Hi all! :)

*editing to add* I forgot to say that I'm located in South Australia, if that helps with the identification. It is summer here now, and the fruit has been there for a little while, but none have dropped onto the ground.

I have a question about what kind of fig tree is in my back yard, and also a small concern over the sap.

Some of the leaves measure 30cms from stem to tip, the tree itself is massive, 12-15 metres maybe? (I'm not good at judging heights, but it is twice the height of the house). The fruit is all green, and small to medium size. I don't know much about what is "big" for a fig though, it's say the length of a matchbox as a large one.

Leaf (big one)


Leaf (medium) with the fruit around it.


The inside of the fruit



The fruit


You can see that there is a big blob of white sap on the upper one, this is what was on the edges of all the fruit too.

Now, here comes my moment of incredible genius... :(

I see it through the window when I am at my computer desk, and noticed some birds feeding on a fruit that was slit open. I thought I would cut the tops off some of the fruit to encourage the birds to come back.

I got my hands covered in white sticky glue-like sap that took a while to get off (parts of my hand that was holding the tops of the fruit I cut open is still tacky). I googled the sap and read that there can be some pretty dramatic effects, especially if it's mixed with sunlight. I am sure the cases I saw were extreme, so I was wondering what (if any) reaction is normal? I didn't feel any sap from the branch, and didn't cut or touch the leaves, just took the tops of the fruit.

Many thanks for reading this :) I have a new interest in figs.

Welcome to the forum.  
It looks like Desert King.

The sap is called latex, and some are allergic to it.  It has many really good properties as well.  Welcome to the forum!
Suzi

Tough to really say what it is until you show some completely ripe fruit, inside and out, with some kind of size reference (ruler, coin, etc.)  When I say completely ripe, I mean, ripe to the point that it's soft and supple, and when you break it off the tree, no sap appears at the stem.

If you have a latex allergy, the sap can be deadly, depending on your level of allergy.  Many people react to it - including myself - if I eat an almost-but-not-quite-ripe piece of fruit that saps when picked, my throat swells up, and I'm not even allergic to latex.  It doesn't do much to my skin.

Well Amber, you have no doubt shocked plenty of folks here. Helping the birds to eat figs! Oh my ; ) Welcome aboard.

Thanks all so much for the quick replies and the welcomes, what a friendly place! :)

I will wait until the fruit is ripe and repost. Will it fall off when it's ripe? I've never had any latex-related issues that I know of so I should be fine.

My tree is huge, so the birds can have a few ;) It makes me laugh to hear the cat chirp away at the window when he watches the birds (not sure if this video will work).

[video][/video]

That is really cute. He is saying come over a little closer birdies.

Welcome Aboard Amber this is a great place.
Cats are cute I love when they do that its saying mmm mmm mmm mmm gooood.

PS where do you live etc.

Hi Amber!  Welcome to the forum!!

Don't you eat the figs yourself!?  I think you are the first person to cut open figs for the birds!  LOL

Thanks, I think the cat is certainly trying to talk the birds into coming closer... they never do though! No birds have touched the fruit since I've been sitting here so far anyway, silly things.

Tony I am in South Australia :) I will take some more photos of the fruit once it is ripe, which should help identify it. I mostly just want to make sure it is edible.

JoAnn - I've actually never eaten a fig before! I used to live in the middle of the Australia outback where we didn't get much fresh fruit, and the stuff we did get were the basics brought in once or twice a week to the one local general store in the village (apples, oranges etc). Since moving to the city I've found myself in a house with both this massive fig tree and a wonderful lemon tree in the back yard, and I think I've discovered a peach tree in the front yard! At a guess there will be well over 100 figs on the tree at the moment, just going by the number of clusters I can see out my window. The poor peach tree hasn't been looked after well but has some fruit going well. I need to do something to help it out, it's too big to move.

I was trying to take a photo of how big it is, but my camera is going fuzzy because of how hazy the sky is.






The poor yard needs some work (the dogs have been gardening down the bottom there...) That's my malamute cross sitting under the tree, he is a good-size dog, 115-120 lbs I think (55kgs).

Welcome to the Forum Amber...that is a really good size tree...it must have been growing there for quite a few years...hope your able to make a positive ID on the variety...wish it were Summer here too...Good Luck with your figs.

Hi amber,
It would help if we see a fully ripened fig. It is possible that this is white Genoa which is a popular white fig in Australia.

Welcome to the forum Amber.

Sap is not an issue for many people, but can often cause mild rash and itching. For some people, it can cause the equivalent of 2nd and 3rd degree burns, with blistering and skin peeling.

Amber.
EAT EAT EAT!!!

Welcome to the forum Amber!
Nice looking fig tree!
My kitten loved your video!
I have neighbors that are from "Down Under"!
They love it here! Wonderful people to know !

Welcome, Amber! THE FIGS ARE READY TO EAT WHEN THEY HANG LIMPLY (oops) from the tree and are very soft. the taste of a ripe fig is unbelievably great.

Amber,

Once you taste one of those figs you will be letting the cat out to chase away the birds.  Welcome!

Hi neighbor welcome to the forum. Nice looking tree, the figs will taste a lot better ripe! Nice cat to, it will make a good fig guard! #@%$# birds got wot was to be my first ripe Vlassoff fig today, most my trees are still quiet small, not enough figs to share with birds yet.