Tree Species (Scientific Name)
Ficus pertusa
Food
Firewood
Lumber
Medicinal
Costa Rican Common Name
Higuito, Higuillo
Tree Family
Moraceae
Average Leaf Size (cm)
7.5cm
Length
×
3cm
Width
Tree Height
Medium (20–35m)
Elevational Range (m)
0–2000m
0 3000
Distribution
Native
Exotic
Native to Costa Rica

Native to

Region
Americas
Latin America
Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, Venezuela
Costa Rica
Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limón, Puntarenas, San José

Coffee Agroforestry Information

Coffee System
Arabica
Coffee Impact
Beneficial to coffee
Cultivation
Planted
Natural
Regeneration
Regenerates Naturally
Tree Management
Propagated by seeds and cuttings.
Climate Change Adaptability
unknown

Tree Benefits and Uses

Farmer Uses
  • Food
  • Firewood
  • Lumber
  • Medicinal

Medicinal: It is used for toothache and in cases of inflammation of the breasts of breastfeeding women (lactifuge), the latex is used to treat parasites and spread on the skin to treat itching due to fungal infection.

Food: sweet fruit

Farm Services
  • Coffee Shade
  • Soil Improvement

Coffee shade: Light shade

Biodiversity Benefits
Yes

Attracts biological controllers, Attracts seed dispersers, Attracts pollinators

Rubber trees are trees that provide food for hundreds of species of fauna. Its fruits are consumed by many species of birds and mammals and, in addition, several insects also visit its flowers and fruits. Having rubber trees in agricultural systems is essential to help maintain the functioning of the ecological processes that occur in the landscapes around our farms.

Citations

Citations

Plants of the World Online (POWO). (2024). Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet. Retrieved from http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). (2024). IUCN Red List. Published on the Internet. Retrieved from https://www.iucnredlist.org

Fern, Ken (2024). Tropical Plants Database. Published on the Internet. Retrieved from https://tropical.theferns.info

World Flora Online. (2024). World Flora Online. Published on the Internet. Retrieved from https://www.worldfloraonline.org

Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). (2024). GBIF. Published on the Internet. Retrieved from https://www.gbif.org/es

Aves y plantas de Costarica. Published on the internet. Retrieved from https://avesyplantas.com

Biblioteca digital de la medicina tradicional Mexicana. Published on the internet. Retrieved from http://www.medicinatradicionalmexicana.unam.mx/apmtm/index.html

Shade Coffee. Catálogo de sombra. Published on the internet. Retrieved from https://www.shadecoffee.org