Fig
Fig (Ficus carica L.) is the name of the tree (or large shrub) as well as of its “fruit”. It is in the family Moraceae, and is native to the region between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. The “trees” grow on many soils, even on marginal ones (e.g. in deserts), being drought tolerant, but not on very humid soils. They grow to a height of 7–10 metres and have a smooth whitish- brown bark. The deeply lobed leaves are large, coming to 20 X 10 cm (length and width). Nowadays the fig is grown in the Mediterranean basin, Iran, northern African countries and (introduced) in North America.
The fig tree is dioecious and its fleshy “fruits”, are drupes). They are syconia, whose small upper opening allows the fig wasp (Blastophaga psenes (L.)) to enter and pollinate the flowers (“Caprification”). The syconium develops into the fleshy “fruit”, which at maturity becomes the brown or purplish edible fruit.
Over 700 fig cultivars are known, usually placed in several categories. “Common” does not require pollination, “Caprifigs” produce pollen but their “fruits” are not edible, in contrast to the “Smyrna” and “San Pedro” figs.
At planting, male trees should be grown among female trees, due to fig being dioecious.
In commerce figs are offered as fresh or as dried. They are rich in sugars, vitamins, fibre and many essential minerals and for making various sweets, jams and wines. In the past figs were used for diverse medical purposes, such as laxatives, treating warts and asthma.
The fig tree and its “fruits” are mentioned in many ancient and holy texts (e.i., Genesis, 3: 7; detailing how Adam and Eve sewed fig leaves to make themselves “aprons”), usually in connection with, or as, nutrient for holy persons.
Common: Common figs (such as the Brown Turkey) do not require pollination from another tree, or from a wasp. True to their name, common figs are most common in home gardens. Common figs are 100% vegan.
Caprifigs: Caprifigs produce small non-edible fruit (also called a male fruit because it contains male flowers). The purpose of the caprifig is to produce pollen that fertilizes the last two types of figs, Smyrna and San Pedro. The pollen produced by the caprifig is transported to the female fruit (which contains the female flowers) by the Blastophaga wasp.
Smyrna: Smyrna figs produce a large edible fruit, but the figs must be pollinated. If not pollinated they will shrivel and fall from the tree.
San Pedro: San Pedro figs produce two crops per season. The first crop, called the Breba, ripens in early spring on the previous season’s growth and requires no pollination. The second crop, also called the main crop, happens later in summer, on the current season’s growth, and requires pollination from a caprifig and Blastophaga wasp.
Major fig pests in the Middle East
REFERENCES
Condit, I.J. 1947. The Fig. Waltham, Mass., USA, pp. 222.
Condit, I.J. 1969. Ficus: The Exotic Species. University of California, Division of Agricultural Sciences, 363 pp.
Goor, A. 1955. The Fig. State of Israel, Ministry of Agriculture, Hakirya, pp 48 (in Hebrew).
Goor, A. 1965. The history of the fig in the Holy Land from ancient times to the present. Economic Botany 19: 124-135.