Figs

There are at least 850 species in the genus Ficus, almost all tropical trees, shrubs and vines. Only one temperate species, the Common Fig (F. carica) is significant for food. A few others have edible fruit but they are used only locally as "bush food".

The Common Fig is the most commercially important member of the whole mulberry family, and a strange fruit it is. Unlike other mulberries the flowers are inside with a small hole at the end of the fruit through which it's only pollinator, a wasp, can enter. Each species of fig has its own species of wasp and can be pollinated by no other.

The photo specimens are Brown Turkey (2 inch diameter, 2-1/2 ounces), Black Mission (1-1/4 inch diameter, 2 inches long, 7/8 ounce), and green Calimyrna (1-5/8 inch diameter, 1-1/2 inch long, 1 ounce). The very sweet Black Mission and Calimyrna are the two varieties most often found fresh in California. The Brown Turkey is larger with a tougher skin, but is significantly less sweet.

Trees producing edible figs come in female only, so they must be pollinated with pollen from a wild variety (caprifigs) the wasps live in. Branches from the wild caprifig trees are hung in the fig orchards to give the wasps easy access to the fig crop. When the wasps mature they enter and pollinate the edible figs. Any eggs they lay there promptly die because it's the wrong kind of fig. This weird method of cultivation seems to have been going on for at least 6000 years.

Some fig trees produce more than one crop a year. The early crop, on the previous year's wood, is called the "breba" crop and needs no pollination. The second, called the "main" crop forms later on the current year's wood, and may need pollination. There are four basic types of edible fig, each with multiple cultivars:

• Smyrna Type:

    These require caprifigs for pollination and grow fruit on new wood. This is the main type used for dried figs in Turkey and California. Examples: Calimyrna.

• Caprifigs:

    These are home to the wasps that pollinate Smyrna type figs. There is one variety, Croisic, that produces edible fruit with acceptable yield, particularly around San Francisco.

• San Pedro Type:

    These have a good breba crop, but the main crop may be inferior, and if not pollinated will drop. This type is not so popular in warmer climates, but variety Desert King is popular in the Pacific Northwest for its heavy breba crop. That's the only crop they'll get because the season is too short for a main crop.

• Common type:

    some varieties produce a good breba crop and some produce little or none. They also produce one or even two main crops. Neither breba or main crop requires pollination to mature. This is a very popular type. Examples: Black Mission, Kadota, Brunswick, Brown Turkey, Celeste.

More on Mulberries.