| Description |
The fig is a perennial, flowering, deciduous shrub or small tree in the Mulberry (Moraceae) family. Figs are native to the Middle East and western Asia and are grown for their fruit, which are also known as figs, and as an ornamental plant. In the right climate, they can grow as tall as 10 meters, but they can also be grown in containers and brought indoors in the winter in cooler regions. The plant has smooth white bark, deeply lobed fragrant leaves, and multiple, spreading trunks. Flowers are often pollinated by fig wasps, and develop into 3-5cm long fruit with green skin that, depending on the variety, can ripen to a deep purple. Figs need to ripen fully on the tree before harvest. They are ripe when they droop and are soft to the touch. If they ooze a white sap when they are pulled from the tree, they are not ripe. Fig trees have an aggressive root system that searches for groundwater in aquifers, ravines, and cracks in rocks. Once established, they can tolerate seasonal drought and are affected by few pests. Figs are propagated through cuttings or division, and generally produce fruit the year after planting. In warmer climates, they can produce two crops, one in early summer, and the other in fall.
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