The banyan fig tree (ficus benghalensis) or giant banyan tree is to Asia what the baobab is to Africa. It is a strangler fig tree which can extend its roots on several hectares and multiply its number of trunks. It grows epiphytically from the branches of other trees, emitting aerial roots which spread in full stems as they touch the ground. Because of its height and robustness, it is an ideal support for the construction of the Korowai tree houses.