This clump of Ficus virens/infectoria is seed grown and by being kept in a small container the individual trees now are fused and live on a common root system and lower trunk.
Of interest is the somewhat peculiar formation seen in the red outline. It is an aerial root that has existed for quite a few years. The aerial initially formed as a small thread-like structure but because the ambient humidity is low it has never reached the soil to form a pillar trunk. Each year when humidity is high new aerials try to sprout from it but as the high humidity is only temporary the aerials never succeed in elongating and reaching to the ground. It gets thicker each year and the “ball” is enlarging year by year.
The appearance now is of a solid wood ball on which spikes that are aborted aerials jut out. Perhaps one day I will cut it off and see if I can root it as a cutting.
Ficus virens/infectoria showing the aborted aerial root growing off the trunk
Closer view of the aerial and the spikes growing from it
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