Ficus callosa is one of Borneo’s most magnificent fig trees which can grow to 40 m, a height only matched by Ficus albipila.
Few people realize that Ficus callosa is actually one of the commonest fig trees on Signal Hill in the centre of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah Malaysian Borneo. The figs ripen green and are eaten by Flying Foxes and other fruit bats. For reasons unknown Ficus callosa is rare in forests but often common on the edge of towns such as Sandakan and Kota Kinabalu. Possibly this is because the young leaves are loved by deer and deer are common in forests but absent near towns. The individual in the photo is still young in 2023 and will eventually grow almost twice as tall. It was first photographed in 2013.
