angkor Wat, Cambodia later discovered by a French archeologist was badly strangled by the strangling fig.
Highly finished stone image of Brahma, Siva, and Vishnu at Kou Phra Na Muang Takuapa.
The strangling fig being fast growing is commonly used as a landscape plant along roads and compounds. This is not a good practice, in fact it should be banned for such use because of its destructiveness. The Department of Landscape should take heed of this.
In one case, on noticing fig seedlings growing on the roof of a masjid (Kajang) I wrote a letter to them to volunteer to replace the fig saplings planted in the compound with other plants. There was no reply. Perhaps the authorities are ignorant.
Anyway, purposeful keeping of fig plants (of several types) is a much venerated practice of Hindu-Buddhist temples.
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