Fig

Botanical characteristics

The flowers and fruits of the fig tree are of a very particular type. The fig is a False-fruit. Before being a fruit, the fig is a Inflorescence in the shape of ballot box called sycone , kind of small fleshy bag which locks up a inflorescence made up of hundreds of tiny flowers Unisexué S which paper the interior of it. These completely imprisoned flowers cannot be fertilized without external intervention

The sycone has a small opening, the ostiole close which one finds flowers male, but it there forever of Pollinisation autogame because the maturity of the ones and others is not synchronous (Dichogamie). In fact, these flowers are pollinated by specific Hyménoptère S of the kind Blastophaga , a wasp Lilliputian ( Blastophaga psenes in the case of the European wild fig tree), completely dependant on the fig trees (male and female live inside the figs) and which lay only in certain types of female flowers.

Fig trees known as “male”, or fig tree of goat, carry in winter of green figs to desiccated appearance. These are the last which shelter the eggs of Blastophage S which give birth, towards mid-May with a first generation of insects. The female blastophages fly away by the ostiole, whereas the exhausted males die in fig. While leaving, the females rub with the bouquet of flower males laid out near the opening of exit what allows the grains Pollen to settle on the back of the insect and thus to be transported to the fig tree female. Balance necessary for the fig tree and the insect is thus ensured.

There exists in nature three types of figs which are visited by the blastophages:

figs with female flowers brevi-stylées of the fig tree of goat in which the females blastophages can lay and which will give of Wales to the place of figs, spring (mamme) or in summer (profichi).
figs with female flowers longi-stylées of the domestic fig tree which do not make it possible the female blastophages to lay but which, visited by these last and thus pollinated, will give edible figs producing of the Graine S.

The fecundation of the female flowers of the fig trees will give to August and September the figs fruits which can be tasted. In fact, truths fruits are innumerable the small grains which strew the flesh with fig, which the Botaniste S call the Akène S.

History

The fig is at present the oldest fruit domesticated, after the discovery in 2006, in the Vallée of the Jordan in Israel of nine parthenocarpic figs, i.e. not producing seeds and whose intervention of the man was necessary to his culture while resorting to cuttings. These figs would be old 11.400 years.

Towards -100 before JC, Pline Old the evoked already the culture of 29 varieties of different figs.

In France, Louis XIV was a large fig amateur. Quintinie, its gardener, thus planted more than 700 fig trees of various varieties in the Potager of the king to the Château of Versailles to satisfy the passion of the Sun king.

Production

For the production, only the female varieties are cultivated, because they can be bifères or unifères .

the bifères give two harvests per annum, in July on the branches of the previous year, and in autome, on those of the current year.
the unifères bear fruit only once at the end of the summer.

Not very complicated and not very demanding, the fig tree can manage all alone and can produce very a long time. The size is optional.

Mediterranean tree, the fig trees do not like the shade, they require a hot and sunny site necessary to the ripening of figs. It resists heat well. Under more cold climates, only of the early varieties can be acclimatized.

In professional production, the fig tree gains with being trained with the devil against a southern full exposed wall.

Varieties

White of Argenteuil (synonymous White , White of Versailles ): support the cold climates well. Average and early fruit. Brilliant skin of yellow color orange to green being detached easily, lengthened fig flattened towards the eye and holding well with the tree. Flesh white, juicy, very sweetened, scented and sought for its savor.

Brunswick , early fig, tree with weak development which can be cultivated out of pot.

Dalmatie , fig with flesh bright red, and she is very appreciated in accompaniment of pork-butchery, but it should not be used in cooking.

Fig of Marseilles

Drop of gold , early fig, large gilded yellow fig, pink flesh, tree of weak development

Gray of Midsummer's Day or Cotignane or gray Grisette or Coucourelle or Célestine or Cordelière , is a bifère, and gives generous harvests in summer as in autumn. This fig can be used in all manners; it very good is dried.

Madeleine the two season old or Angelica , early fig, is ideal to consume fresh or in jam, but not for the cooked dishes.

Marseilles , unifère, small fig with the skin yellow-green having a very sweetened pink flesh gustatory good quality often used like dried fig. Tree of weak development, rustic.

Round of Bordeaux

Sultana or Bellone or Black of July, is a large fig, abundant in autumn, interesting for all preparations, including out of dry fruit.

" Black Bourjassote " , locally called " violet of Solliès "

Fig of Solliès

Fig of Kabylie

Use

for the food

Fresh fig, dry fig, in ingredient of cooked dish, ingredient of pastry making, jam.

for health

Rich person in Vitamin B3 and Fiber S, the fig supports the intestinal transit time and is very energy, this is why it belongs to in-cases of the sportsmen and the hikers.

Others

There exists with Vaison-the-Roman in the Vaucluse a national collection of almost 300 fig trees of all varieties.

Such a collection also exists within the island of Porquerolles, commune of Hyères in the Var.

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