Fig Categories

There are many different types of fig trees, and they can be classified by various criteria, such as their origin, fruit color, fruit size, growth habit, hardiness, and flavor. Some common categories of fig trees are:

• Common Figs
• Smyrna Figs
• San Pedro Figs
• Caprifigs

Common Figs

Common figs are the most widely cultivated figs, and they do not require pollination to produce fruit. They have edible skin and flesh, and come in various colors and shapes. Some examples are: Brown Turkey, Black Mission, Kadota, Hardy Chicago, Celeste, etc.

• Origin: Common figs are native to western Asia and the Mediterranean region, and have been cultivated since ancient times. They are mentioned in many religious and historical texts, such as the Bible, the Quran, and the Odyssey.
• Appearance: Common figs are deciduous trees that can grow up to 30 feet tall and wide. They have large, lobed leaves that are rough on the upper surface and hairy on the lower surface. They have a milky sap that can cause skin irritation or allergic reactions in some people.
• Fruiting: Common figs produce two crops of fruits per year: the breba crop and the main crop. The breba crop consists of figs that develop on the previous year’s wood and ripen in early summer. The main crop consists of figs that develop on the current year’s wood and ripen in late summer or fall.
• Structure: Common figs have a unique fruit structure called a syconium, which is a hollow receptacle that contains hundreds of tiny flowers inside. The flowers are either male or female, and some common fig varieties have only female flowers, while others have both male and female flowers. The syconium has a small opening at the end called an ostiole, which allows pollinating insects to enter and exit.
• Pollination: Common figs do not require pollination to produce fruit, unlike other types of figs that depend on a specific wasp species for pollination. However, some common fig varieties can benefit from pollination by increasing the size, sweetness, and shelf life of the fruits. Pollination can be done by hand or by introducing caprifigs, which are non-edible figs that host the pollinating wasps.
• Varieties: Common figs have a wide range of colors, shapes, and flavors. Some common varieties are Brown Turkey, Mission, Kadota, and Celeste. Brown Turkey figs have brownish-purple skin and light pink flesh; Mission figs have dark purple skin and deep red flesh; Kadota figs have greenish-yellow skin and amber flesh; Celeste figs have violet skin and bright pink flesh.

Smyrna Figs

Smyrna figs are figs that require pollination by a specific wasp to produce fruit. They have larger and sweeter fruits than common figs, but they are more difficult to grow. Some examples are: Smyrna, Calimyrna, Marabout, Zidi.

• Origin: Smyrna figs are native to Turkey, where they are known as Smyrna, and were brought to California, where they are known as Calimyrna. They are also grown in other Mediterranean countries, such as Greece, North Africa, and Portugal.
• Appearance: Smyrna figs are deciduous trees that can grow up to 30 feet tall and wide. They have large, lobed leaves that are rough on the upper surface and hairy on the lower surface. They have a milky sap that can cause skin irritation or allergic reactions in some people.
• Fruiting: Smyrna figs produce one crop of fruits per year, in late summer or fall. The fruits are large, greenish-yellow, and have a thin skin and amber flesh. The fruits have many tiny seeds that give them a nutty flavor and crunchy texture.
• Structure: Smyrna figs have a unique fruit structure called a syconium, which is a hollow receptacle that contains hundreds of tiny flowers inside. The flowers are all female and require pollination by a specific wasp species called Blastophaga psenes. The wasp enters the syconium through a small opening at the end called an ostiole, and deposits pollen from a caprifig, which is a non-edible fig that hosts the male flowers and the wasp larvae. The pollinated flowers then develop into seeds and the syconium matures into a fruit.
• Pollination: Smyrna figs require a complex and delicate process of pollination, which involves growing caprifigs nearby, collecting the wasps from the caprifigs, and distributing them among the Smyrna figs at the right time. This process is called caprification and is done by hand or by hanging caprifigs on the Smyrna fig trees. If the pollination fails, the fruits will drop prematurely and will not ripen.
• Flavor: Smyrna figs have a delicate and sweet flavor with nutty notes. They can be eaten fresh or dried; when dried, they turn golden tan. They are often used in desserts, jams, salads, cheese platters, or eaten as snacks.

San Pedro Figs

San Pedro figs are figs that produce two crops of fruits per year. The first crop does not require pollination, while the second crop does. They have large and juicy fruits with thin skin. Some examples are: King, Lampeira, San Piero.

• Origin: San Pedro figs are native to the Mediterranean region, and are named after the city of San Pedro in Spain, where they were first cultivated. They are also grown in California, where they were introduced in the late 19th century.
• Appearance: San Pedro figs are deciduous trees that can grow up to 30 feet tall and wide. They have large, lobed leaves that are rough on the upper surface and hairy on the lower surface. They have a milky sap that can cause skin irritation or allergic reactions in some people.
• Fruiting: San Pedro figs produce two crops of fruits per year: the breba crop and the main crop. The breba crop consists of figs that develop on the previous year’s wood and ripen in early summer. The breba figs do not require pollination and have edible skin and flesh. The main crop consists of figs that develop on the current year’s wood and ripen in late summer or fall. The main crop figs require pollination by a specific wasp to produce seeds and mature fruits. The main crop figs have inedible skin and flesh if not pollinated.
• Structure: San Pedro figs have a unique fruit structure called a syconium, which is a hollow receptacle that contains hundreds of tiny flowers inside. The flowers are either male or female, and some San Pedro fig varieties have both male and female flowers, while others have only female flowers. The syconium has a small opening at the end called an ostiole, which allows pollinating insects to enter and exit.
• Pollination: San Pedro figs require a complex and delicate process of pollination for the main crop, which involves growing caprifigs nearby, collecting the wasps from the caprifigs, and distributing them among the San Pedro figs at the right time. This process is called caprification and is done by hand or by hanging caprifigs on the San Pedro fig trees. If the pollination fails, the main crop figs will drop prematurely and will not ripen.
• Varieties: San Pedro figs have a wide range of colors, shapes, and flavors. Some common varieties are King, Lampeira, San Piero, Dauphine, and Desert King. King figs have greenish-yellow skin and amber flesh; Lampeira figs have purple skin and red flesh; San Piero figs have green skin and white flesh; Dauphine figs have greenish-purple skin and amber flesh; Desert King figs have green skin and strawberry flesh.

Caprifigs

Caprifigs are figs that do not produce edible fruits, but serve as the host for the pollinating wasp. They have small and hard fruits with many seeds. They are often grown near Smyrna or San Pedro figs to provide pollination. Some examples are: Croisic, Roeding #3, Profichi.

• Origin: Caprifigs are native to the Mediterranean region, and are the wild ancestors of the cultivated figs. They are also known as male or goat figs, reflecting their lack of value as human food and their preference by goats.
• Appearance: Caprifigs are deciduous trees that can grow up to 30 feet tall and wide. They have large, lobed leaves that are rough on the upper surface and hairy on the lower surface. They have a milky sap that can cause skin irritation or allergic reactions in some people.
• Fruiting: Caprifigs produce three or four crops of fruits per year, depending on the climate and variety. The fruits are small, green, and have a thick and hard skin. The fruits have many tiny seeds that contain the larvae of the fig wasp, Blastophaga psenes. The fruits also have male flowers that produce pollen near the ostiole, which is the small opening at the end of the fruit.
• Structure: Caprifigs have a unique fruit structure called a syconium, which is a hollow receptacle that contains hundreds of tiny flowers inside. The flowers are either male or female, and caprifigs have both male and female flowers. The syconium has a small opening at the end called an ostiole, which allows pollinating insects to enter and exit.
• Pollination: Caprifigs play an important role in the pollination of Smyrna and San Pedro figs, which require pollination by the fig wasp to produce edible fruits. The fig wasp enters the caprifig through the ostiole and lays its eggs in the female flowers. The eggs hatch into larvae and feed on the seeds. The male wasps emerge first and mate with the female wasps inside the syconium. The male wasps then die, while the female wasps collect pollen from the male flowers and exit through the ostiole. The female wasps then fly to Smyrna or San Pedro figs and transfer the pollen to their female flowers, thus enabling them to develop into seeds and fruits.
• Uses: Caprifigs have no culinary value, but they are sometimes used for medicinal purposes, such as treating skin infections, warts, boils, and ulcers. They are also used as animal fodder, especially for goats.

Types of Caprifigs

Caprifigs are a unique and crucial component of the fig species, particularly in the context of certain fig varieties that require pollination. These are male fig trees, scientifically known as Ficus carica. Caprifigs play an essential role in the life cycle of fig wasps and the pollination process of certain types of figs. There are several types of caprifigs, each with its own specific characteristics and role in the fig pollination process.

Profichi (Early Caprifigs)

• Characteristics: Profichi are the first crop of caprifigs, produced in spring.
• Role: They harbor the first generation of fig wasps. The wasps that emerge from these caprifigs are essential for pollinating the first crop of edible figs in Smyrna-type varieties.
• Developmental Timing: They develop and mature earlier than the edible figs, ensuring that the wasps they release are available to pollinate the developing Smyrna figs.

Mammoni (Intermediate Caprifigs)

• Characteristics: Mammoni caprifigs appear in late spring or early summer.
• Role: These caprifigs are not typically used for pollination. Instead, they serve as a sort of “bridge” generation, supporting the continuation of the fig wasp population.
• Lifecycle Aspect: They play a crucial part in maintaining the lifecycle of the fig wasp, ensuring a continuous population throughout the growing season.

Mamme (Late Caprifigs)

• Characteristics: These are the final crop of caprifigs, produced in late summer or fall.
• Role: The mamme caprifigs are important for overwintering the fig wasp population. They harbor the wasp larvae that will emerge as adult wasps the following spring.
• Significance: They are crucial for the following year’s pollination process, as the wasps that emerge from these caprifigs will pollinate the next year’s profichi crop.

Importance in the Pollination Process

• Symbiosis with Fig Wasps: Caprifigs provide a habitat for the fig wasps to lay their eggs and for the larvae to develop. In return, the emerging wasps pollinate the Smyrna-type figs.
• Pollination of Smyrna Figs: The wasps that emerge from caprifigs carry pollen to the Smyrna figs, which require pollination by these specific wasps to produce fruit.
• Caprification: This term describes the process of using caprifigs to facilitate the pollination of Smyrna-type figs. It’s an ancient technique that is still in use in some fig-growing regions.

Cultivation and Management

• Placement in Orchards: In fig orchards where Smyrna-type figs are grown, caprifigs are strategically placed to ensure effective pollination. The number and placement of caprifigs are carefully managed to optimize pollination.
• Monitoring and Harvesting: Caprifig trees are monitored, and their figs are sometimes harvested and strategically placed in Smyrna fig orchards to enhance the pollination process.

Ecological and Agricultural Relevance

• Biodiversity Support: Caprifigs play a role in supporting biodiversity, not only of figs and wasps but also of various animals and insects that depend on figs.
• Agricultural Practices: Understanding the different types of caprifigs and their roles is essential for fig farmers, especially those cultivating Smyrna-type figs that require caprification for fruit production.

In summary, caprifigs are more than just a type of fig tree; they are a vital component in the reproductive cycle of certain fig varieties and fig wasps, showcasing a remarkable example of co-evolution and mutualism in nature.