Strangler Fig

Strangler figs start life as seeds dropped by birds in the crooks of branches of other trees in the rainforest. The fig seed germinates and sends its roots downward to the soil. In the process, over time, its roots envelope the support tree like a cage. Often the fig will outlive the support tree and end up as a living self-supporting scaffolding frame. This one was photographed in the Northern Territory, Australia.