Home >> Science & Nature >> Science

How to Make a Model of a Strangling Fig Tree for a Science Project

Strangler fig trees grow by germinating in a host tree, spreading their thin roots over the host tree and ultimately encircling and killing the host tree. They grow to a height of about 150 feet. A model suitable for a science class or project should be built to scale--this model is sized so that 1 inch on the model represents 1 foot of real tree. A representative model of a mature strangler fig must have a trunk or hollow area in the middle to represent the suffocated host tree. The model also should include many small, green ovoid leaves and small, round fruits.

Things You'll Need

Plastic lid
Scissors
Poster board
Hobby knife, such as X-Acto
Tree branch cut flat at either end, 5 inches long
Glue
12 lengths tan or ashy gray wire, 15 inches long each
Shears
Green tissue paper
Brown tissue paper
Red marker

Instructions

- 1
  Cut the edges off the plastic lid; the plastic piece should be flat. Score an X-shape into the poster board, at the middle of the poster board. Push the tree branch through the poster board where it̵7;s scored. The bottom of the tree branch should be even with the lower end of the poster board.
- 2
  Flip the poster board onto its side. Glue the plastic lid where the tree branch pushes through the poster board to keep it from slipping through entirely. Flip the poster board right side up again. Glue the tree branch in place from the top.
- 3
  Hold the wires lengthwise. Twist the strands a few times at the approximate middle of the group̵7;s length. The group should be firmly joined together at the middle. Place the twisted section of the wire at the top cut-off end of the branch. Glue it in place.
- 4
  Twist the lower section of wires over the tree branch. They should encircle the tree branch and crisscross over it. Gather two to four of the wires where they extend past the bottom of the tree branch and onto the poster board. Twist the two to four wires together a few times to hold them in place. Loop the end of each wire over and twist it to itself until the end of each wire is shaped into a loop. Repeat until all the wire ends are twisted into small groups and shaped into loops. Cut the loops (not exactly in half, but so each side is slightly uneven) with the shears. Wrap the roots to the tree branch, near the bottom of the branch. Glue them in place.
- 5
  Twist the upper section of wire so it resembles a trunk, with branches of various lengths extending from it. Twist some of the branches together to create thicker branches, with all the branches different widths, too. Twist the ends of the wires into loops. Cut the loops unevenly.
- 6
  Cut green tissue paper into small oval leaves (about less than 1/4-inch long). Glue the leaves to the ends of the top section of wires where the loops are cut and to the area immediately leading up to the wire ends. Repeat until the leaves seem abundant. Roll small balls (smaller than the leaves) of brown tissue paper to make the figs. Dab the balls with a red marker, if desired. Glue the small balls to the wire, between the leaves. Repeat until there seem to be at least as many ̶0;figs̶1; as leaves.

Science