My only fruit tree that seems to enjoy the Texas high heat is the Celeste Fig Tree. I love this tree and make fig preserves, but that is all I knew about figs. So your infostudy tonight is from Wikipedia about the fig. I think You will be amazed at some of the facts of this ancient fruit. For a bonus, You get a fantastic Figgy Pudding Recipe!
Big Surprise Tonight: We are going to Scotland!!!! Our G+ friend, David Wilson, has shared some of his superb flower photos with us below in Part 2.
Part 1: My Fig Tree:
Common fig
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Ficus carica - Common Fig | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Common Fig foliage and fruit | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Moraceae |
| Tribe: | Ficeae |
| Genus: | Ficus |
| Subgenus: | Ficus |
| Species: | F. carica |
| Binomial name | |
| Ficus carica | |
Description[edit]
It is a gynodioecious (functionally dioecious)[3], deciduous tree or large shrub, growing to a height of 6.9–10 metres (23–33 ft), with smooth white bark. Its fragrant leaves are 12–25 centimetres (4.7–9.8 in) long and 10–18 centimetres (3.9–7.1 in) across, and deeply lobed with three or five lobes. The complex inflorescence consists of a hollow fleshy structure called the syconium, which is lined with numerous unisexual flowers. The flower itself is not visible outwardly, as it blooms inside the infructescence. Although commonly referred to as a fruit, the fig is actually the infructescence or scion of the tree, known as a false fruit or multiple fruit, in which the flowers and seeds are borne. It is a hollow-ended stem containing many flowers. The small orifice (ostiole) visible on the middle of the fruit is a narrow passage, which allows the specialized fig wasp to enter the fruit and pollinate the flower, whereafter the fruit grows seeds. See Ficus: Fig pollination and fig fruit.
The edible fruit consists of the mature syconium containing numerous one-seeded fruits (druplets).[3] The fruit is 3–5 centimetres (1.2–2.0 in) long, with a green skin, sometimes ripening towards purple or brown. Ficus carica has milky sap (laticifer). The sap of the fig's green parts is an irritant to human skin.[4]
Habitat[edit]
The Common fig tree has been cultivated since ancient times and grows wild in dry and sunny areas, with deep and fresh soil; also in rocky areas, from sea level to 1,700 meters. It prefers light and medium soils, requires well-drained soil, and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Like all fig trees, Ficus caricarequires wasp pollination of a particular species of wasp to produce seeds. The plant can tolerateseasonal drought, and the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean climate is especially suitable for the plant. Situated in a favorable habitat, old specimens when mature can reach a considerable size and form a large dense shade tree. Its aggressive root system precludes its use in many urban areas of cities, but in nature helps the plant to take root in the most inhospitable areas. Common fig tree is mostly a phreatophyte that lives in areas with standing or running water, grows well in the valleys of the rivers and ravines saving no water, having strong need of water that is extracted from the ground. The deep-rooted plant searches groundwater, in aquifers, ravines, or cracks in the rocks. The fig tree, with the water, cools the environment in hot places, creating a fresh and pleasant habitat for many animals that take shelter in its shade in the times of intense heat.
Ecology[edit]
Ficus carica is dispersed by birds and mammals that scatter their seeds in droppings. Fig fruit is an important food source for much of the fauna in some areas, and the tree owes its expansion to those that feed on its fruit. The common fig tree also sprouts from the root and stolon issues.
The infructescence is pollinated by a symbiosis with a kind of fig wasp. The fertilized female wasp enters the fig through the scion, which is a tiny hole in the crown (the ostiole). She crawls on theinflorescence inside the fig and pollinates some of the female flowers. She lays her eggs inside some of the flowers and dies. After weeks of development in their galls, the male wasps emerge before females through holes they produce by chewing the galls. The male wasps then fertilize the females by depositing semen in the hole in the gall. The males later return to the females and enlarge the holes to facilitate the females to emerge. Then some males enlarge holes in the scion, which enables females to disperse after collecting pollen from the developed male flowers. Females have a short time (<48 hours) to find another fig tree with receptive scions to spread the pollen, assist the tree in reproduction, and lay their own eggs to start a new cycle.
History[edit]
The edible fig is one of the first plants that was cultivated by humans. Nine subfossil figs of aparthenocarpic type dating to about 9400–9200 BC were found in the early Neolithic village Gilgal I(in the Jordan Valley, 13 km north of Jericho). The find predates the domestication of wheat, barley, and legumes, and may thus be the first known instance of agriculture. It is proposed that they may have been planted and cultivated intentionally, one thousand years before the next crops were domesticated (wheat and rye).[5]
Figs were also a common food source for the Romans. Cato the Elder, in his De Agri Cultura, lists several strains of figs grown at the time he wrote his handbook: the Mariscan, African, Herculanean, Saguntine, and the black Tellanian (De agri cultura, ch. 8). The fruits were used, among other things, to fatten geese for the production of a precursor of foie gras.
It was cultivated from Afghanistan to Portugal, also grown in PITHORAGARH kumaon hills(INDIA)and from the 15th century onwards, was grown in areas including Northern Europe and the New World.[1]In the 16th century, Cardinal Reginald Pole introduced fig trees to Lambeth Palace in London.
Culinary use
Figs can be eaten fresh or dried, and used in jam-making. Most commercial production is in dried or otherwise processed forms, since the ripe fruit does not transport well, and once picked does not keep well. The widely produced fig newton or fig roll is a biscuit (cookie) with a filling made from figs.
Nutrition[edit]
Figs are among the richest plant sources of calcium and fiber. According to USDA data for the Mission variety, dried figs are richest in fiber, copper, manganese, magnesium, potassium, calcium, and vitamin K, relative to human needs. They have smaller amounts of many other nutrients. Figs have a laxative effect and contain many antioxidants. They are a good source of flavonoids and polyphenols[9] including gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, syringic acid, (+)-catechin, (−)-epicatechin and rutin.[10] In one study, a 40-gram portion of dried figs (two medium size figs) produced a significant increase in plasma antioxidant capacity.[1
Figgy pudding
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Figgy pudding is a pudding resembling a paler coloured Christmas pudding containing figs. The pudding may be baked, steamed in the oven, boiled or fried.[1]
Figgy pudding dates back to 16th century England.[2] Its possible ancestors include savory puddings such as crustades, fygeye or figge (a potage of mashed figs thickened with bread), creme boiled (a kind of stirred custard), and sippets. In any case, its methods and ingredients appear in diverse older recipes. Today, the term figgy pudding is popularized mainly by the Christmas carol "We Wish You A Merry Christmas," which includes the line, "Now bring us some figgy pudding" in the chorus.
 A figgy pudding with flaming brandy | |
| Origin | |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Region or state | England |
| Details | |
| Type | Pudding |
| Main ingredient(s) | figs |
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cookbook:Figgy_Pudding
Cookbook:Figgy Pudding
The history of figgy pudding dates back to 16th century England. The ancestor of figgy pudding (and plum pudding) is a medieval spiced porridge known as Frumenty. Today, the term figgy pudding is known mainly because of a popular Christmas carol. The carolers singing "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" mention it numerous times throughout the song. Currently figgy pudding is not very popular but is thought about during the holiday season. It is a British-style pudding, or dessert, resembling something like a white Christmas pudding. The pudding may be baked, steamed in the oven, or boiled.
Ingredients[edit]
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons rum extract (or flavored extract of your choice)
- 2 apples, peeled and cored and finely chopped
- 2 pounds dried figs, ground or finely chopped
- Grated peel of 1 lemon and 1 orange
- 1 cup chopped nuts
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 1/2 cups dried bread crumbs
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 large egg whites, stiffly beaten
- 1 strip of bacon, finely crushed (optional - New England variant)
- 1 teaspoon of hot sauce, for drizzling
Procedure[edit]
- Preheat oven to 325 °F. Generously grease an oven-proof 2-quart bowl or mold; set aside.
- Cream together butter and shortening.
- Gradually add sugar, egg yolks, milk, extract, apple, figs, lemon and orange peel.
- Add next 6 ingredients, mixing well. Fold stiffly beaten egg whites into mixture.
- Pour into prepared bowl or mold and place into large shallow pan and place on middle rack in oven.
- Fill the shallow pan half-full with boiling water and slowly steam pudding in oven at 325 °F for 4 hours, replacing water as needed.
Part 2:
We are going to take a quick trip to Scotland via my friend, David Wilson's G+ Albums. David and his wife Jane live in Scotland and make many Nature trips with their cameras. They share the photos of their adventures on G+. (link below). He gave me permission to share some of the photos of their last outing to Glasgow Botanical Gardens. These images can be seen in his Albums along with hundreds of others! If You are new to the Net, be sure to add David and Jane Wilson to your photofriends! Enjoy-
Botanic Gardens Glasgow,Rare flowers and plants from around the ...
https://plus.google.com/109221698061777003785/.../1pGsrf67...13 hours ago – Botanic Gardens Glasgow,Rare flowers and plants from around the world.Vol.1. Botanic Gardens Glasgow June 2013.Vol. 1
Glasgow Botanic Gardens - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glasgow_Botanic_Gardens
Glasgow Botanic Gardens is an Arboretum and public park located in the West End ofGlasgow, Scotland. It features several glasshouses, the most notable of ...
David Wilson's Google+ Profile Page
https://plus.google.com/u/0/109221698061777003785/about
Thanks my friend, David Wilson and Jane for going to so many great places and sharing with all of us! Cheers!
....this is brendasue signing off from Rainbow Creek. See You next time! Thanks everyone for sharing your photos from around the World. I encourage everyone to open a Google+ Page and begin your albums. My Blog has turned out to be a good garden journal for me to refer to what was happening last year or the year before. Try it-Everyone has a voice. Everyone has a chance to be heard and to share what is important to You.
Get Connected-----Get Google!
Thanks so much for this information. I have to let you know I concur on several of the points you make here and others may require some further review, but I can see your viewpoint.
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