Vladimir,

So do I.

Moses

What, you guys don't like all the fiddle leaf fig posts?!?! Lol :) I'm sure it'd be changed if you submitted a request.

No, I don't like fiddle fig posts. I think the plants are ugly and I find it annoying to click on the post to discover that the post is about a fiddle leaf plant. A more appropriate forum would be Houseplants.

Guess what? There could be more. They just don;t use "fig" in the common name.

Ficus is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes and hemiepiphytes in the family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few species extending into the semi-warm temperate zone. Wikipedia

Scientific name: Ficus

Higher classification:Mulberry family

Rank: Genus

Order:Rosales

I am sure houzz will get right on it now that you have called it to their attention.

Maybe Houzz will like this copy better. I posted before, but it didn't come through. This is what they call figs.

" This forum is for the discussion of figs, those plants of the genus Ficus"

Ficus includes not only edible figs, but Fiddle Leaf Figs and a whole lot more houseplants. (that are not houseplants in their native habitat) Most of them do not include "fig" in their common name. Example, Ficus Benjamina and rubber tree. I think there were about 450 different "ficus".

If it is wanted for this to be a forum for edible figs, it might be better to state that. Until then they are posting according to the stated goal of this forum.

As far as I know most ficus are capable of producing fruits and all of them are edible (meaning not toxic to humans). Most produce such tiny fruits that it is more suitable for birds and small animals. In India, the slightly larger varieties (but still smaller than Carica) are used as a vegetable. I do not know the names of those though. Often they are seasoned like olives. I have heard numbers between 700 and 1000 fig varieties.

I had not even thought about it before but tropicofcancer is obviously correct.

May be FLF should have its own forum :)).

Nah. It is a fad and this too will pass. A few years ago the fad was dumb cane, then that thing pretending to be bamboo. After Walmart restocks for Christmas next year it will be something else.

Vladimir's suggestion on changing this Houz Topic's name to "Ficus carica, edible figs," (If I may suggest the new Topic title), is good. Posts here nowadays, on ornamental figs, frequently sit and languish unanswered. If such posts were placed in House Plants, answers would be more forthcoming. Don't you think so?

Ornamental fig trees usually go by the name, "Rubber Tree," or " Ficus benjamini". They are not normally called "Figs" by the average person. When the average person hears figs, their mouth waters. Hand them a rubber tree fruit or a fiddle leaf fig fruit, and you will stop that response right away!

Moses

Funny we're talking about this.... The other day I was at the grocery store looking at Cactus Pears and I saw in another language Figues I think.... started thinking about figs and went online and apparently it's a variety of fig. They call it Barbary fig or the Indian fig.

Indian figs are the name of the fruit of the Cactus genus, Opuntia, the prickly pear cactus. The native American Indians ate its fruit. Then we copied them. Every Opuntia species produces these edible fruits, but some species, particularly desert species, produce large, more palatable ones. Some Opuntia produce nasty tasting fruit, though still edible.

The Indian Figs found in chain groceries are from farmed Opuntias, which have some selective breeding in them to produce more abundant and tastier crops.

To me, the taste is raspberry like, but the fruit must be super ripe, as deep wine/red/orange colored as possible, and soft to the touch to taste good. Unripe Indian figs are inedible fresh to my palate. Maybe there is a cooking method that makes those kind suitable for eating, possibly pickled.

Moses

As Moses said, what is commonly known as Indian figs is the not a fig at all but it is also common in India. The green figs that I was talking about grows on massive fig trees, usually in clusters of 50-100 - almost like grapes. They are not cultivated, just collected from naturally growing trees. Ficus species is very common in (and native to) India although I do not remember sweet figs growing up there. May be F. Carica needs cold dormancy which is only possible in the northern regions close to the Himalayas. Just for fun, the largest single Ficus tree is in my hometown - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Banyan - covering just under 5 acres.