Fig tree

Description
Figa is a medium-sized shrub or tree up to 10 m high. The crown is quite weak and poorly grown. The leaves are divided and vary in sizes depending on the variety. The bark is smooth and light brown. In figs and related species there is a mechanism of fertilization, in which a small wasp Šiškaricais involved as a pollinator, it lives in the in the fruits of the fig in a symbiotic way. The fruit of the fig is made up of a group of fruits that develop from the flowers. On the inside of the fruit there are small fruit - nuts. The fig, which we enjoy, is essentially the inner and outer part of a fully developed flower. We have varieties that are harvested twice in the same year (June and September - October) and varieties that produce only once in the same year (September - October). We plant it in spring, between March and April.

Growth conditions and habitat
Fig trees grow everywhere in the subtropical climate. In Slovenia, they are found in microclimate favorable locations in Istria, in the Goriška region and in Brda. Fig trees need an average annual air temperature of about 12 °C for high quality and abundant crops, with temperatures down to -15 °C in winter. The optimal annual rainfall is 1000 mm / m2. It is suitable for medium heavy, deep, humid soil, but it can also grow in very poor soil and in arid areas.

Culinary use
Figa is one of the oldest cultivated fruits; in the Middle East it has been cultivated from 12,000 years BC., which is 1000 years before the wheat and protein crops began to be cultivated. It is assumed that it originates from  Persia and Syria, from where the Phoenicians, then the Greeks and Romans, spread it to the Mediterranean. The healing properties of the fig have been known since  2000 years BC. The fruit contains a high proportion of sugar (glucose, fructose), phenolic compounds, organic acids, antioxidants, vitamins, mineral substances and many fibers. They are affected by the weather conditions and the site where the tree grows. Organic acids give the fruit its aroma, contribute to acidity, maintain quality and affect the coloring of the fruits. Antioxidants influence the ability to store and stabilize the fruits, maintain nutritional value and sensory quality. Figs are very easily expired, so they must be stored in a refrigerator. To enjoy them all year around, dry them in the sun or in drying rooms. They are super foods for the brain and neuron system, because they can increase blood glucose levels. Fresh figs contain 15 % of sugars, while dried contain  as much as 60 %.

White Petrovka: this tree has very lush, medium sized and mostly three-parted leaves. The first generations begin to mature around the date 20.6, the fruits weigh about 80g. The autumn generation is very abundant, but the fruits are smaller (60g) and lower quality, harvesting begins around the date 15.8. and lasts 15 days. The skin of the fruit is light green, the flesh is pink, the shape of the fruit is round.

Miljka figa: In addition to Bela Petrovka, this is the most widespread variety in our country. The tree is medium-sized, the leaves are three to seven partial. It only gives fruit once around the date of  20.8. The fruits are flat,with a big variety in size and an average weight of 45g. The skin is purple. The meat is dark red, aromatic and juicy.

Sources:
Univerza v Ljubljani, biotehniška fakulteta, Oddelek za agronomijo. Urška Klančar: Kakovost plodov fige (Ficus carica L.) na dveh lokacijah, diplomsko delo.Monografija: Figa (Ficus carica L.) v Istri. Morfološke, molekulske in nekatere kemijske značilnosti. Koper, 2008