Figs. It is Moraceae and Ficus. Deciduous shrubs or small trees; Up to 10 m, multi-branched; Bark is grayish brown with obvious lenticels; Branchlets are stout, with alternate leaves, thick papery, broadly ovate, length and width 10-20cm, palmately 3-5-lobed, lobules ovate, with irregular obtuse teeth; The petiole is thick and 2-5 cm long.

Dioecious, male flowers and gall peanuts are on the inner wall of the banyan tree, the male flowers are clustered in the orifice, the female flowers are the same as the male flowers, and the style is lateral; Ficus microcarpa leaves are solitary in axils, pear-shaped, 3-5 cm in diameter, concave at the top, purplish red or yellow when mature, with 3 bracts at the base, oval and achene lenticular. Flowering and fruiting period may-July.

Botanical history

The origin of fig is Caria, Turkey in Asia Minor. First in southern Arabia (Saudi Arabia and Yemen), then introduced to Syria, Caucasus and Turkey, and then introduced to all parts of the Mediterranean coast by Greeks and Fuanni around 14 BC.

Ficus carica was introduced to China in the Han Dynasty and was first cultivated in various parts of Xinjiang. It was not until the Tang Dynasty (7th century AD) that it was introduced from Xinjiang to Gansu, Shaanxi and then to the Central Plains through the Silk Road. By the Song Dynasty, Lingnan had been reclaimed. Because its fruit looks like steamed bread, it is often called "wooden steamed bread" in the south. At first, it was called "fig", which means no flowers (Song Dynasty's "Tired Miscellanies").

During the Yuan and Ming Dynasties (A.D.14th century), figs were gradually cultivated, widely used as fruits and medicines, and also used to save the famine in famine years (medicine in Di's Herbs for Saving the Famine). The cultivation and utilization of fig has also accumulated rich experience, and countries all over the world are scrambling to plant it, which has developed rapidly in all parts of the Central Plains. At that time, it had followed the successful experience of propagation methods in northern China, such as cutting, plant division, yard cultivation and winter cold protection.

Refer to the above content: Baidu Encyclopedia-Figs

Baidu encyclopedia-fig stewed sparerib