Balete from Forest of the Philippines plate8 part2

The balete tree (also known as balite or baliti) are several species of the trees in the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

from the genus ''

Ficus ''Ficus'' ( or ) is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes and hemiepiphytes in the family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few species extendi ...

'' that are broadly referred to as ''balete'' in the local language. A number of these are known as '' strangler figs'' wherein they start upon other trees, later entrapping them entirely and finally killing the host tree. Also called hemiepiphytes, initially, they start as

epiphyte An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphytes grow are called phoroph ...

s or air plants and grow several hanging roots that eventually touch the ground and from then on, encircling and suffocating the host tree. Some of the baletes produce an inferior quality of rubber. The India rubber plant, '' F. elastica'' were earlier cultivated to some extent for rubber. Some of the species like ''tangisang-bayawak'' or '' Ficus variegata'' are large and could probably be utilized for

match A match is a tool for starting a fire. Typically, matches are made of small wooden sticks or stiff paper. One end is coated with a material that can be ignited by friction generated by striking the match against a suitable surface. Wooden mat ...

woods. The woods of species of Ficus are soft, light, and of inferior quality, and the trees usually have ill-formed, short boles.Whitford, H.N., Bureau of Forestry
"The Forests of the Philippines, Part 2"
p.30. Manila Bureau of Printing, 1911.

List of species which shares the common name of Balete

*'' F. arayatensis Warb.''Merritt, Melvin L., Bureau of Forestry
"The Forests of Mindoro"
p.42. Manila Bureau of Printing, 1908. *'' F. balete Merr.'' *'' F. benjamina Linn.''Bureau of Insular Affairs
"Compilation of laws and regulations relating to public lands in the Philippine Islands"
p.181. Washington Government Printing Office, 1908."Ficus benjamina Linn."
. Philippine Bureau of Plant Industry. Retrieved on 2011-04-27. *'' F. benjamina Linn. var. nuda Miq.'' *'' F. clusioides Miq.'' *'' F. concinna Miq.'' *'' F. elastica Roxb.''Stuart, Godofredo
"Balete"
Philippine Medicinal Plants. Retrieved on 2011-04-25. *'' F. forstenii Miq.'' *'' F. indica Linn.'' *'' F. parvifolia Miq.'' *'' F. payapa Blanco'' *'' F. philipinenses Miq.'' *'' F. retusa Linn.'' *'' F. stipulosa Miq. Linn.''"Balete – Scientific name: Ficus stipulosa Miq. Linn."
Filipino Herbs Healing Wonders. Retrieved on 2011-04-25. *'' F. variegata Blume''

Ornamental use

Baletes are planted as graceful trees along avenues in

Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populated ...

and other large cities in the Philippines, and they are also excellent as shade trees. Several species of the tree are also use for

bonsai Bonsai ( ja, 盆栽, , tray planting, ) is the Japanese art of growing and training miniature trees in pots, developed from the traditional Chinese art form of '' penjing''. Unlike ''penjing'', which utilizes traditional techniques to produc ...

making in the country. Baletes are used as houseplants; however, it is a source of indoor household allergens which may cause respiratory allergy.

Local folklore

7975Balete Drive Quezon City Landmarks 05

In some areas of the country, some people believe that balete trees are dwelling places for supernatural beings (''

anito ''Anito'', also spelled ''anitu'', refers to ancestor spirits, nature spirits, and deities in the indigenous Philippine folk religions from the precolonial age to the present, although the term itself may have other meanings and associa ...

'') like '' diwata'', ''

kapre In Philippine mythology, the kapre is a creature that may be described as a tree giant, being a tall (), dark-coloured, hairy, and muscular creature. Kapres are also said to have a very strong body odour and to sit in tree branches to smoke. O ...

'' or ''

tikbalang The Tikbalang (/ˈtikbaˌlaŋ/) (also Tigbalang, Tigbalan, Tikbalan, Tigbolan, or Werehorse) is a creature of Philippine folklore said to lurk in the mountains and rainforests of the Philippines. It is a tall, bony humanoid creature with the he ...

''. In some places, sorcery rituals are known performed inside the chambers formed by the tree. Also among others, some superstitious folks suggest not bringing in balete as decorative plants inside a house as they allegedly invite ghosts. Balete Drive in New Manila,

Quezon City Quezon City (, ; fil, Lungsod Quezon ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read in Filipino as Kyusi), is the List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...

, named after a gargantuan balete tree that used to stand in the middle of the street, is allegedly one of the most haunted places in the city. The tale of a

white lady A White Lady (or woman in white) is a type of female ghost. She has long straight hair, typically dressed in a white dress or similar garment, reportedly seen in rural areas and associated with local legends of tragedy. White Lady legends ar ...

appears at night hailing cars that drive by have been circulated since the 1950s.

Extreme examples

* The balete tree inside the OISCA Farm in Lumapao, Canlaon City,

Negros Oriental Negros Oriental ( ceb, Sidlakang Negros; tl, Silangang Negros), officially the Province of Negros Oriental, is a province in the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region. Its capital is the city of Dumaguete. It occupies the southeaste ...

is estimated by

botanist Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek wo ...

s from

Silliman University Silliman University (also referred to as Silliman or SU) is a private research university in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, the Philippines. Established in 1901 as Silliman Institute by the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, it is ...

to be around 1,328 years old. It would take at least 42 men to encircle its trunk. At the heart of this wide tree trunk is a cavity where lizards, bats and many insects have made it their home. With fireflies lighting it at night like a year-round

Christmas tree A Christmas tree is a decorated tree, usually an evergreen conifer, such as a spruce, pine or fir, or an artificial tree of similar appearance, associated with the celebration of Christmas. The custom was further developed in early modern ...

, it is one of the city's main tourist attraction. * A balete tree locally called "Millenium Tree" in

Barangay A barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as barrio (abbreviated as Bo.), is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district, or ward. In metropolita ...

Quirino, Maria Aurora,

Aurora An aurora (plural: auroras or aurorae), also commonly known as the polar lights, is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions (around the Arctic and Antarctic). Auroras display dynamic patterns of bri ...

province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions out ...

in the

is claimed to be the largest of its kind in Asia. It is estimated to be about 600+ years old and tall with its roots about to in diameter. It is possible for adult people to squeeze into the center of its root network. * A 400-year-old balete tree in Barangay Campalanas in the town of Lazi, in

Siquijor Siquijor ( , ), officially the Province of Siquijor ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Siquijor; tl, Lalawigan ng Siquijor), is an island province in the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region. Its capital is the municipality also named Siquijor ...

is believed to be the oldest and the biggest in the province. What is also unusual about this tree is the

spring Spring(s) may refer to: Common uses * Spring (season), a season of the year * Spring (device), a mechanical device that stores energy * Spring (hydrology), a natural source of water * Spring (mathematics), a geometric surface in the shape of a h ...

that emanates from the base of the tree and flows straight into a man-made pool.

Gallery

File:FvfCordonIsabela3349 33.JPG, A balete tree in Cordon, Isabela,

File:Millennium tree of Balete Park, Maria Aurora, Philippinesjf.jpg, The “''Millennium Tree''” at Balete Park in Brgy. Quirino in Maria Aurora,

province,

."Sightseeing - Nature Areas and Beaches"
Discover Aurora. Retrieved on 2011-12-29. File:FvfBustosBulacan0380 25.JPG, A balete in Bustos,

Bulacan Bulacan, officially the Province of Bulacan ( tl, Lalawigan ng Bulacan), is a province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the city of Malolos. Bulacan was established on August 15, 1578, and part of the Me ...

. File:Enchanted Balete Tree in Lazi.JPG, The 400-year-old balete tree of Barangay Campalanas, Lazi, Siquijor province,

References

External links

{{Commons category, Balete tree
"The Forests of the Philippines"
by the Philippine Bureau of Forestry from Google Books. Flora of the Philippines Trees of the Philippines Paranormal places in the Philippines Plant common names Austronesian spirituality