Ficus Benjamina (Weeping Fig) is a popular house plant. The leaves and sap are generally considered toxic. However, I found conflicting information about the fruit.
Some sources claim the fruit is not toxic:
- Garden Guides – "The small fruits of the tree, although inedible, are non-toxic."
- November Tree of the Month: Weeping Fig – "The fig fruit is technically edible; however, it is usually only eaten by birds."
Others claim that it is:
- Die Früchte der Ficus Benjamini – "Die Früchte besitzen leicht giftige Inhaltsstoffe, welche zwar keine schweren gesundheitsschädlichen Folgen verursachen, jedoch unangenehm auf den Magen schlagen können." – English: "The fruits contain mildly toxic substances. They do not cause severe health problems, but may upset the stomach."
- Mein schöner Garten – Birkenfeige "Früchte [...] die jedoch wie alle Pflanzenteile der Birkenfeige schwach giftig sind. Ihr Verzehr kann Übelkeit, Durchfall und krampfartige Magenschmerzen auslösen." – English: "Fruits [...] which however are mildly toxic, like all parts of the plant. Their ingestion may cause nausea, diarrhea and cramp-like abdominal pain."
So what is it about the fruit?
