The Wonderous Ficus Trees

The first time I saw the tree in the following picture, I was intrigued. So many branches of the tree go downward and into the ground! Were the branches grew ground up or up to down? Looking at the joints of the branches, the connections look organic and seamless, it seemed to be unlikely that the branches grew ground up. If they grew top down, then how can they grew into the ground - assuming the downward growing branches are like typical branches with leaf tips? While I was thinking through this, I sawn another tree that has similar branch structure.  I could not figure out the answer to my questions.

Literature search revealed that the big tree is a type of ficus trees.

A big tree with prop like branches

A different and much smaller tree has similar branches

Some species of ficus produce aerial roots from their branches that grow down towards the ground. When they grow into the ground soils, they develop into strong and reasonably sized prop roots. These prop roots provide anchorage and support to the branches from the main trunk of the tree, allow them grow much further away from main trunk than typically possible. Species of these characteristics, typically grow into huge, majestic trees. As the following picture shows

A majestic ficus tree at Fort Canning

The big tree is home to so many birds, they flew in and out the tree, one at a time, or in groups. Many only hopped around the perimeter of the tree, one branch to another. The tree is a paradise to them, they chirped continuously, one after another, when I was there.

Later, on another trail path, I saw a ficus tree with aerial roots hanging in the air!! 

aerial roots

 Amazing what evolution can do!

The wonderous ficus tree is just one of many wonders of nature.  

Notes

1) This prop roots made me think of what is done in 3D printing. When an overhang is 3d printed we add support to the bottom of it, just like prop roots of some ficus tree. A necessity for high quality 3d printing of a structure with overhang.  

                                                The supports to a 3D printed part (reference)

2) There is a sign by the tree with many aerial roots, from CUGE (center for urban greenery and ecology), which stated the facts about the ficus tree. It stated that aerial roots often die before they reach ground in urban environment. They have experiments on the tree to help selectively stimulate the aerial roots to form prop roots, in hope of improving its stability and helping to grow larger!