FIGS  ON A SEEDLING

Have recently shown a couple of examples of fig propagation by  birds
I believe, on unusual places.

One was right in between the two trunks of a 'gemini' palm tree.

Have been regularly visiting the place and praying for those little figs already showing up in their respective leaf axils to keep growing without any harm and  to let me have a look on the final product at the right time.

Checked the fig today growing strong with a very robust main trunk and it seemed untouched.. Have a look.

The figs are still there!!

Francisco

cool.

Wow. Isn't nature amazing?

Thanks for the post!
Francisco, Is it possible to estimate the age of the seedling with figs?

Thank you fellows for looking at this notes and pictures.

Greenfig,

The guy maintaining the garden tells me that he is also impressed with the rapid growth of that small tree. He says, may 3 to 4 years but for sure no more than 5.

Yesterday for personal reasons visited the local Fire Department and commented on a nice fig they have on the yard, and congratulated them for the perfect job of a grafting two varieties on the same original tree. Inquiring the variety of the stock tree and they said that it was a 'macho' fig from the palm tree.

This palm in front of the office, was 3 or 4 years ago attacked by the African bug and the top dried up in a matter of 2 or 3 months... It was a sanctuary for various flocks of sparrows which for years kept seeding lots of things and.... figs. They say that's their best nursery.. Looking up at the upper trunk saw 3 or 4 young figs developing for a later transplant and if need be, some more grafts.

will show you some pictures one day soon.

Francisco

Thank you, Francisco.
I have 3 rapidly growing seedlings from this year, will wait for a couple of years just in case they decide to produce anything edible. It is nice to know that I don't have to wait for too long, like with avocados. Here are my seedlings, in case you have not seen the post:
http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/Black-Mission-TJ-6365753

Greenfig,

Nice little babies and with rather swift development. Once they harden the main trunk, a bit of organic fertilizer for a new jump on a bigger pot and in a couple of years....'cross fingers' !
Fig seedlings 'parasiting' a live or dead palm trunk grow very quickly and this I believe is certainly due to the particular texture of the insides of those fibrous media and the amount of good nutrients palms may have inside.

Francisco,
While driving back from work, I unintentionally started thinking about them figs :) , the seedlings too.
They grow so fast partially because the root system is different than that of the cuttings. So, my question would be the following.

If I let the seedling grow until the next spring, uppotting on the way, and than do airlayering somewhere in the middle of the trunk, will the resulting tree be less vigorous ?
It is going to be shorter, obviously, but what else will change?
The lower part I could use for grafting of some weaker varieties, by the spring the trunk will harden for sure and be thick enough to work with it.

Greenfig,

Thanks for asking

I am no specialist on these matters and what I shall say is just a mixed result of my experience with figs after all these years and also listening to others.
Here nobody does or plays with seedlings so little real experience..
I feel that while the plant is too young one must avoid any cutting/pruning/air layering . Feel that it may create damage beyond repair.

I would rather let it solidify the wood, while growing, judge for your purposes where it would be advisable to 'pinch' , in a word prepare the main trunk for the coming air layer operation.

This air layer has to be done carefully and well looked after so you insure a strong root ball and a healthy vigorous new tree... there will be no genetic change, you will have a similar variety.

The mother plant can be left growing normally or if you so decide, be used as stock for a graft or two just like the Fire Dept guys did with theirs.

Francisco