Ancient Fig Trees Through History

The fig tree, "Ficus carica", possibly originated in
Northern Asia according to archeological fossil records.
Spanish missionaries brought it to the United States in
1520. Historical Sumerian tablets record the use and
consumption of figs in 2500 BC.

In Greek mythology, the fig figures prominently as a gift
of Demeter to Dionysus and as having received the blessing
and sanctity of the Greek Gods. Plato documented that
Greek athletes at Olympia were fed diets of figs to
increase their running speed and overall strength. The
figs contained up to 50% concentration of sugar which was
virtually like feeding the athlete a candy bar.

The most famous Biblical reference to figs is that, in
which Jesus cursed a fig tree for not producing any fruit
for him as he passed by, a curse that killed the fig tree,
Matt 21:18

The Jewish King, Hezekiah, was cured of a life-threatening
plague by applying figs to the infected spot. 2 Kings 20
The Apostle, James, brother of Jesus, used the metaphor of
the fig tree to describe the appropriate behavior that he
expected to follow from Christian living. James 3:12 Fig
leaves were used in the early church to hide the genitalia
of nude, marble sculptures that adorned religious
buildings. Fig trees were also used in ancient history as
shade trees and to chop and use as quick start firewood.

Cooked figs were used as sweeteners in ancient times and
this practice is still used in many third world countries
in Asia Minor. The figs contain over 50% sugar. Hybrid
figs contain many hollow, tiny seeds on the interior of the
fruit, similar in taste as those found in blueberries and
strawberries. A fig fruit has a round tiny opening at the
base of the fig called an "eye". A tiny wasp flies into
the interior of the fig and pollinates the tiny flowers
lining the interior walls of the fig. These tiny seed are
not generally digested by the stomach and offer a great
laxative effect to the elderly sedentary citizens.
American hybrid figs do not require or receive pollination
to be transformed into edible fruit.

Fig trees in Europe can grow to a tremendous height of 100
feet, but the fruit is very difficult to harvest when the
tree grows taller than 10 feet.

In harvesting the figs, it is important to pick the fruit
from the tree, when it is completely mature--usually when
it sags, droops, and changes color. If the figs are taken
from the tree prematurely, the sweetness declines, but more
importantly, if the figs are removed in the juvenile
developing state, a white milky fluid exudes from the stem,
which is transferred to a person's hands and then eyes or
mouth, the fluid is very irritating and should be washed
away as quickly as possible.

One of the most famous figs in the United States is the
"Black Mission" fig tree, which was named after the
California, Franciscan mission that dates back to 1770,
when it was planted there and cultivated on a commercial
scale.

Perhaps the most famous product of figs is the fig newton
that uses dried figs placed between curved, sweet wafers
and distributed by Nabisco. In Europe, figs are gathered
from commercial fig tree orchards where they are sized,
graded, and packed to sell as fresh fruit at local markets.
Figs are easily dried after harvesting from the trees, and
various brands are popularly sold throughout the world,
because of their extended shelf life in the United States,
California is the largest producer of figs and most of them
are marketed as dried figs. In the South figs are boiled
in sugar liquid, sometimes adding strawberries and the
resulting fig preserves are eaten during the fall and
winter months as fig preserves on hot buttered biscuits.
The trees grow into picturesque specimens in many
landscapes. The trunks are often whitewashed when young in
order to keep the sun from scalding the tender bark. The
roots are vigorous growers and will grow far away from the
canopy; however, trimming these roots does not damage the
tree.

Fig trees grown in full sun have soft wood that break
easily. The trees easily grow to 100 feet in Europe but
usually less than 30 feet in the United States.
Fertilizing fig trees on most soils is unnecessary and
unwise, because nitrogen fertilizer tends to promote
aggressive branch growth and will reduce the size of the
crop. If too much nitrogen is applied, the fruit does not
mature properly and the fruit has an off taste.

The first crop of figs that matures in the spring is called
the "breba" crop and the next and tastiest crop matures in
the fall. Figs are harvested from the trees from June till
October, although some new cultivars will be ready for
eating in April. The shelf life for freshly picked figs is
short and fig generally last only about three days in
refrigeration. A fig should not be picked from a tree, if
it is over ripe or mushy, since it will begin souring from
fermentation. At this point figs will lose their roundness
and begin to collapse inward. When a fig is harvested from
a tree, it should be soft to the touch and a very firm fig
will not ripen properly, if it is picked at this immature
stage.

The beautiful leaves of the fig tree are used to make an
odd scented perfume with the aroma of wood or musk. The
white, milky latex from the tree can be used as a meat
tenderizer or in making cheese, if the latex is dried and
powdered. Figs can be frozen whole or sliced in plastic
bags or jars and expected to last satisfactorily for one
year. Dried figs can be soaked in warm water to restore
their shape and softness. Fruit of figs is high in iron,
calcium, potassium, and fiber, and they are used as a
diuretic and a laxative.

Figs contain protein digesting enzymes and can be used as a
meat tenderizer and a taste enhancer. Dried figs are often
used to substitute for recipes calling for dried apricots,
dates, or prunes.

Fig trees are considered to be about as cold hardy as
citrus; however, recent hybrid cultivars show that fig
trees can survive temperatures below zero degrees
Fahrenheit for limited periods of time, and if the tree
freezes to the ground, the new shoots will sprout in the
spring to rapidly renew the fig tree.