Ficus carica
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- FY-kus KAIR-ih-kuh
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Common fig is a small tree or large shrub in the Moraceae (mulberry) family with attractive leaves and desirable edible fruits. Grows to a mature size of 10 to 30 feet tall and wide quickly. The Latin name Ficus means edible fig and the species carica refers to Caria, a region in Asia known for rowing figs.
Plant in full sun or partial shade in rich, moist, well-drained soils. It grows best in zones 8-10 but can be grown in zone 7 if planted in a protected area. In zone 6 it may need to be grown in a pot and overwintered inside. This plant grows well in containers but containers must be overwintered indoors.
The purplish-brown fruits ripen in late summer and perhaps again in fall. The bloom forms inside the fruit and is pollinated by the fig wasp. The bark is an attractive silver color.
Plant this ornamental fruit tree against a south wall to take advantage of radiant heat or in other protected areas of the landscape especially if you are zone 5-7.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems. Ambrosia beetles, aphids, mealybugs, root-knot nematodes, scale, and spider mites can cause problems. Blight, leaf spots, and rust occasionally occur. Fruit drop can be messy. In Florida and California, it has escaped cultivation and become invasive as it can form thickets and take over native plant habitats.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, and Nuts" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Flower Bonanza Garden Floricyle
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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'Brown Turkey'
- 'Brunswick'
Self-fertile, heavy fruit set, yellow red flesh, cold hardy
'Celeste'
- 'Chicago Hardy'
Cold hardy fig
'Magnolia'
Cold hardy, deeply lobed leaves
Multi-branched shrub with small, brown to purple figs with a closed eye
Large fruit with an open eye 'Marseille'
Unassuming green-yellow colored fruit - 'Brunswick'
- 'Brown Turkey', 'Brunswick', 'Celeste', 'Chicago Hardy', 'Magnolia', 'Marseille'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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'Brown Turkey'
- 'Brunswick'
Self-fertile, heavy fruit set, yellow red flesh, cold hardy
'Celeste'
- 'Chicago Hardy'
Cold hardy fig
'Magnolia'
Cold hardy, deeply lobed leaves
Multi-branched shrub with small, brown to purple figs with a closed eye
Large fruit with an open eye 'Marseille'
Unassuming green-yellow colored fruit - 'Brunswick'
- 'Brown Turkey', 'Brunswick', 'Celeste', 'Chicago Hardy', 'Magnolia', 'Marseille'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Ficus
- Species:
- carica
- Family:
- Moraceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- The sap was used in Mediterranean folk medicine.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Layering
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Mediterranean to Central Asia
- Wildlife Value:
- Insects, wasps and birds eat the fruit
- Play Value:
- Edible fruit
- Wildlife Food Source
- Edibility:
- Fruits are highly edible fresh, cooked, used in preserves, or dried.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 10 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 10 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Rounded
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Coarse
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- 12-24 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- The infructescence is a ripened receptacle (syconium), not an ovary, that forms in late summer or fall on new wood. Sometimes a small second spring fruiting on new wood occurs. It is 2-4 in. long and may be a number of colors depending on the cultivar. Fruits develop without the need for cross pollinaton.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- The flower is not visible as it blooms inside a hollow receptilces that form near the end of branches in leaf axils. The flowers small, green, and form in the spring. Most commercially available figs are self-pollinating but wild figs require pollination by wasps.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Rough
- Smooth
- Soft
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Palmasect
- Leaf Margin:
- Crenate
- Dentate
- Entire
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The leaves are 5-10 inches long and 4-7 inches across and deeply, palmately lobed with three or five lobes. The upper surface is green and rough with hairs and the underside is paler and smooth.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Smooth
- Bark Description:
- Silver gray smooth bark becomes more bumpy with age.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Bud Terminal:
- Only 1 terminal bud, larger than side buds
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Description:
- Produces many suckers.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Landscape Theme:
- Edible Garden
- Attracts:
- Songbirds
- Problems:
- Contact Dermatitis
- Messy
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
- Weedy
