Therefore, most often it is not available fresh, but dried or other processed form. But there are varieties of figs that grow and bear fruit even in an apartment, and can please lovers of both sweets and home flora.

Description

Fig, or figurine, fig tree is a subtropical deciduous tree with a wide spreading crown and large lobed leaves. In nature it grows up to 10 m and lives up to 300 years. There are male and female trees: male inflorescences are called caprifigs, female inflorescences are called figs. The inflorescences look similar, but only the figs (female) turn into fruits. Pollination is carried out only by small blastophagous wasps. It is for them that the holes in the hollow inflorescences are intended. Trees, in turn, help wasps reproduce.

The fig fruit is pear-shaped, sweet and juicy, with many seeds inside. It is believed that the more seeds inside (more than 900), the better and more tender the fruit. This fruit is dried, canned, made into jam, and even made (figs are called wine berries).

Thanks to their rich chemical composition, figs have many health benefits. They are included in some medications. They are used in the treatment of many diseases, even early stage cancer. The seeds, leaves and sap of the tree are also medicinal. Figs are very high in calories, especially dried, and satisfy hunger well. They replace chocolate and candies. It was not for nothing that the famous Cleopatra loved figs more than other sweets.

In the wild, fig grows in warm countries with a humid climate: in the Mediterranean, Asia Minor, India, Iran, Afghanistan, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, on the Black Sea coast of Crimea and the Caucasus. Cold-resistant varieties have already been developed that can grow in colder climates.

Open ground or home conditions?

To decide where to plant a fig tree, in open ground outside or in a pot in an apartment, you need to take into account the characteristics of your climate zone and how figs grow. Although this is a heat-loving plant, some species can withstand severe frosts. The tree may freeze, but in the spring it will come back and bear fruit. Under natural conditions, the fig tree bears fruit almost all year round: in spring, summer and autumn. The further north the region, the shorter the warm season, which is why the fruits do not have time to ripen.
In cold areas, it is best to grow figs, if not in an apartment, then in a greenhouse, on a glassed-in terrace or loggia (it is warmer there than outside). If it grows not in open ground, but in a pot, it can be taken outside for the summer and brought indoors for the winter. In warm regions, figs grow safely in open ground and do not require special conditions.

Important! In Ukraine, the climate is perfect for growing figs in open ground, but they still need to be protected from frost for the winter.

Varieties for home cultivation

Indoor figs outwardly resemble their relative - a lush and low plant 2-3 m high. Unlike wild varieties, indoor figs do not require the services of blastophage wasps, since they are self-pollinating and produce tasty fruits even in an apartment. Figs are an unpretentious plant, so growing them at home does not require much effort. It loves warmth, but can also withstand coolness. In an apartment, in summer it is best to place the pot near the window on the east side, and in winter - on the south. There is a wide variety of indoor varieties of figs.

Sochi 7 and Sochi 8

As the name suggests, these two varieties of figs were bred in the city of Sochi and have similar characteristics. Without artificial pollination, they bear fruit once a year and produce juicy, sweet fruits weighing 60 g. Recommended for growing indoors.

This wonderful variety bears harvest twice a year, in summer and autumn, without caprification. The fruits are green with red flesh, large, up to 130 g; in the first harvest they are larger than in the second.

White Adriatic

This variety of fig tree at the beginning and at the end of summer bears very sweet fruits of a yellow-green color, small in size, weighing 60 g. It does without artificial pollination.

Seyanetsogloblinsky

The variety is named after the scientist who developed it from other domestic fig varieties. It is distinguished by the fact that the fruits appear on it in the fall, in winter growth stops and the fruits overwinter on the tree as small green ones, and in the spring they begin to grow again, and in the summer the harvest is ready.

Growing and care

Growing a fig tree in an apartment is as easy as growing a ficus tree. A little effort in caring for it will certainly be rewarded with a bountiful harvest. First, you need to learn how to grow figs correctly so that at home they take root well and bear tasty fruits twice a year.

Landing

There are certain rules on how to plant figs. Planting should be done in the spring, before active growth begins. A glass for seedlings or a small flower pot (no more than half a liter) needs to be filled with a substrate of sand and (1:1) with the addition of. Or you can add coarse sand and a little peat to the leaf soil and mix. The starting material for planting figs can also be root shoots.
You can sow several seeds in one bowl and then choose the strongest one. It is enough to sprinkle the seed with damp soil, without compacting it, then cover it with glass and leave it warm. After 2-3 weeks, sprouts will sprout. And after waiting another 5 weeks, the seedlings can already be replanted. Figs planted in this way will produce their first fruits only after five years, so growing a tree at home from seeds is used only in the absence of cuttings.

If a sprout emerges from the root, it can also become new. To do this, you need to bend it to the ground, sprinkle it and secure it. The roots will appear in 3-4 weeks, and the seedling is ready for planting in a pot. Most often, cuttings are used as planting material. Trees planted in this way bear fruit in the second year. To do this, you need to follow some recommendations on how best to grow figs from cuttings. It should have at least 3-4 buds. From below you need to make an oblique cut 2 cm below the last bud, from above - a straight cut 1 cm above the first. To speed up the appearance of roots, the leaves can be cut and a few scratches made on the bottom of the cutting, which will be covered with soil. It is advisable to moisten the oblique cut in a root formation stimulator and immerse the cutting in the moist bud second from the bottom. The soil must be compacted and the cup must be covered with a plastic bottle or transparent bag. Roots will appear in about 3 weeks.

The soil

Be sure to lay a layer on the bottom of the pot and fill it with soil on top. You can use purchased soil and mix it with ash and sand. Or you can take a regular one from the garden, generously add sand and water to improve water permeability.

Reproduction

Figs are propagated in the same way as planting: by root shoots. Root shoots can be rooted at any time. But it is impossible to grow a new fig from seeds if they are taken from a seedling from a nursery. Female plants are grown there. If there was no male tree nearby, then pollination did not occur and the seeds were infertile. Nothing will grow from them.

The following trees are also propagated by cuttings: plum, thuja, blue spruce, hawthorn,

Features of care

To determine how to care for figs at home, you need to remember that the tree loves warmth, light and moisture. Sunlight and a warm climate (air temperature between 22-25°C) are needed for proper flowering and timely ripening of fruits. The domestic fig tree bears fruit in June and October. After this, it sheds its leaves and “rests” in winter at a temperature not exceeding 10°C.

Indoor fig is a fruit-bearing plant. In order not to lose this ability, he needs plentiful and regular. Adult plants can tolerate a long break in winter, but for young trees this is detrimental. In winter, during the dormant period, on the contrary, you need to water less. The main thing is to make sure that the soil in the pot does not dry out. If at this time the leaves on the tree are still green, you need to dry the soil so that the leaves turn yellow and fall off. At the end of February growth begins again and frequent growth should be resumed.

Not everyone is lucky enough to live in the Mediterranean. The fig tree is also called a fig tree or a fig tree - home cultivation has been practiced in Europe since the 16th century. The benefits of the fruits and the healing composition of the leaves do not depend on the place of cultivation. As a houseplant, with proper care, figs look decorative and bear fruit twice a year.

Conditions for cultivating figs on a windowsill

When grown at home, adult figs require abundant watering and spraying in the summer. If the plant does not have enough moisture, it can lose its leaves at any time of the year. When creating a humid microclimate around a tree, there is no reason for spider mites to appear - one of the main pests of flowers on the windowsill.

The plant, native to the subtropics, needs to be provided with wintering. From November to January, a dormant period is created for the fig tree. It is placed in a bright, cool place with a temperature below +15 degrees. The tree does not need additional lighting or fertilizing at this time.

If the tree does not fall asleep, watering is reduced so that the leaves fall off. Water the soil with slightly cool water at a temperature of 18 degrees.

Water the plant moderately so that the lump of earth does not dry out. As the buds begin to swell, light, watering, and fertilizing are required. It is necessary to create conditions for rapid vegetation. You can harvest two harvests per season if you take good care of the figs at home. The fig tree blooms for the first time in March and bears fruit in June. The following berries ripen from early August to late September. In the summer, trees can be transferred to the ground, they will be comfortable there, but in the fall they will need a larger pot.

A sign of fruit ripeness is their softening and the release of nectar from the eyes. Ripening lasts 2-4 weeks.

Growing a fruiting fig tree on a windowsill

How to grow figs at home? Several methods are used:

• they prepare cuttings by begging a sprig from good friends;
• buy a seedling in a specialized store;
• use seed material.

In any case, the first thing required is to select dishes and an earthen substrate. The soil is prepared from equal shares of steamed, calcined ingredients:

• leaf humus;
• turf land;
• river sand, wood ash.

Treated expanded clay is placed at the bottom of the bowl. Add a layer of sand on top. It is a good idea to use sphagnum moss on the surface to regulate humidity.

The container chosen for the figs is small at first, but the young plants are replanted every year for 5 years. You need to know that while the roots in the pot feel at ease, flowering is delayed. An adult tree needs 8 liters of substrate. A fig tree lives up to 30 years.

Growing figs at home from cuttings is the most effective method, preserving the parental properties. The cutting is taken only from a fruit-bearing plant. The varieties considered most adapted to indoor growing conditions are:

• Shuisky;
• Dalmatica;
• White Adriatic;
• Sochi -7;
• Black Pearl;
• Kadata;
• Ogloblin seedling.

A cutting is selected with 3-4 buds, with the bottom cut 2 cm below the eye, and the top cut 1 cm above. On the part to be rooted, the bark should be scratched in longitudinal strips to the cambium, this will speed up root formation. Pour the prepared substrate mixed with sphagnum into a glass, moisten it and immerse the cutting up to the second bud. Pre-treat the cuttings with root or heteroauxin.

To form roots, cover the planting from above with a cap made of PET bottles, place it in diffused light, and use additional lighting for up to 12 hours. Watching the figs grow. After 2-3 weeks, the first leaves will appear; it is necessary to ventilate, accustoming the leaves to the air of the apartment, and spray with warm, settled water.

When the plant gets used to the surrounding air, it is carefully transferred to a liter pot with substrate. Two weeks after transplantation, the fig tree is fed with nitrogen fertilizers or a composition for indoor plants.

Fig seeds are small, they do not always inherit the properties of the mother plant, and not all of them germinate. But sometimes, other than from seeds, at home, there is nothing to grow figs from. The seeds are deepened into the soil by 2-3 cm, the soil is regularly moistened, the pots are covered from moisture evaporation, and after 2-4 weeks sprouts appear, which are allowed to grow and rooted in separate cups. Gradually changing pots, seedlings are grown for 4-5 years until flowering. By this time, the young tree should already have large dishes, preferably a wooden box with a bucket of fertile soil. Time will tell whether indoor figs will bear fruit. But even without fruit the tree is very impressive and will live up to 30 years.

Fertilizers for figs

During the growing season, both growing and mature plants need organic and organic fertilizers. The compositions are alternated once every 2 weeks. The fig tree gratefully accepts mullein and a fermented infusion of herbs - nettle, dandelion, midge. Once a season you need to give the plant iron sulfate and a complex composition with microelements. Figs require potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. You can make them yourself from bags, in packaging for feeding seedlings of outdoor plants.

Pest and disease control

As for insect pests, you need to protect the tree from spider mites, or do 2 treatments every other week with the Actellik insecticide. It is difficult to control the pest without chemicals.

There is only one common fungal disease in figs – coral spot. A sign of infection is the appearance of a reddish rash on the stem. All areas with affected shoots must be removed. The sections are treated with copper-containing preparations, and watering is carried out with a pink solution of potassium permanganate.

WHAT BENEFICIAL PROPERTIES OF FIGS STRENGTHEN THE HEART AND IMPROVE THE FUNCTION OF THE GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT

Figs (wineberry, fig tree, fig tree) grows in the tropics and its fruits are often used to prepare healthy dietary dishes. The fruits of the fig tree are rich in organic acids, proteins, fats and sugar. What are the benefits of figs for weight loss? First of all, it is rich in gallic and syringic acids, which improve metabolism and the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

Since this fruit has beneficial properties and is very tasty, it is dried, eaten fresh, and compotes and canned goods are prepared from it. The fruit can be stored for quite a long time, and its taste does not deteriorate.

Another interesting fact is that this fruit is actively used in folk medicine. If they preferred to treat with its help only in its homeland, now it is used in domestic spaces. For example, fig decoctions are excellent for lowering fever. You can soak the fruits either in water or in milk, which is more popular with children.

Fresh figs with their beneficial properties have also found their use as natural medicines for the treatment of gastrointestinal and kidney diseases. It is a simple and useful diuretic that has no side effects. The fruit is very rich in potassium, which has a positive effect on cardiac activity. The fruit is useful for hypertension and venous insufficiency. Figs also have a dual property: it thins the blood, which helps resolve blood clots. But it is contraindicated for people with hemophilia for precisely this reason.

Figs have beneficial properties that are valuable in the treatment of constipation, spleen and liver diseases. But you should not use it if there are inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract.

USEFUL PROPERTIES OF DRIED FIGS

This fruit most often comes to our table in the form of a dried light yellow product. This natural sweetness has up to 6 percent protein of the total mass of the individual fruit, as well as up to 60 percent sugar. The beneficial properties of dried figs are such that their fruit sugar is very easily and simply absorbed by the body. But this product can be considered high in calories, so it is not advisable to consume it on a strict diet.

Figs contain a lot of fiber, which has a beneficial effect on the condition of the gastrointestinal tract. Eating a little fig will make you feel full, and if you eat a little bit of it regularly, you will be able to improve the functioning of your rectum. Among the beneficial properties of dried figs is their richness in vitamins and microelements, for example, potassium, which cannot always be obtained from other foods. It contains a lot of pectin, which benefits joints and bones. Figs are also an excellent antioxidant.

The properties of dried figs are such that they can be safely recommended to pregnant women. It can be consumed either raw or dried, but be careful as it does have laxative properties. This is why it is not recommended to consume figs before a trip or a business meeting.

This fruit is contraindicated in gestational diabetes due to its high sugar content. In particular, pregnant women with this diagnosis need to be careful with this product. Although it’s hard to deny yourself such delicious joys.

Figs are a solitary plant and cannot be combined with other dried fruits. If you decide to cook compote with figs and, say, dried apples, be prepared for the fact that your stomach will swell. It’s better to just eat a couple of handfuls of healthy figs.

FIG. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF FRUIT AND IN WHAT CASES CAN IT BE HARMFUL TO HEALTH

Any product has both beneficial and harmful properties and contraindications. Let's talk about the oriental sweetness - dried figs, as well as about its harm and benefits for our body. Firstly, its use gives a lot of energy. It is not at all necessary to drink a can of energy drink; you can buy dried figs at the store for consumption.

Secondly, figs are very useful in hot weather. If you want something sweet, you can eat a couple of handfuls of this fruit - it does not cause thirst as actively as other dried fruits. Thirdly, the benefit of figs, and not the harm, is that it can be used as an additional remedy by people with disorders of gastric secretion. It helps the liver and kidneys function. If a sore throat occurs, figs can be brewed with hot milk for frequent consumption. It moisturizes the throat and mouth well, soothes coughs, and reduces pain in the throat and nasopharynx. Decoctions with this fruit can be a good way to bring down the temperature. In particular, this medicine is popular with young children who do not even like linden tea.

But in large quantities, figs cause intestinal upset. However, what product will not cause it if you eat, say, a bucket of harmless pears? If you overdo it with figs, it will cause a lot of swelling. By the way, it is advisable to consume figs in the morning, then there will be no problems with abdominal pain.

Usually only 100 grams of figs per day is enough, more is not recommended. But figs can not only be beneficial, but also harmful. For example, if the small or large intestine is inflamed, the large amount of fiber in this fruit can greatly irritate the walls of this section of the gastrointestinal tract.

Additionally, it should not be used if you have a peptic ulcer or diabetes. Of course, there are different forms of this disease, but you should not buy a bag of figs without consulting a doctor. The high sugar content there can play a cruel joke on you.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO GROW A FIG TREE AT HOME? CORRECT GROWING OF FIGS AT HOME.

If you love figs, you may be wondering how the wonderful and delicious fig fruit is grown. This is a tropical plant, so it is natural that it loves warmth. But this plant is completely undemanding when it comes to soil moisture and its composition. Can grow in sandy soil, moist soil and so on

For better selection and faster harvesting, figs are propagated by cuttings, root suckers and seeds. Therefore, even here the plant does not cause any trouble to those who grow it. It is better to propagate it by cuttings before the leaves begin to bloom, although the fig will not say a word against it if this is done in late spring or early summer. You need to wait until the cuttings have at least three or four buds.

When it comes to growing fig plants, it is still important to follow some propagation technology. You need to make an oblique cut just below the bud, 1-1.5 centimeters is enough. And the even top cut should be about a centimeter higher than it. To ensure that cuttings take root more actively, several longitudinal scratches are always made on the cuttings. After keeping the finished cuttings for about 6 hours in a cool, dry room to dry the milky sap on the cuts, it should be placed in a heteroauxin solution for 12 hours. Next they are planted in a pot.

Growing fig plants must be done responsibly. It is advisable to water it all the time, making sure that the cuttings do not dry out. But you won’t be able to try the fruits in the year of planting: figs begin to bear fruit only in the second year. But there will always be exotic, sweet and healthy fruits on the table.

TASTY FIG WITH HEALTHY PROPERTIES. PHOTOS OF FRUITS AND DESCRIPTION OF APPEARANCE

Suppose you came to the store to buy yourself some figs, but you don't know what they look like? Or, for example, you have seen beautiful fruits in pictures or in oriental bazaars, and you want to know what they are called. Then it’s better to find photos of fig fruits on the Internet. These are light yellow fruits with shiny skin. Yes, it does not look the most presentable, but its beneficial properties and excellent taste will make you forget about its appearance.

But you won’t recognize the plant itself in life until it is “introduced” to you. For example, not everyone understands how figs can have fruits at all, since there are no flowers on the “branches” that we are used to. In fact, they exist, they are simply located in the cortex. They look like small caves on tree trunks. Therefore, many people think that the fruits appear on their own, as if some wizard waved a magic wand.

In the photo, the fig fruits are small pears up to 6 centimeters in length. Their diameter is small - up to 4 centimeters. But you can find quite a lot of varieties of figs. Sometimes it can be greenish-white and sometimes purple-brown. If you are offered such fresh fruits, do not be afraid - they are quite edible and very tasty.

When the fruits ripen, their color changes, and it depends on the plant variety. By the way, local residents, in whose countries figs are not at all uncommon, say that it is best to wait until the fruits crack directly on the trees. Then, according to them, they become the most delicious.

It is impossible to tell from a photo of simple-looking figs how healthy this product is. It is rich in amino acids, proteins, trace elements and vitamins. To maintain the activity of the cardiac system, it is enough to consume at least 100 grams of this product per day. It's all about the high potassium content in fresh and dried figs.

It is also an excellent antipyretic, helps get rid of colds, and improves the condition of flu patients. Children love decoctions from it: it reduces fever well, relieves sore throats and softens coughs, and tastes better than any medicine. True, people on a diet should not eat it (obese people, especially those who have a degree of obesity), as well as diabetics. The fact is that dried fruits contain up to 70 percent sugar. Quite often this dried fruit is recommended for pregnant women.


Photo of fig fruit and plant

Botanical characteristics of figs

Fig or fig tree- Ficus carica L. has many other names: wineberry, fig, fig tree, etc. It is a small deciduous tree or large shrub from the mulberry family (Moraceae), up to 10 m high, with thick branches. It has a powerful, highly developed root system. The trunk and old branches are covered with gray bark, young branches have thick green stems.
The leaves of figs are alternate, round, 3-7-lobed, sometimes almost entire, large, up to 15 cm long and up to 12 cm wide, leathery, hard, dark green on top, rough, grayish-green below, fluffy, with long thick petioles. The stems, leaves, and young fruits of figs contain milky juice.
Original fig inflorescences, called syconia, are located in the axils of the leaves. Each syconium has the shape of a pear, hollow inside, with a small hole at the top (“eye”). The syconium is formed from the expanded axis of the inflorescence. Tiny flowers sit on the inner walls of such swollen formations. Each inflorescence initially contains both male and female flowers. On some trees, female flowers do not bear fruit, although they have formed. Naturally, such individuals are male. On other trees, male flowers in inflorescences are modified into scales, only female flowers remain normal. Such individuals function as females. Therefore, figs are a dioecious plant.
Syconiums that develop on male trees are called caprifugs. Each male flower has a 3-membered perianth and 3 stamens. Female syconia are called figs. The female flower consists of a 5-membered perianth and pistil. The fruits are nuts. When ripe, they are immersed in the tissue of overgrown fruits, which are usually called figs, or figs, like the whole tree. Different varieties have different fruit sizes and colors. The predominant varieties are purple-black and yellow in color. Good varieties reach large sizes - up to 8 cm in length and up to 5 cm in diameter. The weight of one fig is 32 - 77 g.
In the wild and feral state, figs grow in Southern Europe, Asia Minor and Central Asia, the Caucasus and other southern regions of Eurasia. Figs were cultivated in ancient times, according to some archaeological data, 5000 years ago. This happened for the first time, it is believed, in Arabia, where the state of Yemen is now located. From there, cultivated figs spread throughout Western Asia. It was bred in Ancient Egypt. Images of the process of collecting figs made by Egyptian craftsmen 2500 years ago have been found. In the IX-VIII centuries. BC e. figs appeared in Ancient Greece, and soon in neighboring countries. In Hellas, it was the daily food of wealthy citizens.
Let us remember that figs are often mentioned in religious literature. So, Adam and Eve covered themselves with fig leaves. The Qur'an speaks of Allah "swearing on the fig tree." In Ancient Egypt, the ideal was “to live under a fig tree and eat its fruit.”
Currently, figs are cultivated in many countries with subtropical climates. The annual world fruit harvest is 1.5-2 million tons. The largest areas of fig orchards are in Turkey, Algeria, Tunisia, Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, the USA (California), Georgia, and Azerbaijan. In Russia, only the southernmost regions of the European part, especially the coasts of the Black and Caspian Seas, are suitable for growing figs. And even there it often freezes in severe winters, so reliable cultivation is only possible if the plants are covered for the winter. However, figs are grown in Russia. Five promising varieties are known, adapted to the conditions of our country. Some hobbyists grow figs as a houseplant.
Figs- subtropical drought-resistant plant. It cannot withstand severe frosts - it suffers already at -12° C, and at -20 - 22° C it freezes to the root collar. It is propagated by cuttings, less often by layering. Young fig plants begin flowering and fruiting at 2 - 3 years of age; the fruit yield is not high enough at 7 - 10 years of age.
Figs bloom in several stages from spring to autumn. Pollination is carried out by small blastophagous wasps that climb inside the inflorescence through a hole at its top (the “eye”). They hatch in male inflorescences from eggs that are laid by the females of these insects in underdeveloped female flowers. Climbing out of the cavity of the inflorescence, the wasps become dirty with pollen. In the wild, they are attracted by the smell of inflorescences on female trees. Once in female inflorescences, blastophages involuntarily leave pollen brought on their bodies on the stigmas of female flowers. Those flowers whose stigmas have received pollen set viable fruits, and their syconium develops into juicy, sweet fruits, for which figs are bred.
One tree produces 80 - 100 kg of fruits per year. Fig trees live up to 150, or even 200 years, but on industrial plantations they are kept for up to 30-60 years, as long as they bear fruit well.

Economic use of figs

Figs- an important food plant. Ripe female fruits, commonly called figs, are eaten as food, as is the tree that produces them. Fresh figs contain 12 - 26% sugars, dry figs contain up to 75%. More than 90% of fig carbohydrates are represented by simple sugars (monosaccharides): fructose and glucose, which are very easily absorbed by the body. In addition, figs contain quite a lot of pectin, organic acids, provitamin A, vitamins C and group B, as well as microelements. Thanks to this composition, fig fruits represent a valuable dietary product. They are eaten fresh, dried and dried. They are used to make compote, preserves, marmalade, marmalade. Wine is also made from fig fruits, which is why they have long been called wine berries. Fresh fruits are not easily transportable, so the bulk of the harvest is dried. The yield of dry figs is 30 - 35% of the mass of fresh fruit.
Fig wood is used for various crafts and as fuel. The fruits serve as a surrogate for coffee.

Medicinal value of figs and methods of medicinal use of figs

For medicinal purposes, the “fruits” (fruits), leaves and roots are used. The fruits are collected in August - September, leaves - in April - May, roots - in spring and autumn.
In ancient medicine, figs were used as a means of strengthening strength, stimulating the activity of the liver, heart and other internal organs. Avicenna believed that figs are more nutritious than many other fruits and strongly advised people with poor health and the elderly to consume them. Fresh and dried figs help against epilepsy (fainting condition associated with hypotension), open blockages in the liver and spleen, and are good for the kidneys and bladder. Milky fig juice is recommended for difficult to resolve tumors and ulcers.
The juice squeezed from the leaves removes tattoos and treats scabies. The decoction is used to gargle for inflammatory diseases of the upper respiratory tract. Fig leaves are rubbed on the eyelids for hardening and trachoma. Unripe figs are applied as a medicinal bandage to birthmarks and all kinds of warts. Eating figs improves complexion, damaged due to disease, and promotes the maturation of abscesses. According to the descriptions of Muhammad Hussein Sherazi, figs are useful for palpitations, bronchial asthma, cough, chest pain, and hardening of the pleura. Before meals, it is useful to eat figs to soften the body, especially the intestines.
Traditional medicine recommends fig decoctions or jam as a diaphoretic and antipyretic. Fig decoction, jam and coffee surrogate made from dried figs have a diaphoretic and antipyretic effect and have a beneficial effect on laryngitis, tracheitis and bronchitis.

The decoction is prepared as follows: pour 100g of dried figs with 2 cups of boiling water (or milk), boil over low heat for 15 minutes, leave for 2 - 3 hours, strain. Take 1/2 cup 2-3 times a day before meals as an antitussive.

A decoction of 2 tablespoons of dry fruit (wine berries) per 1 glass of milk or water is used to gargle for sore throat, hoarseness, and is also taken orally 100 ml 2-3 times a day for gastritis and constipation.

Fig seeds are known as a laxative for constipation. Take 10 - 15 seeds once.
Externally, a decoction of figs is used for poultices for abscesses and gumboils. Sometimes, to speed up ripening, fresh or soaked dried fruits are applied to the abscesses.

Fruit decoction: 2 tablespoons of crushed raw materials per 1 glass of hot water, boil for 15 minutes, strain, bring the volume to the original volume. Used for rinsing with flux.
Figs boiled in milk also accelerate the ripening of abscesses when applied externally.

For dyspepsia, soak 2-3 dry figs in 200 ml of water overnight. Eat in the morning on an empty stomach.

If venous blood flow in the lower extremities is impaired, take 100 ml of fig juice prepared from fresh ripe fruits, which are rubbed through a metal sieve. Dilute the pulp with water (2:1), squeeze through several layers of gauze and drink 2-4 times a day. Not recommended for diabetes and gout.

For spleen disease, use an infusion of fig fruits: 2 tablespoons of dry crushed raw materials per 1 glass of hot water, leave in a water bath for 30 minutes, strain, squeeze, bring the volume to the original volume. Take 1/2 cup 3 times a day before meals.

For chronic constipation, consume fig seeds 10 - 15 g per dose.

Fruit decoction: 1 cup of crushed dry raw materials to 2 cups of boiling water, boil for 10 minutes, strain. Take 1/2 cup 4 times a day before meals for urolithiasis. Typically, this decoction is used in the preoperative period, when the type of stones is not established.
The milky juice of figs is used to treat wounds, acne, and skin cancer.
A vodka tincture of the leaves is drunk to treat malaria.
Fresh or dried figs have the property of eliminating the side effects of medications prescribed to cancer patients. It is best to eat figs with walnut or almond kernels.
In modern medicine, figs are prescribed to patients with venous insufficiency. It is recommended for patients with diseases of the cardiovascular system.
Unlike other fruits, the dietary value of figs is determined by the combination of a large amount of fructose with low acidity. Condensed fig juice acts like honey.
In the Salerno Health Code we read:
“Glands, goiter and abscess are soothed with a fig compress; You add poppy seed to it, and you will heal broken bones. It will excite lice and passion, but it will hinder your very desires.”
In scientific medicine, fig leaves are used. From them, furocoumarin bergapten is obtained, which is part of the drug psoberan. This drug increases the skin's sensitivity to ultraviolet rays and enhances its pigmentation, therefore it is used to treat vitiligo and alopecia. The pulp of fig fruits is an integral part of the laxative drugs kafiol and regulax, which enhance intestinal motility and are prescribed to elderly people suffering from constipation. Syrup from fig heads is used as a mild laxative for children. In Georgia, a thick extract from the fruits was produced - legvini, which has a diuretic effect, which was prescribed to patients with decompensation of the cardiovascular system. Japanese researchers have obtained an antitumor drug from fig fruits. Similar studies have been carried out in our country to test the antitumor activity of fig latex.

Precautionary measures. Due to the high sugar content, consumption of fig fruits is contraindicated for patients with diabetes mellitus. Figs contain a lot of fiber, so you should not use them if you have acute inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. It is also contraindicated for gout, as it contains a lot of oxalic acid.
In the Botanical Dictionary of Hermetic Medicine we read: “Fig tree. Moderately warm and humid. The black variety belongs to Jupiter, and the white variety belongs to Capricorn and Venus. In Sparta it was dedicated to Mercury and Bacchus. In India - Cherry. Saturn's crown consisted of its leaves. A branch of a fig tree, broken off under a favorable influence, calms angry bulls. The fruits are useful for calluses on the feet: the callus should be smeared with cut berries every day for several days. The leaves are used for fortune telling (Sycomantia): a question is written on the leaf, and if it dries up immediately, it is considered a negative answer.”

" Trees

The oldest fruit tree mentioned in history is undoubtedly the fig. Its leaves were the first clothes of Adam and Eve; there is even a version that the tree of knowledge was not an apple tree at all, but a fig.

The history of the ancient world is inextricably linked with the cultivation of figs. In Greece, these fruits were a symbol of fertility (the number of fruit grains reaches 1000 or more).

Soft fig leaves replaced napkins for the Romans... By the way, the she-wolf nursed the founders of Rome precisely under the shade of the fig tree. To this day, Italians consider figs a Christmas symbol of abundance.

In this article we will learn what figs look like (white and black), where they grow in Russia, and how to eat their fruits.

Another name for figs is “ficus carica”. It is difficult to call this multi-stemmed tree up to 10 meters high a bush. The crown is spreading, the bark is gray, curved branches are covered with very large beautiful foliage.

Its outer side is dark, the leaves below are much lighter, rough with small fibers. Figs, like other ficus trees, contain a very pungent milky juice.

Fig fruits have a very delicate skin, filled inside with a sweet reddish “jelly” and small grains. In fruits, fermentation processes often begin right on the branches, hence the second name - “wine berries”.

The plant is dioecious, with “male” and “female” inflorescences growing on different trees. How does the tree bloom? Inconspicuous-looking flowers grow in the axils of the leaves. Pollination occurs in a very specific way - a special type of wasp develops inside a fig flower and, when flying out, carries pollen.

Due to the lack of natural pollinators (these wasps), figs could not be acclimatized in America until special varieties were developed for new growing conditions. Nowadays, industrial plantations of fig trees consist entirely of such self-fertile varieties.

How, where does fig grow and bloom, how to determine its ripeness?

The plant is so unpretentious that it can grow not only on poor soils, but even on rocky screes and stone walls. The soil does not require any treatment at all before planting - neither cultivation nor fertilization.

For the plant to feel comfortable, only one thing is necessary - the soil should not be too damp. The fig tree doesn't even have insect pests.

The fig tree propagates by seeds, root suckers, and green cuttings. The plant easily tolerates cutting and pruning at any age. Figs begin to bear fruit early - in 2-3 years, starting from about 7 years old they produce a stable harvest, live up to 100 years (even 300-year-old specimens are known).

The closest relative of the well-known ficus, figs grow as spreading shrubs or trees up to 10-12 meters in height. The plant is exclusively tropical, even a temperature of -100C is destructive for it; on the Black Sea coast, frequent frosts significantly damage plantings of cultivated figs.

The specificity of the plant is that it is not the frost itself that is terrible for figs. Pollinating wasps that overwinter in fruits cannot tolerate cold weather.

An unpretentious fruit tree with such tasty and healthy fruits has become widespread in India, Australia and the islands of Oceania, the semi-deserts of Africa, Central and Latin America, Bermuda and the Caribbean.

Since ancient times, figs have been growing in the Crimea, Transcaucasia and Central Asia. It was brought to the Black Sea coast by Greek colonists.

When are the berries harvested?

The most unusual thing in our understanding is that on the branches there are simultaneously figs from the current harvest and the rudiments of the fruits of the next season. Moreover, these buds, having overwintered, are ready for harvesting at the end of May. They are much larger than the fall harvest, but not as tasty.

The first harvest (minor) is harvested in June-July, and the main second crop is harvested in the fall, in September-October. However, in modern industrial plantings, varieties with one-time fruiting are cultivated.

You can determine the ripeness of wine berries not only by taste - they are softer to the touch, slightly withered at the tail. The harvest is harvested in several stages, selectively. The figs are carefully cut using a knife or pruning shears.

If the figs are intended for drying, they are left on the branches longer, where they wither and dry spontaneously almost to the required condition under natural conditions.

Now they are developing varieties of low-growing figs, as well as varieties that wither on the branches much faster. All this facilitates the production of valuable fruits.

The very delicate berries can only be stored for a few hours and must be processed quickly or eaten fresh.

How to pick figs correctly: green or ripe?

Just like a thousand years ago, fig fruits are harvested only by hand. This is due solely to the very “delicate” structure of the fruit - the jelly-like pulp with small seeds is covered by a thin peel. The fruits are removed from each tree in several stages, selecting only ripe figs as they ripen. Unripe fruits should not be eaten because they contain poisonous bitter milk.

Every resident of the tropical zone where fig trees grow knows the main rule - figs are picked only early in the morning with clothes covering the hands. The fact is that under the influence of the sun, the villi on the leaves release a substance that causes a burning sensation (like nettle) and even dermatitis.

The fruits are not only collected very carefully. Fruit pickers must wear thick cotton gloves,

• so as not to damage the delicate wine berries,
• to protect yourself from the caustic sap of the plant.

The fruits, cut with a sharp pruner or knife, are placed in low trays, transferred to the shade and sent to consumers.

How to store and consume the collected fruits of the tree?

Fresh fig fruits can be stored for literally several hours. Considering the high sugar content (up to 30% in fresh fruits), fermentation processes begin very quickly - no longer than 6 hours (hence the second name - “wine berry”).

In the United States, a significant portion of figs are immediately deep-frozen. Some varieties are perfectly stored in a 30-40% solution of cane sugar at a temperature of -12 o C in refrigerators. The main part is supplied to consumers in dried form.

For drying, light-colored fruits up to about 5 centimeters are most often used. They are kept in the sun for 4-5 days.

Small fruits are the most expensive. The fruits have the highest quality, each gram of which contains more than 900 grains. If there are less than 500, then the product is mediocre.

The classic way of drying figs is under a canopy, strung on a thread through a pierced stalk (in the form of “beads”). Sometimes it is dried with the “eye” facing up, laid out in the sun. Sometimes, before drying, fig fruits are literally dipped into hot syrup for a few seconds and then brought to condition over gas or in the sun.

Freeze figs with dark berries. It is pre-washed, dried, packaged and frozen. Store at -16-18 o C for about six months. But this storage method is not the most popular.

Beneficial properties of ripe fruit

Figs are not only tasty, but also very healthy. In addition to pectins, organic acids, vitamins (B, C, PP, beta-carotene), these fruits contain many minerals and trace elements. The potassium content of figs is almost the same as that of nuts, and the iron content is higher than that of an apple.

Recipes

To restore strength after illness and simply to boost immunity, a “miracle mixture” is recommended.

To prepare it, you need to take equal parts:

• dried figs,
• dried apricots,
• raisin,
• shelled walnuts.

Pass everything through a meat grinder and mix with the same amount of honey. Keep refrigerated. Taking 1 tablespoon every morning is not only very tasty, but also well supports the cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal tract and general body tone.

In southern countries, figs are processed into jam, marshmallows, and even high-proof alcoholic drinks are prepared from it. From the products available to us, try making original cookies.

Required Products :

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar,
• 50 grams of unsalted butter,
• 1.5 wheat flour,
• 1 chicken egg,
• 1/4 cup milk,
• 200 grams of chopped figs,
• 1 teaspoon each of baking powder, vanilla sugar, lemon zest and juice,
• a pinch of salt.

It's very easy to prepare: mix everything and gradually add flour. Roll out the dough 1-2 centimeters thick. Cut into a glass and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 160 o C for about 15-20 minutes.

Conclusion

Figs are a tree of the tropics and subtropics. Of course, you can grow it in a greenhouse, and even get a few berries in a room. But all the beneficial properties are preserved in dried berries, which can always be bought in the retail chain.

And grow another ficus at home...