Edison’s Bayon Tree

In 1927, Edison, Ford, and Firestone formed the Edison Botanic Research Corporation to find a natural source of rubber that could be grown and harvested in the United States. The banyan tree was one of over 17,000 plant specimens tested in this project. Historical documents indicate that the banyan at the Edison property was planted as a sapling around 1927. Banyans are one of more than 800 species in the genus Ficus, and their long branches send down aerial roots that grow into the ground and become large, pillar-like trunks. Ficus trees such as the banyan produced a fair amount of latex, but labor costs and slow growth made them impractical for Edison, who wanted a plant that could be harvested several times a year. The tree became one of the largest banyans in the continental United States, with a canopy covering over a half-acre of land.

Fort Myers, Florida · United States