Bark-cloth fig is indigenous to Uganda. A common African fig tree found from West to East, northern Zambia to South Africa. It grows in both wet and dry forest and thickets, in riverine and ground-water forests in higher rainfall woodland and savanna, 10-2,200 m. The tree has been cultivated in all regions of Uganda. It often begins life as an epiphyte then becomes a strangler and replaces the host tree, but may also be quite terrestrial. In Kampala, Bark-cloth fig can be found within Makerere university, Uganda Golf course club, at Nakasero hill road, Lower Kololo terrace among other places.

An evergreen shrub or tree usually 12 m but up to 30 m with upright branches to a dense drooping crown. Aerial roots may hang down from the branches and the base of the trunk is often a mass of interwoven roots.

BARK: pale grey, thin and smooth.

LEAVES: rather stiff, long oval, often wider at the tip, about 6 cm (2.5-10 cm) long, tip rounded or shortly pointed, 5-10 veins on either side, on a stalk 0.5-2.0 cm long.

FLOWERS: enclosed within figs.

FIGS: in pairs beside or just below leaves on stalks 2-10 mm, rounded yellow-red when ripe 8-18 mm across, 2 mm long, bracts at the base fall off (unlike F. tbonningii).

Medicine: bark, roots, leaves, root pulp, sap squeezed from the aerial roots, leaf sap. http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php id=Ficus+natalensis, https://www.prota4u.org/database/protav8.asp g=pe&p=Ficus+natalensis+Hochst

A fiber is obtained from the bark and is used to make cloth, paper and as material for the bookbinder.

Agroforestry: can be planted as a living fence or hedges, cultivated as a shade tree in coffee plantations, leaves are given to domestic animals as fodder, used as a shade tree in coffee, cocoa, and banana plantations.

It is also used as landmark.

The wood is used to carve household utensils, as house-posts.

Provides firewood.

The soft wood can be used to make 'fire sticks'.

The latex is used as glue and bird-lime.

Ficus natalensis can be grown as a bonsai plant.

An ornamental tree.

Edible: dried and pounded fruits are mixed with cassava flour to make bread. https://www.prota4u.org/database/protav8.asp g=pe&p=Ficus+natalensis+Hochst