# Fig fruits!



## imp (Jul 12, 2015)

Our neighbor lady in Phoenix had a huge fig tree, which produced bushels of the fruit. She gave us all we wanted, but the majority of them were discarded. What a waste of a natural, tasty, and healthful food! We vowed that someday.......
Indigence does not promote fruit-tree buying. We are doing much better now that my 10-years junior wife is getting her S/S benefit. Wally-Market had fig trees, about two-feet high, for thirty bucks; we bought one, in April. The spring winds battered it pretty badly, only the palm trees seem to shrug the winds off, but unimaginably, the little tree has produced about 10 fruits, several of which already ripened. They were scrumptious, very sweet! I built a substantial enclosure around it after we planted it, to keep out the little guys who might damage it: chipmunks, rabbits, and to cut down the wind a bit. Here are two ripe fruits, with a green one below them. 







These are Black Mission Figs, the most-grown in the U.S. commercially, with much production in CA. 2012 world production of figs was over 1 million tons! Fossilized figs were found in an archaeological dig north of Jordan dating to about 9,200 BC, making the fig a pre-dater to domestication of grain or other grown food stuffs. Living in as plant-harsh a climate as ours, it is gratifying to have efforts rewarded like this. Two of three "desert-hearty" trees which we planted, died within a few months. They were Rosewood, Mesquite, and Willow Acacia, which is thriving most nicely. I'll post a pic of it, if desired.   imp


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## Lara (Jul 12, 2015)

Beauties!! Why did you discard the majority of your neighbors figs…too many? My daughter just rented a house with 2 fig trees in the yard. I'm ecstatic! I like to eat them fresh or make sweet & savory appetizers for party guests…fig, prosciutto, and goat cheese on a cucumber slice. Can't eat many of those though.


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## imp (Jul 12, 2015)

Thank you for replying! We simply couldn't eat the huge quantities produced. Her tree was at least 30 feet high, filling the entire front-yard area, along with a most beautiful Jacaranda, which bloomed a beautiful bluish-purple color for only a few weeks each spring. We do not know much about the foibles of fig trees, but do know our climate is conducive to their survival, zone-wise (no frost).    imp


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## Lon (Jul 12, 2015)

I can walk across the street from where I live and pick The Yellow Calmyrna Figs which I love. The area in which I live is called Fig Garden.


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## Lara (Jul 12, 2015)

Oh my yes imp, I'm familiar with Jacaranda trees…my favorite when I was living in San Diego.


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## imp (Jul 12, 2015)

They are native to somewhere exotic, exotic being in my existence, anywhere beyond Illinois! Perhaps India? Many beautiful and unusual plants are indigenous to Madagascar, for some reason. There is a place highly recommended outside of Phoenix (AZ), southeast just before Superior, named the "Desert Botanical Gardens". They have all types of imaginable exotic plants, those unable to cope with desert extremes, within buildings. One of my favorite "weirdos" is the "Boojum Tree". Ever see one?   imp


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## hollydolly (Jul 13, 2015)

Many of my neighbours in Southern Spain have fig trees. They all produce sooo much fruit, and a lot go go to waste or the Parakeets eat some of them...but mostly my neighbours freeze them. They don't freeze as well as other food, but they can be used in puddings, and as a pulp in other foods. ..otherwise they are eaten fresh and whole straight from the tree.


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## Shalimar (Jul 13, 2015)

I am a pig for figs. Luv em.


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## Happyflowerlady (Jul 13, 2015)

I just got a little fig tree, too. Mine was also about 2-3 feet tall, but was only $9 at Lowes, plus the veterans discount that my husband gets for everything we buy there. 
I will have to bring it inside here in the winter, at least for a year or two, so it is planted in a planter pot at the present time, and seems to be doing well; but nothing that looks like fruit yet. 
Maybe it is just a slower fruiting variety.


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## Cookie (Jul 13, 2015)

fresh figs are my favorite.  Wish I had my own fig tree too.


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## Falcon (Jul 13, 2015)

Don't have a fig tree but my avocado tree is LOADED with avocados right now. Waiting for them to ripen.


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## imp (Jul 14, 2015)

Cookie said:


> fresh figs are my favorite.  Wish I had my own fig tree too.



Don't know why a fig tree could not be kept indoors, if location is too cold, they grow slowly, and if kept pruned would not pierce your ceiling! I must research their need for direct sun, though. Some plants must have it.   imp


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## Lara (Aug 3, 2015)

As Eve once said, "Thank God for fig leaves"   My daughter just brought me my first round of figs. They're much smaller than I see at the market though. Hmm, wonder why? They're fully ripe, nice and soft….maybe even more sweet and juicy since they were freshly plucked from the tree. 

So I ate just one but one is so sweet it lasts a while before wanting another so I've put them in the fridge. Will they keep in there? How long? I could use a recipe or two.


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