Balete Tree

What is balete tree?

If we talk about popular Philippine trees, balete will most likely be at the top of the list. But what exactly is balete tree?

Balete trees are known as strangler figs because they begin to grow on other trees and eventually suffocate and kill the tree they are host to. Isn’t that a weird start for a tree? They begin their lives as epiphytes, also known as air plants, and eventually develop several hanging roots that reach the ground. They then proceed to encircle the host tree in order to suffocate it. Too bad for the host tree. These plants are also sometimes referred to by the term hemiepiphytes.

Did you know that balete trees can produce rubber too? Yes, they can! However, some of the rubber produced by baletes is of a lower quality than the rest. The wood of Ficus species is not very suitable for making wood furniture as it is typically light, delicate, and of low quality.

Balete bonsai tree

Since balete trees are easy to find and easy to manage, it has become one of the favorite specimens in the bonsai hobby. You can actually see every Filipino bonsai artist, from beginner to expert level, having grown or cultured a balete bonsai tree in their garden at one point in their bonsai journey. Another reason is affordability. We know that most bonsai trees are expensive. Balete, on the other hand, can be sourced locally and, most of the time, for free.

Balete bonsai trees can be styled in different ways. The informal upright style and small groups are the two most common presentation options for this component in bonsai. It can also be styled as a formal upright, slanting, semi-cascade, twin-trunk, triple-truck, or clasped to rock.

Balete bonsai tree requires adequate watering, pruning, and feeding, all of which contribute to the healthy growth of this popular bonsai tree. More details on how to grow and care for balete bonsai trees are below.

The vast majority of Ficus Bonsai Trees are Southeast Asian tropical plants. There are numerous Ficus species to choose from. Bonsai cultivators frequently use the Retusa, Religiosa, Carica, and Benjamina species. Balete tree has made a mark in bonsai history as one of the most popular and beginner-friendly bonsai materials.

Beautiful banyan bonsai trees

Banyan bonsai tree

Fast-growing trees in the Philippines

The Philippines is blessed with many different species of trees. One of them is the balete tree. The abundant sunshine in tropical regions allows trees like balete to flourish rapidly. They are not limited by the seasons either. As you get closer to the equator, the terms “summer” and “winter” lose their significance. While many areas near the equator experience “wet” and “dry” seasons, tropical regions experience high annual precipitation rates regardless of latitude. When plants have access to plenty of water and sunlight, they can flourish, but they must speed up their expansion to keep up with the competition.

How to care for and grow balete tree bonsai?

Balete bonsai care – Location

Balete bonsai trees do well in low-light conditions. However, they still require a bright location. It’s best if the tree gets some natural light. A south-facing window is preferable if you are keeping a belete bonsai indoors. During the summer, they anticipate the sun, which gives them a welcome burst of vitality. If your indoor balete bonsai tree isn’t flourishing, try bringing it outside for some fresh air and sunshine.

Balete bonsai care – Irrigation

Watering regularly is a crucial part of caring for a balete bonsai tree. Wet soil is ideal for ficus balete trees. This tree does not like to sit in a puddle of water, so ensure good drainage is nearby. Using a water mist spray is helpful when kept inside. The idea is to make the area the bonsai is in consistently damp.

The roots will wilt and the foliage will turn yellow and fall off if you water it too much. On the other hand, the leaves become dry and brittle from lack of water. Like the rest of caring for a bonsai tree, watering properly is an exercise in moderation.

Balete bonsai care – Maintenance

When balete is allowed to mature, it will produce new shoots with greener than average foliage. You can cut them back to just a few new leaves after growing by 7 to 10 cm. The milky sap oozes out of the tree when it is cut. Wiring a branch is a simple process.

In any case, the balete is an evergreen bonsai tree, so keep that in mind. This, however, does not mean that every leaf will remain intact forever. The leaves are a pale green when they first appear, darken as they age, and finally turn yellow and fall off. Because of the nature of the process, this is to be anticipated. The objective is to ensure new leaves appear before the old ones fall off. In Tagalog or Filipino language, this is what we call “tag-lagas”.

Balete bonsai care – Repotting

It is best to repot your balete bonsai ficus tree every two or three years. Regular bonsai soil should be used, but if you don’t have access to akadama or other expensive and hard-to-find bonsai soil, you can check this DIY Bonsai Soil mix that is equally effective and cheap. For more information on bonsai soil, see this article.

Balete bonsai care – Feeding

Feed your balete bonsai tree once every two to three weeks. I notice they respond very well to this feeding schedule. In fact, feeding may not be totally necessary if you have a good soil mix. But still, adding some fertilizers has its own benefits.

Creepy facts about balete tree in the Philippines

I guess most Filipinos, especially those who live in the provinces, have many stories to tell about this topic. Our lolos (grandfather) and lolas (grandmother) are the most reliable resource for creepy facts and stories that are linked to balete trees in the Philippines. From spirits, white lady, kapre, and many other mystical figures in the Philippine folklore, most of them have a connection to balete trees.

Philippine trees have spirits

Before cutting down trees in the mountains, Ilocanos, particularly those from the province of Ilocos Norte, would traditionally sing “bari bari” verses.

The phrase “do not be offended, my friend,” which is what “bari bari” literally means, refers to the fact that “we cut as we are ordered.” This is done to not anger the mangmangkik, who are believed to be the spirits of the trees. If these spirits are angered, they have the ability to bring about severe illness in the person who provoked them.

The mangmangkik in the Ilocano folktale took the form of a human being to warn offenders about the consequences of cutting down a tree without first obtaining permission from the spirit who guarded it. In most cases, these creatures remain invisible, but they can assume human form.

It is believed that the mangmangkik are human beings too who were killed by lightning, a caiman, or a large knife and buried at the foot of a tree in a tomb. In order to cut trees or plants in the mountains, one must ask permission from the mangmangkik before entering the mountains.

scary balete tree

Puno ng balete and mystical creatures

The balete is the best tree there is, hands down (a relative of the Banyan tree). What piques my interest about these plants is not only their eerie appearance, which is characterized by gnarled roots, but also their connections to creatures that are associated with folklore. They often look and feel like portals into the underworld. Or at least the feeling you get from a good ghost story.

The engkantos, or mythical and supernatural beings, of Philippine folklore are said to rest beneath the Balete tree. Dwendes (dwarves), kapres (tree demons), diwatas (fairies), and tikbalangs are all examples of the engkantos. Some tikbalangs and other nature spirits also have a connection to the Balete tree (demon horses). Many Filipinos, especially those brought up on superstition, avoid these trees at all costs because they are thought to be gateways to other, more fantastical realms. Seeing as how this is the case, it’s probably why I want to contact them.

The Babae sa Balete Drive Story

Did you know about the interesting history of Balete Drive in the Philippines? It’s a once-lined street with large balete trees, which are believed to be a “home for spirits and mysterious creatures” in local folklore. Because of this, the street gained a reputation for being “haunted,” and various legends and folklore have circulated since the 1950s. One popular legend is about a ghost called the “white lady” who is said to haunt taxi drivers on the street.

There are different versions of this legend, but they all involve a young woman who was killed on the street by a taxi driver and whose spirit now haunts the area. Some people even say that a reporter made up the legend of the “haunted” street in the 1950s to create an interesting story. In 2005, a city official even suggested that the street’s reputation for being haunted could be used to boost tourism by hosting Halloween parties there.

Balete Drive is a road connecting Eulogio Rodriguez Sr. Avenue to Nicanor Domingo Street and is home to various businesses, including fast food establishments. The road starts at a dead end near Diliman Creek and runs in a northeast-southwest direction, ending at a T-junction with Nicanor Domingo Street near the San Juan Reservoir.

It’s about 1.3 kilometers long and has a major intersection with Aurora Boulevard, which leads to the commercial district of Cubao. Plus, the Betty Go-Belmonte station on the Manila Line 2 subway system is just east of this intersection.

Remarkable Balete Trees in the Philippines

“Millenium Tree” in Barangay Quirino, Maria Aurora, Aurora province, Philippines

There’s this really old balete tree in the Philippines called the “Millenium Tree” that’s supposedly the biggest of its kind in all of Asia. It’s located in the Barangay Quirino area of Maria Aurora in the Aurora province, and it’s around 600+ years old. It’s also super tall, at about 60 meters (200 feet), and has roots that are about 10-15 meters (33-49 feet) wide. Crazy enough, adults can fit inside the roots if they try.

400-year-old balete tree in Barangay Campalanas in the town of Lazi, in Siquijor, Philippines

The Balete tree, located in the Barangay Campalanas area of the town of Lazi in the Siquijor province of the Philippines, is a truly extraordinary natural wonder. Not only is it believed to be the oldest and largest of its kind in the entire province, but it also possesses a highly unusual characteristic in the form of a spring that originates at the base of the tree and flows directly into a man-made pool. This 400-year-old tree is a truly remarkable sight to behold.

The balete tree inside the OISCA Farm in Lumapao, Canlaon City, Negros Oriental, Philippines

The balete tree located within the OISCA Farm in Lumapao, Canlaon City, Negros Oriental, Philippines, is a truly impressive natural spectacle. According to estimates by botanists from Silliman University, this tree is approximately 1,328 years old, and its trunk is so wide that it would take at least 42 men to encircle it. Within the center of this massive trunk is a cavity that serves as a home for various lizards, bats, and insects. At night, the tree is illuminated by fireflies, giving it the appearance of a year-round Christmas tree. This remarkable tree is a popular tourist attraction in the city.

Balete Tree FAQs

What do balete tree leaves look like?

Depending on the species, most Ficus trees or balete trees have waxy, glossy, and extremely long-lasting evergreen leaves. They can produce aerial roots from the trunk and branches.

Is balete a Philippine fig tree?

There is a variety of balete, commonly known as Weeping fig or Ficus benjamina. However, this tree is unlike the usual fig we know that bears delicious fig fruits. Balete may be related to figs and bears small fruits resembling bigger fig relatives, but this tree is most commonly seen and used in horticulture.

Fig tree in Tagalog (Puno ng Igos)

Igos or Puno ng igos is the Tagalog translation of fig tree. You may see this in a Tagalog biblical verse:

Mateo 21:18-22 – Natuyo ang Puno ng Igos

¹⁸ Kinaumagahan, nang siya ay pabalik na sa lungsod, nagutom siya.

¹⁹ Pagkakita niya sa isang puno ng igos sa tabing-daan, nilapitan niya ito. Ngunit wala siyang nakita rito kundi mga dahon lamang kaya sinabi niya rito: Kailanman ay hindi ka na mamumunga. Kaagad na natuyo ang puno ng igos.

²⁰ Nang makita ito ng mga alagad, namangha sila na sinabi: Bakit natuyo kaagad ang puno ng igos?

²¹ Sumagot si Jesus sa kanila: Katotohanang sinasabi ko sa inyo: Kung kayo ay may pananampalataya at hindi mag-aalinlangan, hindi lamang ang nangyari sa puno ng igos ang magagawa ninyo. Ngunit magagawa rin ninyong sabihin sa bundok na ito: Umalis ka riyan at bumulusok ka sa dagat at mangyayari ito. ²² Makakamit ninyo ang lahat ng inyong hingin sa panalangin kung kayo ay may pananampalataya.

Other than its mention in the bible, I don’t have any record of its use in typical Filipino’s daily life.

Other names of balete?

Several different species of trees belonging to the genus Ficus are referred to collectively as “balete” in the native language spoken in the Philippines. Another name for these trees is the balete tree (also known as balite or baliti).

balete 

This is the most common Tagalog word for ficus / banyan. The term “Balete” is most commonly used in the Luzon region because majority of Filipinos in the area are Tagalog speakers

baliti 

This is another way to spell balete tree. However, this may be the spelling used by our kababayans in the Visaya or Mindanao regions where Filipinos usually pronounce “e” as “i”. But in any case, we all know that they are pertaining to the balete tree, unless it is a place such as a barangay, street, road, etc.

balite 

This spelling of balete may result from search terms combining the Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao Google users. But still, just another variety gives richer diversity to our pronunciation and spelling.

Conclusion

Balete tree is another wonderful creation of God. Let us treasure this tree. It usually comes free as it grows abundantly in the Philippines. You can find it anywhere you go in our country. These trees, along with the others, help generate the oxygen that we need to breathe. It gives color to nature, the environment, and our culture as Filipinos. We have many bonsai artists who have created bonsai masterpieces using balete trees, and they are truly an inspiration and pride to our bonsai community.