Fig

For other uses, see Fig (disambiguation).
Ficus carica – Common fig
Foliage and fruit drawn in 1771[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Moraceae
Genus: Ficus
Subgenus: F. subg. Ficus
Species:
F. carica
Binomial name
Ficus carica
Synonyms[2]
Synonymy
  • Caprificus insectifera Gasp.
  • Caprificus leucocarpa Gasp.
  • Caprificus oblongata Gasp.
  • Caprificus pedunculata (Miq.) Gasp.
  • Caprificus rugosa (Miq.) Gasp.
  • Caprificus sphaerocarpa Gasp.
  • Ficus albescens Miq.
  • Ficus burdigalensis Poit. & Turpin
  • Ficus caprificus Risso
  • Ficus colchica Grossh.
  • Ficus colombra Gasp.
  • Ficus communis Lam.
  • Ficus deliciosa Gasp.
  • Ficus dottata Gasp.
  • Ficus globosa Miq. 1848 not Blume 1825
  • Ficus hypoleuca Gasp.
  • Ficus hyrcana Grossh.
  • Ficus kopetdagensis Pachom.
  • Ficus latifolia Salisb.
  • Ficus leucocarpa Gasp.
  • Ficus macrocarpa Gasp.
  • Ficus neapolitana Miq.
  • Ficus pachycarpa Gasp.
  • Ficus pedunculata Miq.
  • Ficus polymorpha Gasp.
  • Ficus praecox Gasp.
  • Ficus regina Miq.
  • Ficus rugosa Miq.
  • Ficus silvestris Risso
  • Ficus rupestris (Hausskn. ex Boiss.) Azizian

The fig is the edible fruit of Ficus carica, a species of small tree in the flowering plant family Moraceae, native to the Mediterranean region, together with western and southern Asia. It has been cultivated since ancient times and is now widely grown throughout the world.[3][4] Ficus carica is the type species of the genus Ficus, containing over 800 tropical and subtropical plant species.

A fig plant is a small deciduous tree or large shrub growing up to 7–10 m (23–33 ft) tall, with smooth white bark. Its large leaves have three to five deep lobes. Its fruit (referred to as syconium, a type of multiple fruit) is tear-shaped, 3–5 cm (1–2 in) long, with a green skin that may ripen toward purple or brown, and sweet soft reddish flesh containing numerous crunchy seeds. The milky sap of the green parts is an irritant to human skin. In the Northern Hemisphere, fresh figs are in season from late summer to early autumn. They tolerate moderate seasonal frost and can be grown even in hot-summer continental climates.

Figs can be eaten fresh or dried, or processed into jam, rolls, biscuits and other types of desserts. Since ripe fruit does not transport and keep well, most commercial production is in dried and processed forms. Raw figs contain roughly 80% water and 20% carbohydrates, with negligible protein, fat and micronutrient content. They are a moderate source of dietary fiber.

In 2018, world production of raw figs was 1.14 million tonnes, led by Turkey and North African countries (Egypt, Morocco, and Algeria) as the largest producers, collectively accounting for 64% of the total.[5]

  1. ^ 1771 illustration from Trew, C.J., Plantae selectae quarum imagines ad exemplaria naturalia Londini, in hortis curiosorum nutrit, vol. 8: t. 73 (1771), drawing by G.D. Ehret
  2. ^ "Search results — The Plant List". www.theplantlist.org. Archived from the original on 2021-06-28. Retrieved 2014-12-29.
  3. ^ The Fig: its History, Culture, and Curing, Gustavus A. Eisen, Washington, Govt. print. off., 1901
  4. ^ RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN 978-1-4053-3296-5.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference fao18 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).