How do strangler figs grow around host trees?

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Ecuador: rainforest — Tropical rainforest Rainforest vegetation grows along the northern coast of Ecuador.

Strangler figs begin their life cycle as seeds deposited by animals onto the high branches of a host tree, where they initially grow as epiphytes.1

As the plant matures, it develops long roots that descend along the host's trunk until they reach the ground and enter the soil. Multiple roots typically follow this path, eventually grafting together to form a tight, latticework sheath that encases the host tree. This growth pattern creates intense competition for resources: the fig’s foliage shades the host’s canopy, its root sheath constricts the host's trunk, and its root system competes directly with the host for soil nutrients.1

While this process often leads to the death of the host tree, the fig remains as a self-supporting structure, often leaving behind a hollow cylinder of roots that serves as a keystone species by providing essential food and shelter for various tropical forest animals.1