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Ficus carica

Common Fig · Edible Fig · Fig

Family MoraceaeGenus Ficus

A pale green fig split open to show red flesh, hanging with smaller green figs among lobed leaves
FruitSilverijeCC BY-SA 4.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

The plant

Habit
treePlants of the World Online
Habit
Perennial, Shrub, TreePLANTS Database
Height
10-30 ft3-9.1 mExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Spread
10-30 ft3-9.1 mExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Flower
GreenExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Blooms
SpringExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Native range
Afghanistan, Cyprus, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Kriti and elsewhereGBIF Backbone Taxonomy
Hardiness zones
7-10Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Growing conditions

Sun
Full sun; Partial ShadeExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil
High Organic MatterExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0)Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Moisture
Good Drainage, MoistExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; PLANTS Database — USDA NRCS; Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — NC State Extension; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • Probably the first plant humans cultivated: seedless figs from about 9400 BC were found in an early Neolithic village in the Jordan Valley. Wikipedia: Fig

Two sources report 5 treatments between them. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around February 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Clean the flesh off the seed

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 49 days to germinate.

40% germination in 21–49 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Ficus p. 33Public domain
Show the original text
Ficus (Moraceae). F. carica fresh and WC had germ. 70L(40% in 3-7 w). Seeds DS 2 y germ. 70L(25% in 4-8 w). •r
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Ficus p. 33. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around February 9, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on February 8, 2025.

  1. Clean the flesh off the seed

  2. Dry storage

    Duration: 730 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  3. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

about 2 years from start to sowing. Then 56 days to germinate.

25% germination in 28–56 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Ficus p. 33Public domain
Show the original text
Ficus (Moraceae). F. carica fresh and WC had germ. 70L(40% in 3-7 w). Seeds DS 2 y germ. 70L(25% in 4-8 w). •r
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Ficus p. 33. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around February 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 49 days to germinate.

40% germination in 21–49 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Ficus p. 43Public domain
Show the original text
Ficus (Moraceae). F. carica seeds were obtained from commercial dried figs. The seeds germ. 70L(40% in 3-7 w), 70 GA-3(20% in 4th w, rest rotted), and 70D(5% in 4-8 w).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Ficus p. 43. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 4

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 8, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Gibberellic acid soak

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 28 days to germinate.

20% germination in 28 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Ficus p. 43Public domain
Show the original text
Ficus (Moraceae). F. carica seeds were obtained from commercial dried figs. The seeds germ. 70L(40% in 3-7 w), 70 GA-3(20% in 4th w, rest rotted), and 70D(5% in 4-8 w).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Ficus p. 43. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 5

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around February 8, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 56 days to germinate.

5% germination in 28–56 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Ficus p. 43Public domain
Show the original text
Ficus (Moraceae). F. carica seeds were obtained from commercial dried figs. The seeds germ. 70L(40% in 3-7 w), 70 GA-3(20% in 4th w, rest rotted), and 70D(5% in 4-8 w).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Ficus p. 43. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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