Are figs a fruit or a berry? What is fig or fig
Content:
Most people know about figs. However, this culture has many other names. What a fig is and other interesting facts about it are described below in the article.
What are figs
Many people wonder if figs are what they are. Fig is a plant that grows in the subtropics. It belongs to the Ficus genus and the Mulberry family.
Another question of interest to many is: a fig is a fruit or a berry. It contains a lot of seeds, so it is often referred to as a berry. However, the berries grow on herbaceous and bushy plants, while the figs grow on the tree. It also cannot be attributed to fruit. Figs are not berries, fruits, or vegetables. In reality, figs are the ficus Karika plant. It has the shape of a circle or oval and has a very thick rind.
Also, some people do not understand: a fig and a fig are one and the same, and in general, a fig is what kind of fruit. Figs and figs are the name of the same fruit. And about whether it is a fruit or a berry is described below.
What is the name of figs in a different way
The plant in question has numerous names. It is called differently in every country. In Russia, it is referred to as a fig tree, since its fruits are a fig, a fruit. In another way, fig berries are called figs, and the tree is called a fig tree. Some make wine from it, which is why another name for figs appeared - wine berry.
Common fig
Common fig is a woody plant. It looks like a shrub or woody tree. Its leaves are large and whole. The cultivated species are a full-fledged tree that can grow to a height of 4 m or more. A distinctive feature of the plant is that its flowers are dioecious. Ladies are in the shape of a ball, pear or flattened shape. There is a small hole at the top. When the flowers are pollinated, many fruits appear. They are nuts surrounded by juicy pulp. The color of the fruit can be from yellow to dark. A yellowish-green tint is common.
White fig
White figs have thicker skin. Its flesh is yellow or red. More delicious is a wine berry with yellow flesh. It is consumed dried, as well as boiled in the form of jams.
What is rich in figs
Figs are a plant rich in vitamins and minerals. If consumed on a regular basis, it will have a beneficial effect on the entire body. It contains most of all vitamins B6 and B5. This is beneficial for increased fatigue, head diseases, frequent colds. It is also useful for the heart, digestive, and respiratory systems.
However, it can also harm the body. It should not be used for acute and inflammatory diseases of the stomach and intestines, as well as those who suffer from diabetes mellitus, urolithiasis, obesity, pancreatitis. It should be used with caution during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
All about figs
Fig - what kind of plant is it? It is a deciduous culture that belongs to the genus Ficus.
What family does it belong to
Figs belong to the Mulberry family. This plant is one of the oldest cultivated plants. It was first grown in Arabia, then in Phenicia, and then to this day in Syria and Egypt.
What does he look like
The fig tree is a large plant that grows up to 8-10 m. The bark of the fig plant is light and smooth. The pillar can be up to 18 cm in diameter.The roots grow up to 15 m in width and up to 6 m in length.
Fig leaves
Fig leaves are large. They can be dark green to grayish green in color. The leaf grows in length up to 15 cm, and in width - up to 12 cm. They are alternate, three, five, seven polly-lobed or separate and rigid with falling stipules.
Short shoots grow in the leaf axils. They contain inflorescences of two types. The former are called kapryfigs, and the latter are called figs. They grow on various trees. Their axis grows to form a ball with a hole at the top. They are hollow inside. There, dioecious flowers develop.
Fig fruit
Figs grow into juicy and sweet fruit. They are pear-shaped and have many seeds inside. Fig fruits are covered with thin skin. There are numerous hairs on it. There is a hole on top of the fruit, which is covered with scales. Compound fruits can be from black-blue to yellowish color.
How, where does figs grow and bloom
Fig trees are divided into male and female. Pollination is carried out by black wasps, blastophages. The inflorescences have small holes through which pollination takes place. Edible fruits only grow on female members. Fig fruits are pear-shaped. In length, they can reach up to 10 cm.
Ripe fruit contains from 30 to 1600 seeds. If the growing conditions are favorable, then the fig tree can bear fruit for 200 years. Flowering can occur several times a year. Fruit setting occurs at the end of the warm season from summer to autumn.
The fig tree was first cultivated 5000 years ago. His homeland is Saudi Arabia. There it is widely used in the food and medical industries. Over time, the fig tree began to spread throughout Europe and the Canary Islands. Around 1530, the fruit was tasted in England. The seeds were then transported to South Africa, Australia, Japan, China and India. In 1560, the fig tree was cultivated in the USA and Mexico. Figs are also common in the Caucasian territory (in Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan). It is grown on a large scale in Turkey, Greece, Italy and Portugal.
In Russia, the fig tree grows on the black coast in the Krasnodar Territory and on the island of Crimea. There he has been growing since ancient times. The fig tree bears fruit wherever the climate is warm and dry.
The best fig varieties for the Middle Strip
The varieties of wine that grow best in the conditions of the Middle Lane include:
- Crimean black. Has an average ripening period;
- Dalmatian. Bears fruit twice a year;
- early gray. The fruits ripen early;
- Randino. It bears fruit twice a year.
Ripe fruits greatly increase in size and have a bright color. Nectar droplets come out on the peel.
How to harvest figs: green or ripe
Ripe fruits are harvested by hand. This is due to the fact that the fruit is very tender. It has a thin skin and a very soft flesh inside.
The fruits are collected carefully.It is necessary to collect only ripe ones, so it cannot be used unripe.
Why figs are good for women
The use of the fruits of the plant in question is beneficial for women:
- reducing the likelihood of developing varicose veins and the appearance of spider veins on the legs. Ficin, contained in fruits, strengthens veins and blood vessels, and also improves blood circulation;
- they contain folic acid. It is a valuable substance for bearing a baby. The acid helps preserve the placenta and has a beneficial effect on the fetus. She also treats anemia;
- have a laxative effect. Therefore, it should be used for problems with bowel movements;
- in nursing mothers, consumption increases lactation;
- during menstruation, the fig tree will relieve pain.
What are the benefits of dried figs
Fresh figs cannot be stored for more than three days, so dried fruits are most often made from it. But even in the dried form, it contains a huge amount of useful components.
The dried product is used in the following cases:
- when blood pressure is high;
- to make bones stronger;
- with colds;
- for the prevention of cancerous tumors.
Why figs are good for men
Men can consume the fruits of the plant in question to increase potency. Its effect on men's health is as follows:
- increased production of hormones of happiness;
- prevents clogging of blood vessels;
- restores strength after sex;
- increases arousal.
Just as a general tonic, the fruits can be used in the following cases:
- fight against anemia;
- strengthening teeth and bones;
- restoration of strength;
- diuretic effect, etc.
Interesting facts about figs
Some interesting facts are associated with figs:
- there is an opinion that the fig peach fruit is a hybrid of figs and peaches. However, in reality this is not the case. Fig peach is obtained from wild varieties of peach trees;
- according to many scholars, Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit not of an apple, but of figs, since according to the Bible they covered their naked bodies with fig trees. The opinion about the use of the apple is connected with the fact that it is better known than the southern fruit;
- the fig tree is a long-lived tree, as it can bear rafts for several hundred years;
- A. the Macedonian took wine berries on military campaigns, as it quickly recovered its strength;
- fig trees can grow in the most unfavorable soils. It can even grow on rocks, the main thing is that there is a place where you can catch the roots. A fig tree can even be grown in a flower pot. The main condition for successful growth is the absence of frost;
- fig tree flowers are not particularly attractive. They are small in the form of balls, and at the top they have a hole;
- fig fruits have a unique composition. They are used to treat dozens of diseases. They are especially used to treat coughs and constipation;
- the berry contains a huge amount of tryptophan. This substance has a beneficial effect on the activity of the brain. It also normalizes the nervous system, improves sleep, and helps to overcome depression. Tryptophan is a source of good humor;
- figs have an unusually delicate aroma. It is used not only as a medicine, but as a filling for pies, marmalade and preserves are cooked, sauces and desserts are prepared.