The fig tree is a paradise tree. Fig (fig tree) - a sacred fruit

Figs - the oldest tropical plant with a lot of unique, useful properties that are unfairly underestimated. Latin name for a culture belonging to the genus carica). The plant in different regions is called a fig tree, fig or fig tree. It has gained wide popularity since ancient times. According to some interpretations of the Old Testament, it was the figs that Adam and Eve ate as the forbidden fruit.

Many are familiar, but few people know about the beneficial properties and other features of the most ancient horticultural culture, including where figs grow. The photo and a brief description below it will not reveal all the interesting and important information.

Beneficial features

Figs, due to the beneficial properties contained in it, are considered one of the most nutritious fruits. It does not harm health, but there are some contraindications to its use, for example, people with gout and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract should not eat this fruit. Dried berries are not recommended to be abused during pregnancy, diabetes. The daily norm of a healthy person is 3-4 berries.

Among other things, it is effective in losing weight, as it leaves a feeling of satiety for a long time and has a slight laxative effect. In addition to valuable substances, berries have high taste qualities. But, despite its sweetness, the calorie content of the fruit is relatively low (49 kcal per 100 g). Fruits are used in fresh, dried and canned form. It makes amazing jam, marshmallow, compote and wine, thanks to which the fig has acquired another name "vin berry".

The leaves are used in India as cattle feed, and in France as a raw material for obtaining new fragrances in perfumery. Fig latex contains: malic acid, rubber, renin, resins and many other valuable elements. If latex juice comes into contact with the skin, if it is not immediately removed, irritation can occur.

How does it grow?

This is a large shrub (8-10 m) with thick smooth branches and a wide crown. The diameter of the trunk reaches up to 18 cm, the root system is 15 m wide, the roots go down to a depth of 6 m. The large leaves of figs are rigid with uneven teeth along the edges, from dark green to grayish green. The leaf is 15 cm long and 12 cm wide.

Interesting to know: all ficus trees are divided into female and male individuals, and black blastophage wasps pollinate them. These wasps do a good job with the task assigned to them, as evidenced by the large yields.

In the inflorescences of the tree there are small holes at the top through which pollination occurs. Moreover, on which tree figs grow, it depends on whether the fruits are edible or not, they are only females, the flowers of which do not need pollination.

Pear-shaped fig fruits grow up to 10 cm in length, sweet and juicy yellowish-green or dark purple. It is a hollow fleshy vessel with small partially closed scales. The size and color of the fruit depends on the variety. The most common are dark blue, yellow and yellow-green.

Unripe berries should not be consumed, as they contain inedible latex. Depending on the variety, ripe figs can contain from 30 large to 1600 small seeds. Growing in favorable conditions, a fig tree can bear fruit for 200 years. The tree can bloom several times throughout the year, but the fruits are tied by the end of the warm period, from summer to autumn.

Where does it grow?

According to many historians, the fig tree was the first plant cultivated by man, which began to be cultivated 5 thousand years ago. The historical homeland of ficus is Saudi Arabia, where the plant is widely used in the food and medical industries. Over time, the area where figs grow has spread to Europe and the Canary Islands.

Back in 1530, ficus fruits were first tasted in England, from where the seeds were imported to South Africa, Australia, Japan, China and India. The history of the American fig begins in 1560, when the imported seeds began to be grown in Mexico.

In the Caucasian region (Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan) and on the black coast of Russia (Abkhazia, the southern coast of Crimea), ficus has been growing since ancient times. Where figs grow in the wild in Russia, the climate is warm and dry. Large areas of plantations are located in neighboring Turkey, Greece, as well as in Italy, Portugal.

In Venezuela, this fruit is one of the most popular today. In 1960, a state program was created, thanks to which a serious development of the industrial production of this crop began. In Colombia, figs have long been considered a luxury. Today, the attitude towards the fruit has changed, because figs grow here in every garden. The conditions turned out to be too favorable, but the love for the berry did not become weaker.

Climate and soil

In the tropics and subtropics, figs grow in hilly areas at 800-1800 m above sea level. The plant is unpretentious and frost-resistant, withstands temperatures down to -20 ° C. The dry climate is ideal conditions for growing fresh fruit. With high humidity, the fruits begin to crack and quickly deteriorate. However, too dry climate adversely affects the quality of fruiting, the fruits begin to fall off before they have time to ripen.

Almost any soil is suitable for cultivation, provided that there is a well-designed irrigation system, suitable:

• rich loam;
• heavy clay;
• light sand;
• limestone;
• acidic soils.

Where does an exotic fruit grow in Russia?

It seems impossible, but it is quite possible to cultivate a subtropical crop in our northern climate and, despite the severe winter frosts, it will bring a good harvest. This requires only the right agricultural technology.

Where wild figs grow, at an average daily temperature of +10 °C, the sum of temperatures reaches +4000 °C for the entire growing season. With such indicators, the harvest will be plentiful and stable. Therefore, when cultivating a crop on its own, it is important to provide the same conditions using the trench method.

Under certain conditions, with mandatory shelter for the winter, a fig tree can be planted in central Russia. Although in the Caucasus and in the Crimea it is found in a wild form. In the Krasnodar Territory, in October-November, fig trees require special greenhouse conditions to survive the winter. In regions with a sharply continental climate, the culture is bred in winter gardens and greenhouses. Figs bloom 2-3 years after planting. Brings a high yield from 7-9 years. The culture is propagated by seeds, cuttings and layering.

How does fig grow at home?

For planting at home, low-growing varieties are selected. Seedlings usually sit in tubs or boxes so that they can be easily taken out onto the street or balcony. The plant should receive its share of sunlight, and this is several months of the year. This is done when warm weather has already settled on the street, and there will certainly not be frost at night. Choose a planting container that is strong enough to support well-drained soil and the weight of the plant itself.

The soil is mixed in proportions 2:1:2 with sand and compost. To form a single tree, when the trunk reaches a height of 0.5 m, the top is pinched. Every year, the container needs to be changed, as well as the soil, because the fig grows quickly and its root system needs a place. In a box, a tree can bear fruit up to 3 times a year: in spring, late summer and late autumn. It is important to provide additional heat and light for the last fruiting so that the fruit does not fall off prematurely.

Growing features

Many gardeners are worried about stopping the growth of the plant and dropping leaves at a certain period, even if proper care is provided. You should not worry because figs grow in the subtropics and are considered a deciduous tree that has its own dormant period. At this time, the tree is placed in a cool place, you should also start to feed and water it more passively.

It is able to often bear fruit and give tasty, juicy and healthy fruits, which in terms of their nutritional properties are in no way inferior to analogues from the winter garden. The tree takes root well on the site, especially in warm regions. It is important to know how figs grow and take into account that through the roots, which are located near the fig tree almost on the surface of the earth, it receives all the nutrients, including such valuable oxygen.

Therefore, experienced gardeners carefully and regularly loosen the ground near the trunk. In an area where the climate is not very dry, a simpler and more effective way would be to grow grass on the near-stem circle and mow it. Many plant ficus as an ornamental plant, because its leaves are very beautiful - rugged and large.

Do figs grow in Crimea?

In the Crimea, figs bear fruit twice, and this fruit is called here just like that, neither a fig nor a fig. The first ripening season is mid-summer, the second - from August to September. Including imported varieties, there are approximately 280 plant species in the Crimea. Huge experience has been accumulated here in planting this crop, although it has not yet reached industrial production. Figs grow in the Crimea and in abandoned areas, because of this it only grows wild, but does not disappear.

Academician Pallas P. S. believed that the old trees growing on the Crimean peninsula remained from the time of ancient Greece and are evidence of the cultivation of agriculture of the most ancient culture on these lands. However, in the 18th century, the development of horticulture fell into decline.

Nikitsky Botanical Garden

Since the beginning of the next century, scientists have been seriously engaged in figs, with which they began not only to study the plant, but also to breed different varieties, of which there were already 110 in 1904. Today, including imported selection, the collection of the garden includes more than 200 species of figs. In the botanical garden, you can buy seedlings of different varieties, including those adapted for different regions of Russia.

Most often, trees are found on the South Shore, where you can see purple and white berries, dried, dried and canned, in the markets. Where figs grow in the Crimea, there is an opportunity to buy fresh fruits, and imported varieties on the shelves are extremely rare. Fresh, they simply do not reach us, because they do not tolerate long-term transportation. If you still managed to meet such fruits, then you need to choose them carefully. They should be without damage, dense, but with a slight pressure they can be pressed through.

How are figs eaten?

Figs are a unique fruit, useful in any form and combined with any food. The fresh fruit is plucked straight from the tree and eaten like an apple, it is juicy and very sweet. For a change, you can season it with cream, sour cream, ham, liquor or nuts. Dried berries are added to salads or pastries, and a combination with other dried fruits or candied fruits is also delicious. Fresh figs spoil quickly, so it is not recommended to store them better, eat them as soon as possible. The maximum you can count on is 3 days in the refrigerator.

Much has been said about the beneficial properties and how figs grow. Photos can be found not the most successful of this fruit, many, by the way, do not like how it looks, but this taste and its most valuable properties have not become less.

What are the benefits of fig tree fruit?

Dried figs are a real "first aid kit", it is a good antidepressant, normalizes blood circulation, gives strength and increases vitality. An effective remedy for colds - boil dried fruits in milk and drink. Good for bronchitis and sore throat. In terms of fiber content, figs can be considered a real champion, and only walnuts have more potassium, more iron than apples. Therefore, it is recommended for use by people suffering from iron deficiency anemia.

One of the most interesting plants in the world is perhaps the fig tree. It is incredibly old. Even the biblical progenitors of mankind - Adam and Eve - covered their intimate places with his fig leaves. In Greece, they say that if a fig tree grows in the yard, the family does not starve, its fruits are so nutritious. That is why travelers on the road always took dried figs with them. What is this fruit and what is its use?

Why is a fig tree?

The plant in question has many names, each country has its own. The Russian version is a fig tree, because its fruits are figs. In another version, they are called figs, and the tree, by analogy, is called a fig tree. The most famous and common name for him is figs. In the scientific world, this is the Carica ficus (Fícus carica). It is believed that the birthplace of the plant is ancient Kariya, which existed before the Trojan War. For a long time there are no Carians or Kariya, only the ficus that bears her name remains. Craftsmen make wine from figs (or figs). Therefore, another name for the plant is wine berry.

Where do fig trees grow?

Wherever there is no big frost in winter. There are a lot of figs in the Balkans, there is it on the Black Sea coast (Georgia, Abkhazia, Crimea, Krasnodar), in Armenia, Azerbaijan. Nobody cares for him there. The fig tree is completely unpretentious and grows by itself not only in the garden, but also along roads, near fences, in wastelands, on mountain slopes. Its root system is strong and powerful, able to gain a foothold in stones, seep into any gap. Since there is a lot of sun in the south, figs there do not have a lack of lighting and therefore always bear great fruit. They are not afraid of droughts, but with sufficient moisture, the yield is much higher.

Description

Some have never seen what a fig tree looks like. In nature, it reaches a height of 7-8 meters. Its branches are spreading, the crown is dense, the bark is light brown. Sometimes figs grow in a lush tall bush. Its leaves are hard, rather large, vaguely reminiscent of maple. According to its biological rhythms, the fig (fig tree) is deciduous. In regions with a subtropical climate, where in winter the average temperature does not fall below +5 +10, the plant may not shed its leaves at all or shed them for only a couple of months. This phenomenon is also observed in other deciduous plants, for example, in poplar. In Russia, it bares branches already in October, and in the south of Greece only in December, in order to again become covered with young foliage in February. Fig trees live up to 100 years (30-60 according to some sources). Some specimens are up to 200 years old. In India, there is one fig tree, which, according to the locals, is three thousand years old.

Flowers

The fig blossoms, only few people take its flowers as such. Outwardly, they look like small immature fruitlets - round or pear-shaped, dark green, hard. The expression “get a fig”, that is, “get nothing”, according to one version, was born precisely because half of these “fruits”, abundantly covering the branches, fall off. They are actually fig flowers. More precisely, the structure of inflorescences. Real fig tree flowers can only be seen if the "fruit" is cut in half. Inside there will be dozens of nondescript small flowers, from which grains will subsequently turn out on whitish fibers, immersed in a sweet, viscous pulp. The fig, or common fig tree, has flowers of both sexes. The female ones, called figs, have five tiny petals and a pestle that looks like a snake's tongue. The males, called caprifigs, have three petals and three stamens.

Pollination

In a fig tree, pollination is complex and is performed by a single insect species - a small (up to 2 mm long) blastophage wasp. The females of these wasps have wings and fly freely. Males are wingless and spend their entire lives in the fig flower. How is this possible? The fact is that three types of inflorescences grow on a fig tree, as already noted, male, female and mixed. Female figs inside have flowers with long pistils, and mixed ones with short ones. They serve not to obtain seeds, but to feed the wasps. All three inflorescences appear on the tree 2-3 times a year, in autumn, spring, summer, or spring and autumn. Autumn ones do not crumble. After laying eggs in them, the wasps die. The eggs develop into male and female larvae. The grown females crawl out through a small hole-hole and scatter, while the males remain in place. Their raison d'etre is to fertilize. After mating, the females leave the flower occupied by the male and look for a free one, climbing into all the inflorescences of figs. At the same time, in male and mixed flowers, pollen gets on their body from the stamens. In female figs, they do not lay eggs, because long pistils interfere with them. Of course, nature did not come up with this for us, but so that the wasp larvae would not eat the ripening seeds. Once in a female flower, the wasp involuntarily pollinates it and leaves to look for a more suitable one. Masonry is obtained only in mixed and in men's. New larvae emerge from the eggs and the cycle repeats. There are self-pollinating varieties of figs (“date”, “Magarachsky”), which are suitable for growing plants in an apartment and in gardens in the northern regions.

Fruit

The fruit of the fig tree when ripe is soft and very sweet, but not juicy. Its pulp is densely filled with tiny grains-seeds, which, according to some people, there are up to 900 pieces. Outside, the pulp is covered with a peel. They don't eat it. The fig tree has many varieties, but among the people there are only two of them - green (green-yellow) and black (dark purple). And in fact, and in another, the fruits are small and quite large. The second ones are not so sweet, but have a better presentation.

What is in figs

Figs are a very useful plant. The fruit of the fig tree in its ripe pulp contains:

Trace elements (calcium, iron, magnesium, a lot of potassium, phosphorus, zinc and sodium);

Vitamins (A, B1,2,3,6,9, C, E, K);

Alimentary fiber;

Disaccharides, monosaccharides, oligosaccharides;

Flavonoids, glucosides;

Citric, quinic, oxalic, malonic acids;

Triterpenes;

Amino acids;

Carbohydrates;

Figs in cooking

The sweet fruits of the fig tree are eaten fresh and dried (dried) in the sun. Chilled figs are much tastier than warm ones. The fruits are used to make liqueurs, preserves, jams, they are used for fillings in pies, they are added to meat dishes as an exotic ingredient.

Dried and dried to hardness fruits are ground. It turns out powdered fig coffee. Unripe figs are not eaten, as they contain a sticky bitter milky juice. Some consider it poisonous, others advise baking unripe figs to obtain a particularly valuable product.

...and in medicine

The beneficial properties of figs were known to the ancients. Ripe fruits have been used for hundreds of years to treat bronchitis and the liver, as a diaphoretic and antipyretic. Boiled in milk, they help to reduce dry cough, and gargles with figs treat sore throats and hoarseness. The high content of iron in figs allows you to effectively use it for anemia, and the high content of potassium - for heart disease.

The milky juice of unripe fruits also comes into play thanks to the ficin contained in it. Traditional medicine uses it to treat warts (they are smeared with juice). Ficin, in addition, has the ability to coagulate milk, so figs were used in the production of cheese and meat dishes. This enzyme has also found its way into cosmetics. It is added to preparations after epilation (reduces hair growth), to creams that stimulate skin cell renewal, to products for oily skin. And one more important ability of ficin - it prevents the formation of blood clots and atherosclerotic plaques. The average fruit of a freshly picked fig contains approximately 120-150 mg of ficin.

The leaf of the fig tree is used to treat certain skin diseases. It is part of the Psoberan ointment. Healers use the leaves for scabies, cystitis, furunculosis, inflammation in the throat. They make decoctions and tinctures. The leaves are harvested after the ripening of the berries, laid out in a thin layer and dried in the shade.

Mashed fresh leaves can be used to treat vitiligo and heal wounds. Paired with orange juice, figs are eaten to relieve fatigue and tone up.

How to grow a fig tree indoors

Everyone can have figs in their apartment on the windowsill or in the garden. The cultivation of this miracle plant is produced as follows:

1. Seeds. This is the most commonly available method, since seeds are easy to get from store-bought figs (even from dry ones). Before sowing, they are washed, disinfected (in a weak solution of potassium permanganate) and dried. Land for sowing can be prepared by mixing leafy soil with sand in equal proportions. Who does not want to mess around can buy a ready-made soil mixture for seedlings. In it, the seeds will sprout no worse. They are sown to a depth of 1.5-2.5 cm, watered and covered with a film. Stand box with sown seeds should be warm, but not in the sun. Shoots need to wait weeks 3. The grown seedlings are transplanted into pots. The fruits of such a fig will appear in 5 years.

2. Cuttings. This method is more profitable, since homemade figs begin to bear fruit the very next year. Before planting the cutting, its lower end is placed in water and wait 2-4 hours until the juice finishes. Next, the wet end is cut in several places and planted in the ground (prepared in the same way as for seeds), watered and covered with a jar. The leaves emerging from the buds indicate rooting. Cuttings are prepared in autumn and planted in spring. All winter they can be kept in the refrigerator in a vegetable box.

3. Layering. This method is practiced if the fig grows in the open field. A small depression (up to 25 cm) is made near the main plant, good earth is poured there. A branch from an old plant is tilted so that it turns out in a groove, and the top remains outside. In this position, it is fixed, the landing site is mulched. After about two years, a new plant will develop, which is planted in the desired location.

We grow in open ground

It is hard to believe, but even in the gardens of the northern regions of Russia you can see figs. Growing it in these conditions is associated with certain difficulties. Figs are planted in the ground with ready-made seedlings (with roots). They prepare cuttings at home, for which they are first placed in water with honey. It helps the formation of roots. It is most convenient to place the cuttings in plastic bottles. Cut off about half of the empty bottle, fill it with soil and place the cutting there. The earth is compacted around it. It should be moist all the time, but without excess water. Such impromptu containers are placed on the windowsill, where there is no direct sunlight. The roots can be seen through the transparent plastic of the bottle or guessed from the blossoming leaves. When planting in the ground, the bottle is cut, and a clod of earth is preserved.

It is necessary to plant seedlings only in sunny, calm places in specially prepared pits or trenches. Their depth is calculated as follows: the depth of soil freezing in your area + 50 cm. Drainage is necessarily placed at the bottom of the pit. Figs sprouting quickly. As they grow, they need to be tilted to the ground and fixed so that our fig tree does not grow up, but, as it were, spread along the ground. When the air temperature drops to -3-5 degrees, the figs are covered. There are several ways (see photo).

One of the proven ones is this: throw twigs or other mulch on figs (some throw a blanket), cover with polyethylene, and sprinkle a layer of earth on top. In the spring, when the positive temperature is established, the shelter is removed. You can do this earlier, when the days become warm, and there will still be frost at night, but in such cases a greenhouse is installed over the figs.

General rules for growing figs

1. A potted fig tree needs to be repotted regularly (once a year). The new pot should be slightly wider and deeper than the previous one.

2. Figs give more fruits with regular watering and living on sunny windows.

3. In autumn, you need to give the plants a rest, for which they should be placed in a cool place for 2-4 months and watering should be reduced. Figs in such conditions shed their foliage.

4. Both in the house and in the garden, the plant needs to be fed. In spring, these are nitrogen fertilizers, in summer - phosphates, in autumn - potash. Regularly - trace elements.

5. The fig tree needs pruning and crown shaping.

6. Pests of figs - gray rot, mosaic spotting, spider mites. The fight against them is the same as on all other plants.

Pork meat salad with mushrooms is a rural dish that can often be found on the festive table in the village. This recipe is with champignons, but if you can use forest mushrooms, then be sure to cook it this way, it will be even tastier. You don’t need to spend a lot of time preparing this salad - put the meat in a saucepan for 5 minutes and another 5 minutes for slicing. Everything else happens almost without the participation of the cook - meat and mushrooms are boiled, cooled, marinated.

Cucumbers grow well not only in a greenhouse or conservatory, but also in open ground. Cucumbers are usually sown from mid-April to mid-May. Harvesting in this case is possible from mid-July to the end of summer. Cucumbers do not tolerate frost. That's why we don't sow them too early. However, there is a way to bring their harvest closer and taste juicy handsome men from your garden at the beginning of summer or even in May. It is only necessary to take into account some features of this plant.

Polissias is a great alternative to classic variegated shrubs and woody ones. This plant's ornate round or feathery leaves create a strikingly festive curly crown, while its elegant silhouettes and modest personality make it a great candidate for being the largest plant in the house. Larger leaves do not prevent him from successfully replacing Benjamin and Co. ficuses. Moreover, poliscias offers much more variety.

Pumpkin cinnamon casserole is juicy and incredibly tasty, a bit like pumpkin pie, but, unlike pie, it is more tender and just melts in your mouth! This is the perfect sweet pastry recipe for families with children. As a rule, kids do not like pumpkin very much, but they never mind eating sweets. Sweet pumpkin casserole is a delicious and healthy dessert, which, moreover, is prepared very simply and quickly. Try it! You'll like it!

A hedge is not only one of the most important elements of landscape design. It also performs various protective functions. If, for example, the garden borders on a road, or a highway passes nearby, then a hedge is a must. "Green walls" will protect the garden from dust, noise, wind and create a special comfort and microclimate. In this article, we will consider the optimal plants for creating a hedge that can reliably protect the site from dust.

In the first weeks of development, many cultures need a pick (and not even one), while others need a transplant "contraindicated". To "please" both of them, you can use not quite standard containers for seedlings. Another good reason to try them is to save money. In this article we will tell you how to do without the usual boxes, pots, cassettes and tablets. And let's pay attention to non-traditional, but very effective and interesting containers for seedlings.

Healthy Red Cabbage Vegetable Soup with Celery, Red Onion and Beetroot is a vegetarian soup recipe that can also be prepared on fasting days. For those who decide to lose a few extra pounds, I advise you not to add potatoes, and slightly reduce the amount of olive oil (1 tablespoon is enough). The soup turns out to be very fragrant and thick, and in fasting you can serve a portion of soup with lean bread - then it will turn out satisfying and healthy.

Surely everyone has already heard about the popular term “hygge”, which came to us from Denmark. This word is not translated into other languages ​​of the world. Because it means a lot of things at once: comfort, happiness, harmony, spiritual atmosphere ... In this northern country, by the way, most of the time in the year is cloudy weather and little sun. The summer is also short. And the level of happiness at the same time is one of the highest (the country regularly ranks first in the UN global ranking).

Meat balls in sauce with mashed potatoes - a simple second course inspired by Italian cuisine. A more familiar name for this dish is meatballs or meatballs, but Italians (and not only them) call such small round cutlets meat balls. Cutlets are first fried until golden brown, and then stewed in a thick vegetable sauce - it turns out very tasty, just delicious! Minced meat for this recipe is suitable for any - chicken, beef, pork.

Chrysanthemum is called the queen of autumn, because it is at this time that its bright inflorescences adorn the garden. But you can grow chrysanthemums throughout the season - from February to December, and in heated greenhouses - in the winter months. If you organize the process correctly, then you can sell planting material and flowers of chrysanthemums all year round. This article will help you understand how much effort it takes to grow chrysanthemums in large quantities.

Homemade cupcakes - a simple recipe with figs, cranberries and prunes that even a beginner confectioner who is inexperienced in confectionery will submit to. A delicious kefir cake with cognac and dried fruits will decorate any home holiday, besides, such pastries can be prepared in less than an hour. However, there is one important point - dried fruits must be soaked in cognac for at least 6 hours. I advise you to do this on the eve of cooking - they will soak well overnight.

I think everyone knows about the taste and benefits of walnut fruits. Surely, many, taking tasty kernels out of the shell, wondered: “Shouldn’t I grow it on the site, moreover, from the nuts themselves, because in fact these are the same seeds as other plants?”. There are many horticultural myths and legends around the cultivation of walnuts. Half of them turn out to be false. We will talk about the features of growing a walnut from a nut in this article.

The airy laces of the most common maidenhair fern seem weightless. They are so different in appearance from the strict and elegant wai of the usual garden ferns that the plant is not easily recognized by everyone as their closest relative. Adiantum is so popular that it is firmly entrenched in the lists of the most unpretentious crops. In fact, it is quite capricious, but even inexperienced flower growers can grow it. The main thing is to create appropriate care for him.

Fructus Caricae - Fig fruit

Ficus carica L. - Common fig tree

Mulberry family - Moraceae

Other names:

- figs

- wine berry

- fig tree

Botanical characteristic. A tree with light gray smooth bark, lactiferous tubes in all organs. The leaves are rounded, large, 3-7-lobed, rarely entire, up to 15 cm long and 12 cm wide, dark green above, stiffly rough, grayish-green below, fluffy, with long thick petioles. Inflorescence of a special type: the receptacle develops strongly and grows into a hollow bulb-shaped formation with a hole at the top; flowers are located inside it at the bottom and along the walls.

Inflorescences are different. On some trees, small inflorescences (caprifigs) develop; on others, larger inflorescences (figs). In caprifigs, near the entrance to the inflorescence, there are numerous normally developed staminate flowers that form a lot of pollen; on the expanded bottom of the inflorescence are pistillate flowers with a short column. Very small pollinating wasps penetrate into caprifigs, they lay an egg in each pistillate flower and die. The larvae develop in the ovules and, upon the onset of maturity, gnaw through it, get out. Wingless males die after fertilization, and winged females fly out of the inflorescence, carrying pollen. They fly to neighboring trees, where by this time the fig has already blossomed. The figs are the same flask-shaped hollow receptacle, but inside it the staminate flowers are reduced to scales, and the pistillate ones are well developed and have long columns. The flying wasps cannot get into long-columnar flowers with their ovipositor and, showering pollen, fly to other figs, pollinating them, until they get to caprifigs with short-columnar flowers. Caprifigs bloom a second time in autumn, and the wasps overwinter in them. The infructescence develops only from the inflorescence of the fig type; at the same time, pistillate flowers develop into small nuts, and the receptacle grows strongly, takes a pear-shaped shape, becomes juicy and sweet.

Infructescences on short stalks, solitary, pear-shaped or flattened-spherical, 5-8 cm long and 5 cm in diameter, from light yellow to purple-brown in color. The fruits are small nuts, immersed in the tissue of overgrown seedlings. Blooms in April-May. The fruits ripen in August-September.

Distribution and habitat. Figs are one of the oldest plants. The ancient geographical regions of the fig culture should be considered the coastal Crimea and Transcaucasia, in Central Asia - Turkmenistan. In Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, the fig culture developed in the 15th-16th centuries. Currently, the culture of this plant is common in Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Dagestan, Krasnodar Territory, Crimea, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. The most promising areas of industrial culture of figs are the subtropical zone of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkmenistan, as well as the southern coast of Crimea.

In the wild, the fig tree is found in some regions of Central Asia and Transcaucasia. In the mountains of Central Asia, it grows at an altitude of 600 to 1900 m above sea level, more often on the plumes of the southern slopes, sometimes forming thickets along the upper terraces of the rivers. Usually found together with sumac, unabi, pistachio, almond, Bukhara fan, hawthorn and other plants.

The fig tree propagates by planting cuttings. Cuttings are taken from one-year-old shoots from the roots of fruit-bearing trees. The best planting time is autumn.

The fig tree is sensitive to frost, which prevents its crop from advancing to many new areas. It does not freeze out only in those places where the winter temperature does not drop below 15 ° C even for a short time (some varieties withstand short-term frosts down to -20 ° C, but the above-ground part freezes over). The fig tree winters openly only in subtropical regions, and in Uzbekistan, except for the Kashkadarya and Surkhandarya regions, it is covered for the winter.

Harvesting, primary processing and drying. Fig leaves are harvested during September-October, when leaf blades reach a length of 16-25 cm and a width of 22.5 cm with a petiole up to 3-5 cm long. Harvesting is carried out after harvesting the fruits. To avoid burns to the skin of the hands, face and eyes, the collection of leaves is carried out with gloves and goggles.

The leaves removed from the bushes in July during the thinning of the thickets are also subject to harvesting. The leaves are carefully cut with knives, as the branches of the fig are very fragile and easily break off even with weak mechanical action. Root offspring are cut with sickles (uracs). Fresh leaves are laid out in a thin layer on a tarpaulin or on open asphalt areas. For quick drying and maintaining a high content of coumarins, they need to be turned over 3-4 times a day with a rake or pitchfork. During the collection and drying of the leaves, it is not allowed to wet them. Before it starts to rain, the collected leaves of the fig tree must be covered with a tarpaulin, put under a canopy or in a ventilated room.

Usually drying of leaves in clear and stable weather lasts 4-6 days; with longer drying, the leaves begin to turn brown and lose their qualities. In order to improve the transportability of raw materials, the leaves obtained after drying are collected in a heap and driven over them 10-15 times by car. At the same time, the content of psoberan is the same both in whole and in crushed (pieces of leaves) raw materials.

The average yield of raw leaves from one fig tree bush is 12.8 kg, which gives 2.45 kg of air-dry raw material.

External signs. These are long-petiolate, three to five palmately lobed or palmately divided leaves. Lobes or lobes ovate, oblong, sometimes rounded or broadly ovate, irregularly serrated along margins. The length of the leaf blade is from 13 to 25 cm, width is 13-30 cm. The color is green above, grayish-green below due to the abundance of hairs. The smell is weak, pleasant.

Microscopy. Surface preparations of the leaf show a polygonal straight-walled upper epidermis and a sinuous-walled lower epidermis. Stomata are anomocytic on both sides. The hairs are simple, unicellular, with a flask-like expanded base and a pointed apex with a smooth and warty surface. Glandular hairs with unicellular stalk and multicellular head. In the lower epidermis (rarely in the upper) there are huge rounded cells with large cystoliths. Druses of calcium oxalate occasionally occur in the mesophyll.

Numerical indicators. The content of psoberan is not less than 0.7%; the content of psoralen is not less than 0.42%; humidity not more than 10%; total ash not more than 17%; blackened fig leaves no more than 2%; organic impurities (parts of other non-poisonous plants) no more than 2%; other parts of figs (stems) - no more than 5%; mineral impurities (earth, sand, pebbles) - no more than 2%; crushed parts passing through a sieve with a hole diameter of 3 mm, not more than 5%.

For crushed raw materials: the content of psoberane is not less than 0.7%; the content of psoralen is not less than 0.42%; humidity not more than 10%; total ash not more than 17%; particles passing through a sieve with a hole diameter of 0.315 mm, not more than 5%; particles that do not pass through a sieve with a hole diameter of 10 mm, not more than 5%.

Chemical composition. Fig leaves contain furocoumarins (psoralen, bergapten), triterpenoids, steroid compounds (sitosterol, stigmasterol, ficusogenin), organic acids, tannins, flavonoids, essential oil, ascorbic acid up to 300 mg%, vitamins B1, B2, PP, E Found a new component in the leaves Ficus carica L. - psoralen glycoside - O-b-D-glucofuranosylfuranocoumaric acid.

The fruits contain pectin (5-6%), sugars up to 60% (in dry), tannins (2%), organic acids: citric, oxalic, succinic, malic, fumaric, quinic; triterpene saponins, vitamins: C, B 1 , B 2 , A, E, PP; trace elements: a lot of potassium salts (up to 1161 mg%), calcium (227 mg%), magnesium (117 mg%), phosphorus (263 mg%); enzymes, anthocyanin glycosides (in mature fruits). In addition, they contain an enzyme - ficin, which has fibrinolytic properties.

Storage. The shelf life of raw materials is 2 years. Raw materials are stored in a dry, well-ventilated area on racks.

Medicines. Preparations "Psoberan", "Kafiol". Dried and fresh fruits.

Application. Psoberan (Psoberanum) (a mixture of furocoumarins - psoralen and bergapten) from the leaves of a cultivated or wild fig tree is used in conjunction with ultraviolet irradiation as a means to help restore skin pigmentation in vitnligo. In addition, psoberan is recommended for nested (circular) baldness.

Adults appoint inside daily at 0.01 g 2-3 times a day; children aged 5 to 10 years in a daily dose of 0.01 g, 11 - 13 years old - 0.015 g, 14 - 16 years old - 0.02 g. Take 30 minutes before meals. In the treatment of vitiligo, depigmented areas of the skin are simultaneously lubricated, and in case of alopecia areata, hairless skin areas are lubricated with a 0.1% alcohol solution of the drug. Lubricate daily, or every other day at night, or 2-3 hours before ultraviolet irradiation. Prior to treatment, determine the biodose. The duration of the course of treatment is 2-3 months. If necessary, conduct repeated courses at intervals of 1-1.5 months.

Treatment should be carried out under close medical supervision. When using the drug, side effects may occur: headache, palpitations, pain in the heart, dyspepsia. Side effects decrease or disappear with a decrease in dose, or a temporary break in treatment. It is necessary to warn patients about the possibility of developing bullous dermatitis with a combination of irradiation of lesions with a mercury-quartz lamp and exposure to solar radiation.

The prescribed irradiation regimen must be strictly observed. During treatment, it is recommended to wear light-protective glasses during the daytime. Contraindicated in case of individual intolerance, acute gastrointestinal diseases, hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver, acute and chronic nephritis, diabetes mellitus, cachexia, hypertension, severe endocrinopathies, tuberculosis, blood diseases, heart, central nervous system, malignant and benign tumors, pregnancy.

The fruits of the fig tree (figs) are included together with the leaves of senna (cassia) and the pulp of the fruit of the plum in the composition of the briquettes "Kafiol", used as a laxative.

Kafiol (Safiolum). Combined preparation in the form of briquettes of dark brown color with yellow patches (seeds of fig fruits), a peculiar fruity smell and taste. Contain 0.7 g of senna leaves, 0.3 g of senna fruits, 2.2 g of plum fruit pulp, 4.4 g of fig fruits, 0.84 g of vaseline oil. The drug has a laxative effect due to chemical irritation (by anthraquinones of senna leaves and fruits) and mechanical irritation (by pectins of plum and fig fruits) of the intestine, as well as by facilitating the movement of intestinal contents (with vaseline oil).

Taken orally in the evening. The briquette needs to be chewed. Dose 1/2-1 briquette at the reception; with persistent constipation 1.5-2 briquettes (in 2 doses).

The highest daily dose is 6 briquettes. Depending on the nature of the disease, it is taken once or in courses (10-14 days).

Possible side effects are cramping abdominal pain, frequent loose stools. These phenomena disappear after discontinuation of the drug or dose reduction.

The foreign drug Regulax (Regulax, Germany) is similar in composition and action to kafiol; does not contain only the pulp of plum fruits.

Figs are rich in potassium and therefore useful in diseases of the cardiovascular system. Its fruits in fresh and dried form are used for anemia.

Figs contain a lot of fiber and sugars, so it should not be consumed in acute inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as in diabetes. Figs are also contraindicated for gout, since they contain a lot of oxalic acid.

The fig tree is a unique plant that came to us from ancient times. It is also known as figs or its homeland was the hot countries of Asia. Today, there are more than 400 varieties of which have not only a pleasant sweet taste, but also many useful and medicinal properties. Figs are grown in Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Greece and other countries with a subtropical climate.

The fig tree (we can see a photo of this wonderful tree in the article) not only brings useful and tasty fruits, but is also a wonderful decoration for any garden.

The oldest plant known to man

It is one of the oldest plants known to man. Its age exceeds 5 thousand years. The fig tree is mentioned many times in the Bible. Researchers suggest that the fruit of the fig tree was the same forbidden fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, which was tasted by the progenitors of all mankind, Adam and Eve. Later, it was her leaves that served as clothes for them when they were expelled from

They knew about the beneficial properties of the fig tree in ancient Greece, Egypt, and the Arabian Peninsula.

In India, it has been considered a sacred plant for many centuries.

The ancient Romans believed that Bacchus gave this fruit to people, so they called it a wine berry.

According to legend, the Buddha comprehended all the secrets of the meaning of human life under this tree. For Buddhists, the fig tree has been considered the tree of illumination ever since. Photos of her fruits can be seen below.

The Greeks used figs in the treatment of various diseases: fever, malaria, ulcers, tumors, leprosy and other dangerous infections. Figs have become an indispensable tool in the manufacture of many cosmetics. Due to its antioxidant properties and the presence of many vitamins, it is considered an excellent anti-aging agent. Later, when medicine was able to more thoroughly understand all the healing properties of figs, it was found that it copes well with blood clots and sclerotic plaques in blood vessels.

How does a fig tree grow?

The tree, whose height sometimes reaches 15 meters, has a spreading crown. The trunk diameter is about 1 meter. Fig trees live for more than two hundred years. The fruit of the fig tree is a small seed. When ripe, it acquires a dark brown-violet color. Inside the fruit are small seeds, shaped like nuts. They are tightly adjacent to each other and form a juicy sweet pulp.

Figs are harvested twice a year - in early summer and autumn. It is not recommended to store it for a long time. Especially quickly it can deteriorate during transportation.

Before sending the fruits for sale, they are well washed, processed and packaged. Figs are eaten fresh, dried and canned, and are no less useful than fresh ones. It is known that fresh figs must be eaten within a few hours after they have been picked, otherwise they will quickly spoil and ferment.

Often figs are used as a seasoning for meat. Fresh fruits are used to make sweet wine, make jam and jam, and are used in the manufacture of other confectionery products.

Beneficial features

The fig tree is an excellent source of essential oils that help oxygenate the blood and control blood pressure. A large amount of tryptophan normalizes the functioning of the human brain, so it is very useful for creative and thinking people to consume figs at least once a day. In addition to vitamins A, B and C, there are potassium, magnesium, calcium salts necessary for a person, other minerals and organic fatty acids, carotene, pectin, proteins and almost all types of sugar.

We lose weight effectively and usefully

Regular consumption of figs contributes to weight loss and stabilization, as it contains a large amount of fiber and fiber. Thanks to them, despite the low calorie content of fresh fruits, they quickly saturate the human body, reducing the feeling of hunger for a long time. 100 grams of fresh figs contain only 49 kcal, but you need to be careful with dried fruit, as its calorie content increases by almost seven times.

Figs are useful for expectant mothers. Due to the large number of nutrients contained in the fruit, the baby develops correctly. A large amount of iron is an excellent prevention of anemia. Pectin and fiber help to cope with flatulence and constipation. It is also known that figs increase lactation and are an excellent tool for the prevention of mastitis.

The fig tree is a cure for male diseases too. Fig tincture helps to strengthen male power many times over, effectively cure prostatitis. It is enough just to pour five fruits with a glass of boiling water and let it brew. The tincture should be drunk twice a day.

Contraindications and warnings

With all the huge number of advantages of the fig tree, there are still some disadvantages. With caution, people suffering from urolithiasis should treat its fruits, as they contain too much oxalic acid. You can not eat a lot of figs with diabetes and gout. Fresh figs are completely contraindicated for people with inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

In conclusion, it is worth saying that it was not in vain that people worshiped this unique plant. The fig tree is truly a gift from the gods, designed to serve man at all times.