Fig is an ancient tropical plant with a lot of unique, useful properties that are unfairly underestimated. The Latin name for a culture belonging to the genus ficus (Ficus carica). The plant in different regions is called a fig tree, fig or fig tree. It has gained wide popularity since ancient times. According to some interpretations of the Old Testament, it was the fig that Adam and Eve ate as the forbidden fruit.
Many people know the name of the fruit, but few people know about the beneficial properties and other features of the oldest horticultural culture, including where figs grow. The photo and a brief description below it will not reveal all the interesting and important information.
Useful properties
Figs are considered one of the most nutritious fruits due to their beneficial properties. It does not harm he alth, but there are some contraindications to its use, for example, people with gout and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract should not eat this fruit. Dried berries are not recommended to be abused during pregnancy, diabetes. The daily norm of a he althy person is 3-4 berries.
Fig fruits are useful fresh and dried for the prevention of many diseases andgeneral strengthening of the body. In medicine, the fruits of the fig tree are used as a remedy:
- antibacterial;
- wound healing;
- antiparasitic;
- he alth;
- anti-cancer.
Figs for weight loss and home cooking
Dried figs, among other things, are effective in losing weight, as it leaves a feeling of satiety for a long time and has a slight laxative effect. In addition to valuable substances, berries have high taste qualities. But, despite its sweetness, the calorie content of the fruit is relatively low (49 kcal per 100 g). Fruits are used in fresh, dried and canned form. It makes an amazing jam, marshmallow, compote and wine, thanks to which the fig has acquired another name "vin berry".
The leaves of the fig tree are used in India as cattle feed, and in France as a raw material for obtaining new fragrances in perfumery. Fig latex contains: malic acid, rubber, renin, resins and many other valuable elements. Skin contact with latex juice can cause irritation if not removed immediately.
How is it growing?
This is a large shrub (8-10 m) with thick smooth branches and a wide crown. The diameter of the trunk reaches up to 18 cm, the root system is 15 m wide, the roots go down to a depth of 6 m. The large leaves of figs are rigid with uneven teeth along the edges, from dark green to grayish green. The sheet is 15 cm long and 12 cm wide.
I wonder: everyoneFicus trees are divided into female and male individuals, and black blastophage wasps pollinate them. These wasps do their job well, as evidenced by the large yields.
In the inflorescences of the tree there are small holes at the top through which pollination occurs. Moreover, on which tree figs grow, it depends on whether the fruits are edible or not, they are only female individuals, the flowers of which do not need pollination.
Pear-shaped figs grow up to 10 cm long, sweet and juicy yellowish green or dark purple. It is a hollow fleshy vessel with small partially closed scales. The size and color of the fruit depends on the variety. The most common are dark blue, yellow and yellow-green.
Unripe berries should not be consumed as they contain inedible latex. Depending on the variety, ripe figs can contain from 30 large to 1600 small seeds. Growing in favorable conditions, a fig tree can bear fruit for 200 years. The tree can bloom several times throughout the year, but the fruits are tied by the end of the warm period, from summer to autumn.
Where does it grow?
According to many historians, the fig tree was the first plant cultivated by man, which began to be cultivated 5 thousand years ago. The historical homeland of ficus is Saudi Arabia, where the plant is widely used in the food and medical industries. Over time, the area where figs grow has spread to Europe and the Canary Islands.
As far back as 1530, ficus fruits were first tasted in England, from where the seeds were imported to South Africa, Australia, Japan, China and India. The history of the American fig begins in 1560, when the imported seeds began to be grown in Mexico.
In the Caucasus region (Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan) and on the black coast of Russia (Abkhazia, the southern coast of Crimea), ficus has been growing since ancient times. Where figs grow in the wild in Russia, the climate is warm and dry. Large areas of plantations are located in neighboring Turkey, Greece, as well as in Italy, Portugal.
In Venezuela, this fruit is one of the most popular today. In 1960, a state program was created, thanks to which a serious development of the industrial production of this crop began. In Colombia, figs have long been considered a luxury. Today, the attitude towards the fruit has changed, because figs grow here in every garden. The conditions turned out to be too favorable, but the love for the berry did not become weaker.
Climate and soil
In the tropics and subtropics, figs grow in hilly areas at 800-1800 m above sea level. The plant is unpretentious and frost-resistant, withstands temperatures down to -20 ° C. The dry climate is ideal for growing fresh fruit. With high humidity, the fruits begin to crack and quickly deteriorate. However, too dry climate adversely affects the quality of fruiting, fruits begin to fall before they ripen.
Almost any soil is suitable for growing, provided that there is goodthoughtful irrigation system, suitable:
- rich loam;
- heavy clay;
- light sand;
- limestone;
- acid soils.
Fig grows well next to other crops, on flat terrain, slopes, rocks and screes. Trees are practically not affected by diseases and various parasites.
Where does exotic fruit grow in Russia?
It seems impossible, but it is possible to cultivate a subtropical crop quite successfully in our northern climate, and despite the harsh winter frosts, it will bring a good harvest. This requires only the right agricultural technology.
Where wild figs grow, at an average daily temperature of +10 °C for the entire growing season, the sum of temperatures reaches +4000 °C. With such indicators, the harvest will be plentiful and stable. Therefore, when cultivating the crop yourself, it is important to ensure the same conditions using the trench method.
Under certain conditions, with mandatory shelter for the winter, a fig tree can be planted in central Russia. Although in the Caucasus and in the Crimea it is found in a wild form. In the Krasnodar Territory, in October-November, fig trees require special greenhouse conditions to survive the winter. In regions with a sharply continental climate, the culture is bred in winter gardens and greenhouses. Figs bloom 2-3 years after planting. Brings a high yield from 7-9 years. The culture is propagated by seeds, cuttings and layering.
How do figs grow at home?
For landing inat home, low-growing varieties are selected. Seedlings usually sit in tubs or boxes so that they can be easily taken out onto the street or balcony. The plant should receive its share of sunlight, and this is several months of the year. This is done when warm weather has already settled on the street, and there will certainly not be frost at night. Choose a planting container that is strong enough to support well-drained soil and the weight of the plant itself.
The soil is mixed in proportions 2:1:2 with sand and compost. To form a single tree, when the trunk reaches a height of 0.5 m, the top is pinched. Every year, the container needs to be changed, as well as the soil, because the fig grows quickly and its root system needs a place. In a box, a tree can bear fruit up to 3 times a year: in spring, late summer and late autumn. It is important to provide additional heat and light for the last fruiting so that the fruit does not fall off prematurely.
Features of cultivation
Many growers worry about plant growth stalling and leaf drop at certain times, even with proper care. You should not worry because figs grow in the subtropics and are considered a deciduous tree that has its own dormant period. At this time, the tree is placed in a cool place, you should also start to feed and water it more passively.
Home-grown figs are able to often bear fruit and produce tasty, juicy and he althy fruits, which, in terms of their nutritional properties, are not at allinferior to analogues from the winter garden. The tree takes root well on the site, especially in warm regions. It is important to know how figs grow and take into account that through the roots, which are located near the fig tree almost on the surface of the earth, it receives all the nutrients, including such valuable oxygen.
Therefore, experienced gardeners carefully and regularly loosen the ground near the trunk. In an area where the climate is not very dry, a simpler and more effective way would be to grow grass on the near-stem circle and mow it. Many plant ficus as an ornamental plant, because its leaves are very beautiful - rugged and large.
Do figs grow in Crimea?
In the Crimea, figs bear fruit twice, and this fruit is called here just like that, neither a fig nor a fig. The first ripening season is mid-summer, the second - from August to September. Including imported varieties, there are approximately 280 plant species in the Crimea. Huge experience has been accumulated here in planting this crop, although it has not yet reached industrial production. Figs grow in the Crimea and in abandoned areas, because of this it only grows wild, but does not disappear.
Academician Pallas P. S. believed that the old trees growing on the Crimean peninsula remained from the time of ancient Greece and are evidence of the cultivation of agriculture of the most ancient culture on these lands. However, in the 18th century, the development of horticulture fell into decline.
Nikitsky Botanical Garden
From the beginning of the next century, scientists from the Nikitsky Botanical Gardens began to seriously engage in figs, who began not onlyto study the plant, but also to breed different varieties, of which there were already 110 in 1904. Today, including imported selection, the garden's collection includes more than 200 species of figs. In the botanical garden, you can buy seedlings of different varieties, including those adapted for different regions of Russia.
Most often, trees are found on the South Shore, where you can see purple and white berries, dried, dried and canned, in the markets. Where figs grow in the Crimea, there is an opportunity to buy fresh fruits, and imported varieties on the shelves are extremely rare. Fresh, they simply do not reach us, because they do not tolerate long-term transportation. If you still managed to meet such fruits, then you need to choose them carefully. They should be without damage, dense, but with a slight pressure they can be pressed through.
How do they eat figs?
Figs are a unique fruit, useful in any form and combined with any food. The fresh fruit is plucked straight from the tree and eaten like an apple, it is juicy and very sweet. For a change, you can season it with cream, sour cream, ham, liquor or nuts. Dried berries are added to salads or pastries, and a combination with other dried fruits or candied fruits is also delicious. Fresh figs spoil quickly, so it is not recommended to store them better, eat them as soon as possible. The maximum you can count on is 3 days in the refrigerator.
Much has been said about the he alth benefits and how figs grow. Photos can be found not the most successful of this fruit, many, by the way, do not like how it looks, butthis taste and its most valuable properties have not become less.
What else is the benefit of fig fruit?
Dried figs are a real "first aid kit", it is a good antidepressant, normalizes blood circulation, gives strength and increases vitality. An effective remedy for colds - boil dried fruits in milk and drink. Good for bronchitis and sore throat. In terms of fiber content, figs can be considered a real champion, and only walnuts have more potassium, more iron than apples. Therefore, it is recommended for use by people suffering from iron deficiency anemia.
