Strangler Figs: The Deadly Grasp (2000)

Certain fig species are known as strangler figs. Birds eat the seeds, which pass through their bodies unharmed. If the seeds are deposited on a tree branch in bird droppings and adhere due to their slimy coating, they can germinate there. The fig plant initially grows as an epiphyte, attached to the host tree. However, its roots grow down to the ground. Once rooted, the fig grows rapidly, sending more aerial roots around the host tree. These roots eventually encircle and kill the original tree, leaving a hollow cavity within the strangler fig. The strangler fig also benefits from the nutrients released as the host tree decomposes.