Figs are among the oldest cultivated foods and quite possibly one of the first domesticated crops. Their symbolism appears across cultures and civilizations. Think of the fig leaves of Adam and Eve, representing knowledge, fertility, and moral awareness. Buddha attained enlightenment beneath a sacred fig tree — a symbol of awakening, patience, and inner truth. Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were said to have been sheltered by a fig tree. In ancient Egypt, figs symbolized luxury, sensuality, and power.
It’s no surprise the fig appears so often in our stories. Fig trees can grow in almost any terrain, live for hundreds of years, and propagate easily. They are resilient, generous, and enduring. If you don’t like figs, you might change your mind today. And if you already love them, you may learn to love them even more.
For such a famous and tenacious plant, its “fruit” has yet another personality. Fresh figs contain a latex-like enzyme —especially when they’re not fully ripe — which can cause a slight tingling or irritation. This likely explains why many people claim they don’t like figs. What they may not realize is that figs do not ripen after being picked, the way bananas or persimmons do. If a fig isn’t ripe on the tree, it never truly will be, and it won’t taste very good. That’s why fresh figs are rare and expensive: they are soft, fragile, and utterly delicious. They are best enjoyed ripe and straight off the tree.
In Chinese, figs are called mo fa guo, meaning “the no-flower fruit.” In reality, the fig is a syconium — a hollow, inverted flower. Some people are put off by stories of the fig wasp, which crawls inside the fig to lay eggs, pollinates it in the process, and then dies there. Enzymes completely break the wasp down, leaving no trace behind. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) for us Oregonians, we don’t get to enjoy such dramatic tales from our figs. Fig wasps live in warmer regions such as the Mediterranean and parts of the southern United States. Figs grown in Oregon, like most commercially produced figs, are self-fertile and require no wasp at all.
There are many ways to enjoy figs: fresh (this author’s favorite), dried, made into jam, baked into desserts, paired with cheese and nuts, or highlighted in salads and oatmeal. Figs are also considered a superfood. They are high in fiber, rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, packed with antioxidants, and supportive of immune health. Even fig leaves have numerous benefits — and make a surprisingly delicious tea.
I hope I’ve inspired at least one reader to give figs a try. Fig trees are easy to grow and thrive both in the ground and in containers. With so many varieties available, collecting them can quickly become addictive. If you have a fig tree of your own, let me know what variety you grow — maybe we can organize a fig cutting exchange in the spring.
— Author Min Yi Su is an avid gardener and fig enthusiast. She can be reached at [email protected].
