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Various Types of Figs

Mrunal Belvalkar
Did you know that the Indian Great Banyan Tree is in fact a type of fig tree? Yes the fruit is cherry colored and even the size of a cherry, but it is in fact a fig! And there are so many more than just a handful names that fall into the fig category, all of which are listed here.
The only kind of figs I knew about before writing this article are the edible ones - which i absolutely love! I believe that is the only type of fig that you know about as well! But did you know that the Indian Great Banyan Tree is also a kind of fig?
The Ashvattha (the tree of Hinduism) is also a fig? And the genus that all these trees belong to - Ficus - has around 850 other fig species? (Though not really connected to what we are talking about, there is even a hand gesture called 'the fig sign'!)

Capri Figs

These types of fig trees bear three crops in a year - the spring crop, the summer crop and the winter crop. Capri figs are not edible, but they are of commercial value as they are required for the caprification of Smyrna figs (explained below).

Smyrna Figs

These figs produce a crop twice a year. However they produce no stamina flowers. Hence, the flowers need to be artificially fertilized by the capri figs.
Usually wasps that have visited the capri fig need to be directed to a Smyrna fig flower to aid the caprification process. Branches of capri fig trees are hence hung over the flower-bearing Smyrna branches.

Strangler Figs

This type gets its name from the unusual life cycle that the trees follow. The tree is conceived and grown on a host plant as an epiphyte in the initial period. As the roots of the seedling touch the ground, the tree grows rapidly and takes over the host plant - as if "strangling" it to death.

San Pedro Figs

These type of fig trees bear two crops annually, of which one develops into the complete mature fruit even in the absence of a pollination event. The other fails to mature though. Flowers of this crop usually simply wither away. However, to increase productivity of the crop, they may also be caprified, the way Smyrna figs are.

Black Mission Figs

It is a variety of the common fig. They are dark skinned, with a strawberry/cherry-red interior, that is exposed if the fig ripens beyond a certain limit, causing the fig skin to crack. They are regarded as a particularly nutritious and healthy variety of the edible common fig.
Apart from this, presented here is a list of some of the peculiar fig species.

Common Fig

It refers to the edible figs that we all consume. The scientific name of the common fig is Ficus carica. It is native to the Mediterranean region and to southwest Asia.
Fig was one of the first plants to be cultivated by humans - it is a really old guy! These fruits have some of the best health benefits to humans and are high on their nutritional value. Dried figs are especially good for health and are a rich source of calcium and many other minerals, and also flavonoids and vitamin K.

The Great Banyan Tree

The binomial nomenclature for the Great Banyan tree is Ficus benghalensis.
Though not consumed by humans, the small figs that the tree bears often attract many birds. The largest tree in the world (in terms of the area it covers) is a specimen of the Great Banyan Tree, in the Indian Botanic Garden, Howrah.

The Religious Fig

Scientifically called Ficus religiosa, it is the tree under which Siddhartha Gautama was sitting when he was enlightened. The tree has great significance in Hinduism and is regarded as sacred. The tree also has medicinal value and was used in ancient times to treat such diseases as diabetes, asthma, epilepsy and even sexual disorders.

Jamaican Cherry Fig

The Jamaican Cherry Fig (Ficus Americana) is native to Central and South America. Growing up to 100 feet tall, the tree is important fruit bearer for fruit-eating animals. The tree usually bears fruits when other trees don't!

Weeping Fig

The Weeping Fig or Ficus Benjamin is a food of choice for many fruit-doves and pigeons. It is the official tree of Bangkok. It is commonly used in topiary; however, the fast-growing roots of the tree often cause destruction of side-walks or footpaths through a garden.

Florida's Strangler Fig

Ficus aurea or Florida's Strangler Fig is a common type of strangler fig (explained previously). The figs of this tree was consumed by ancient people of Florida. The figs also have medicinal importance.

Desert Fig

Desert Fig - Ficus platypoda - is native to Australia. It bears figs that can be consumed when soft and ripe. However, whether people actually consume them, and in which parts of the world are the figs consumed, remains an unanswered question.

Banana Fig

The figs of this tree - scientifically known as Ficus pleuorocarpa - are a source of food for arboreal animals.
A very small proportion of the fruits fall down to the forest floor when ripe. An interesting feature of this tree is the fact that it is pollinated by more than a single species of fig wasps which happens for only a few other fig species.

Watkin's Fig

Ficus watkinsiana or Watkin's fig bears dark-colored flavored figs. The roots of the tree, however, are hollow and have been used for smoking. They have calming effect on the human body and also act as pain-relievers.
I hope this story gave you a comprehensive list of different types of figs and some of the peculiar species of the Ficus genus. Ficus is one of the oldest plant genera to be cultivated by humans. It is closely associated with the human diet, culture and life.
The health benefits of figs emphasize their role in our food; and then they are delicious as well! Incorporate figs in your diet and eat your way to good health.