Edison’s Bayon Tree

Edison’s Bayon Tree. Ficus benghalensis. , Edison’s Small Sampling Grew into a Mighty Banyan Hammock , Edison, Ford, and Firestone formed the Edison Botanic Research Corporation in 1927 to find a natural source of rubber that could be grown and harvested in the United States. , , The banyan tree was one of over 17,000 plant specimens that were tested during this project. Banyans are one of the more than 800 species within the genus Ficus. , , The tree's long branches support themselves by aerial roots that slowly grow downward from the limbs into the ground, forming large, pillar-like trunks. There are over 13 types of Ficus throughout the gardens here at Edison Ford Winter Estates. , , Historical documents reveal the banyan was planted as a sapling on the Edison property around 1927. It is one of the largest banyans in the continental United States, with a canopy that covers over a half-acre of land. , , Ficus trees, such as the banyan, produced a fair amount of latex. However, labor costs and the tree's slow growth made this option impractical for Edison, who was looking for a plant that could be harvested several times a year. , , Did You Know? , Banyan trees, also known as "walking trees," are native to the rubber-producing region of southern Asia, which dominated the rubber market during the 1920s and 30s. , , The largest banyan tree in the world grows in the Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden in Kolkata, India. It covers over 4.5 acres and is estimated to be over 250 years old. , (captions) , Above: The young banyan grows next to the experimental rubber plants growing on the property, circa 1934. , Below: Goldenrod grows in an experimental plot between the garage and the lab, circa 1934. Look for the red dot in the photo below, and then turn around to see the same view today. Where you are standing is approximately where the dot on the photo is. The garage, (now the museum store), is to your left, and the lab is to your right. , , Banyan Tree Ficus benghalensis