Ficus carica      
Edible fig    
Moraceae Family     

Edible fig on Ficus carica

 

Form: low-branching tree; usually single trunked
Seasonality: deciduous
Size: 15-30ft with equal spread
Leaves: simple; 3-5 lobes; 4-10in long and 4-10 wide; rough, they can irritate skin
Flowers: unimportant
Fruit: edible figs; may bear twice per year
Stems/Trunks: thick, knobby, irregular; gray bark
Range/Origin: eastern Mediterranean and western Asia; in cultivation for centuries
Hardiness: hard freezes will cause die-back

LANDSCAPE VALUE:

• shade
• edible fruit
• fruit extremely attractive to birds

Ficus carica

leaf form

 

CULTURAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Exposure: reflected sun, full sun, part shade
• Water: every month or two when growing; once or twice when dormant
• Soil: needs good drainage; gravelly soil
• Propagation: can be started from cuttings
• Maintenance: cleaning up fruit and leaves; pruning to tree shape if desired

Research by Master Gardener Barbara Schneidau

NOTES:

There are many cultivars.
Can be messy due to fruit drop and bird activity.
Milky sap characteristic of family is poisonous.

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This page was first created April 20, 2005 and last modified April 20, 2005.

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