Sandpaper fig

Ficus coronata

Leaves rough enough to sand a spear shaft, which is what they were used for; small purple figs along the water.

Type: small tree · fruit trees
Hardiness: zones 9 to 11
Light: part shade
Size: about 25 ft tall, 15 ft wide
Harvest: July to December
From: Creeks of eastern Australia
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.

Good for: food, wildlife.

Native to: Australia. Hardy in zones 9 to 11.

The story

Run a thumb over a sandpaper fig leaf and the name explains itself. Aboriginal peoples of the east coast used the leaves to give a final polish to spears, boomerangs and other wooden tools, and ate the figs along the creeks.

Planting

Part shade and moist soil near water. It suits a creek bank or rainforest garden.

Growing

Keep it watered. Prune to shape.

Harvest and use

Small purple-black figs, mainly in summer and autumn, on the trunk and branches. Rub off the hairy skin and eat the sweet inside. Fig birds, bats and possums come for the rest.

What to watch for

Milky sap irritates skin. Light frost only.

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General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home