Botanical name: Ficus carica
Crown and root system: This is a sculpted shade tree with an extensive, medium-sized crown. It grows rapidly. It has an aggressive root system – the fig is a type of ficus tree – and therefore we recommend not planting it near a sewage system or a tiled surface.
Growing regions: All over the country, except for areas that are particularly hot. It can adapt to extreme soil conditions but in order to yield fruit it should be planted in good soil.
Ripening date: Second half of the summer; the exact date depends on the variety.
Planting in a container: Not recommended because of its aggressive root system.
Recommended planting season: All year round.
Special care: As with most summer fruit trees, the fig tree is also preferred by birds and fruit flies. Damage from fruit flies can be prevented using a hanging trap that is safe and easy to use. Another way to protect the tree from flies and birds is to place a special netting on the tree, which is sold in agricultural supply stores.
Varieties sold at the nursery:
Nazareth fig: This is a sweet fruit, large and elongated in shape, with a green skin and white pith. It ripens in the middle of the season.
Brazilian fig: This is a medium-sized elongated fruit with a narrow neck. It has a purple-brown skin and a reddish pith. It ripens at the start of the season.
Cyprus fig: This is a round, medium-sized fruit with a purple-green skin and red pith. It ripens at the end of the season.
Hammadi variety: This is a flattened-round fruit with long cracks, dark skin and a red pith. It ripens in the middle of the season.
Rousso fig: This is a sweet fruit with purple skin and red pith. It ripens at the end of the season.
Good to know:
The fig that we eat is not a fruit. A genuine fruit has seeds inside. In fact we are eating the inflorescence (a hollow, fleshy flower structure) of the fig, which is shaped like a ball or a hollow jug containing many flowers.