Accession Count: 11
Common Name:
common fig
Family Name:
Moraceae
Botanical Name:
Ficus carica
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
Characteristics:
Ficus carica is a deciduous, low-branching tree that reaches a height of 15-30 feet. It has a spreading form and a single trunk that is thick, knobby, and grey. The leaves are simple, with 3-5 lobes, ranging between 4-10 inches long and wide. The leaves are orbicular and have three to five different lobes. Each leaf is around four to nine inches wide, and bright green in color. Because F. carica is deciduous, leaves may be absent during the colder seasons. The fruits are edible figs, and the tree may bear them up to twice a year.
Compound:
Fic car
Geographic Origin:
Mediterranean
Ecozone Origin:
Palearctic
Biome Origin:
EU
Natural History:
The common fig was domesticated in the Near East roughly 11,400 years ago, predating the domestication of other fruit, olive, and date plants by 5,000 years. The fig was then distributed by mankind throughout the Mediterranean region and was widely cultivated from Afghanistan to southern Germany. After the common fig’s introduction to England in the mid-16th century, it moved to the New World in 1560 and then to in Virginia in 1669. The fig was later brought to California in 1769 when the San Diego Mission was established. In these Colonial times, the common fig was found in Bermuda, the West Indies, the Bahamas, and in low altitudes in Central and South America. Commercialization of the Smyrna and Calimyrna varieties was made possible through introduction of the fig wasp as a pollinator. Today, the common fig is grown from the southern United States to northern South America, as well as in India.
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Natural History of the UA Campus Arboretum Specimen:
Accession # : 1308 was designated as a University Heritage Tree in 2002. This specimen was, in the 1930s, on the site of a private home on 5th street which was preserved during the construction of the Franklin Building in 1959. In 1989 it was saved again, through public support, when the construction of the Gould Simpson building threatened its removal. Consequently, it was salvaged and transplanted to its current site by Chuck Raetzman's crew in the university Grounds Services.
Cultivation Notes:
The common fig grows well in areas with partial shade and full sun exposure, with gravelly, well-draining soil. When growing, water every month; when dormant, water rarely. A hard freeze will cause the common fig to die back. The figs bear fruit on the current year's growth. Some pruning may be required to shape it, cut back runaway shoots to produce side-shoots. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers.It is possible to propagate the common fig from cuttings
Ethnobotany:
The common fig is used across cultures for culinary means: they are most commonly eaten fresh, dried, or made into jams. Nutritionally, figs are rich sources of fiber and calcium and are known for their laxative benefits. In France, leaves of the common fig are processed into “fig-leaf absolute,” a material used in perfumes that used to create a “woodland” scent. The common fig produces latex that is used commercially for washing dishes, and it is also used in traditional Latin American medicine as a treatment for warts and skin sores. Lastly, the fig fruit is edible and often consumed by people.
Height:
16 - 20 feet
Width:
16 - 20 feet
Growth Rate:
Moderate Growing
Grow Season:
Summer
Flower Season:
Summer
Color:
Cream
Function:
Accent
Spread:
Non-spreading
Allergen:
Non-allergenic
Invasive:
Benign
Toxicity:
Benign
Hardy:
Semi-hardy
Water Use:
Moderate Water Use
Citations:
Duffield, Mary Rose., and Warren D. Jones. Plants For Dry Climates - How To Select, Grow And Enjoy. Lane Publishing Company, 1992.
