Ficus carica

Large shrub or small tree, 3-15 m tall, up to 4 m wide, round crown, expansive, many twigs, branches with milky sap, fast-growing.

Small, mono or dioecious, not visible from the exterior.

Figs, initially green, later yellow or brown-violet, ripening from July to September, up to 10 cm long, on the leaf axils of this year#s shoots, edible.

Deciduous, palmate, three to five-lobed, cordate at the base, rough on top, with soft hairs underneath, up to 20 cm long and wide.

Sun or semi-shade, protected, sensitive to frost, cold house, tolerates salty air, responds well to cutting.

Loamy-humic, moist, well drained soil, moist in winter.

The milky sap of Ficus carica irritates the skin and can lead to photo-allergic reactions.

Cut back radically every few years as their growth would go beyond the bounds of any winter garden. In spring cutting back into old wood is possible.

Zone 8a