The Sycamore Fig

Buster
1262914618

http://www.treesofjoy.com/sycamore.htm

Here is something interesting.

Enjoy,

Jerry

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satellitehead
1262916420

Jerry,

If you get a chance, watch The Queen of Trees. It is probably one of the most beautiful nature documentaries I have ever seen. Link: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/the-queen-of-trees/introduction/1362/

You can watch some of the videos. You will recognize the pictures you've just linked and the video if you watch some of it. Amazing quality.

I managed to get a 2GB sized 720p hi-def DVD rip of the show from a source on the internet, and watched it again the other day...even more spectacular than I remember the first time. Entire show is dedicated to the Sycamore fig and fig wasps.

Amazing story, amazing web of nature that revolves around those figs and those little wasps.

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Bass
1262943099

I have tried these figs. They're really good. I remember them having an aroma and tasting really sweet. Not crunchy like figs but a soft texture.

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Ingevald
1262966007

Hello,

Here is a fabulous article that you can read about the Sycomore fig - An Ancient Technique for Ripening Sycomore Fruit in East Mediterranean Countries by J. Galil 1968 from Economic Botany 22: 178-190. http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/Hort_306/reading/Reading%2010-2.pdf

I had just sent this to a friend and was delighted to see that it was available as a pdf online. It talks about the three modes of ripening - the regular method with wasps, the gashing technique, and a few strains that are parthenocarpic.

Incidentally, I just noticed that the source of this document is Jules Janick's 'History of Horticulture 306" on-line lecture series. http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/Hort_306/ I also made a post back in July that pointed out another one of his online lectures that had some interesting information relating to figs. This link has essentially the same information, but is formatted differently http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/history/

This 306 lecture series is also filled with some very interesting information. The "Readings" and "Images" files contain some very good information.

Enjoy,

Ingevald

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