Hello F4F forum! 

Today, I spotted a fig tree growing out of the side of a Canary Island Date Palm (I think that's what it was). 

I'm not exactly sure how it ended up in the tree; I think it was most likely a seed that was carried by bird and deposited on the tree. I don't completely understand fig reproduction, but from what I have read, I should not "expect" this plant to produce edible figs if it started life as a seed. The odds really are against me. 

However, the fig-lover in me staying optimistic and curious. :) When spring comes around, I plan to do an air layer on a few of the small branches. I'll be sure to keep y'all posted if anything interesting happens. Keep your eyes peeled everyone; figs could be hiding anywhere ;) 

Thanks to Cmars118 for taking the pictures! 

   

What you have said is correct.

A bird would have eaten the fig and the seeds passed through its system while nesting or resting in the tree. Fig trees do grow from seeds but they do not always grow into plants with good or edible fruit. You never know your luck.

Similar photos were recently posted of a palm tree in Canberra Australia. See the following link.

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/i-thought-this-was-pretty-interesting-6590760?highlight=canberra

Not much different than what Francisco reported at http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=6481106 - his post has one that produces an edible fig, so good luck!

Hi, why wait. Go with a knife and find a branch with small roots, and voilà .
You could as well just pull one at its base and see what comes out. I'm sure you'll have roots on it.
Airlayering in a public place is not really easy ...

thanks everyone for the insight and the links. jdsfrance, thank's for the suggestion. It might be better that I act soon because who knows if landscape management will come 'round and trim it right off. I noticed that there are a few cut branches where that has happened in the past.  I'll try taking out a whole plant next time.

When we were looking for property, I found so many neglected figs in forclosing properties!  I learned to take my pruners, and a cup of water to keep them happy for the ride home!  There was one night that I actually got up at 4 AM in the dark, took my pruners and stealthily climbed a steep county slope (fig probably from a bird on county property outside someone's fence) to take cuttings.  I hung on to that tree for dear life!!  That hill was steep!

I've never stolen anything, but I sure felt like a thief!  Dressed for the part.  All in black,  except for my pink garden gloves....  After a year, all those cuttings live in a 3 gal pot.  Not sure if there will ever be figs, but the leaves are so very pretty!!  They are now dormant, so we will plant them in ground prior to the end of Feb.  They weren't getting any irrigation, so I'll try a couple with and a couple without.  Everything we plant here goes into gopher baskets.  It's a pain, but well worth the dig.  Tunnels circle, but those evil pests can't get to the roots!!

Until I see figs, no need to distribute cuttings.  Could be a caprifig.  Not sure.

Suzi

Very cool pics thanks for uploading them.

Thats a really cool picture, it would be cool if it produced figs

@will & @ztfree1128 thanks! and no problem! I won't forget about this thread. If it produces edible fruit in the future, the f4f forum will be the first to know! Fingers crossed!

@DesertDance, haha thanks for sharing! That's a great story! I think anyone with "fig fever" has been tempted to snip a few cuttings from any tree in sight. And it's funny that you mention that the leaves on your plant are pretty; I thought the same thing about the leaves on the little tree I found. I'm used to a simple 3-lobed shape. These also had 3 lobes, but a bunch of little "lobets" on them, for lack of a better word haha. Nice leaves, however, is enough incentive for me to keep the plant for a while, even if it produces caprifigs. I'd like to know how your cuttings turn out. Good luck! 

Cool fig! Hope you get fruits soon.

The things you find with the search function!,I came across this one a while ago looking for something else,would be cool to see an update in this tree(the fig,not the palm,this ain't palms4fun,that's another forum entirely)

Donpaid turned me onto this in the fig tree rooting discussion. He said no figs yet, but it must be fun to try and see! Like you with your Nova seedling I bet!

You are right,some people are just a sucker for serendipity,myself included,you could take cuttings,grow the thing for a few years only to find out you have ever so carefully looked after a caprifig or Smyrna only useful as a rootstock here

You are right,some people are just a sucker for serendipity,myself included,you could take cuttings,grow the thing for a few years only to find out you have ever so carefully looked after a caprifig or Smyrna only useful as a rootstock,I'm hoping it's not the case but I have accepted the fact that it's a real statistical likelihood

This fig seedling  got well anchored inside the palm and comes up stronger every season
This pair left on their own.... the fig will  suck all nutrients from the palm and will  certainly embrace and kill it in a few years
Most figs in similar circumstances do exactly that with palms

and this one also fruits acceptable small nice black figs.

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/the-sparrow-fig-6481106?highlight=pardal&pid=1279163723

Francisco
Portugal