Introduction

Ficus carica, also known as the common fig, has a long history with mankind.

The common fig has been cultivated since at least 5,000 B.C., and has been such an important source of nourishment since ancient days that they were mentioned 48 times in the Holy Bible (6)! And the common fig has traveled the world with mankind ever since. Figs have their origins in Western Asia, and was spread by man throughout the Mediterranean, from which it was spread to Europe. By the 16th century, figs were being grown all over the Eastern Hemisphere, from England to China. As Europeans began colonizing America, figs were brought along with them. In the United States, figs are probably most well-known as being a main ingredient in the popular “Fig-Newton” cookies. It is also not uncommon to see figs being sold dried, candied, or fresh in supermarkets throughout the world (4).

These juicy, sweet fruit are enjoyed fresh, dried, processed as sweets, or even fermented as alcohol. The “fruit” of Ficus carica is actually a fleshy receptacle with a small hole at its base that houses many tiny female flowers that do not need to be pollinated. Many different varieties of the common fig exist which provide a wide variety of fruit shapes, colors and sizes. Figs may be anywhere from yellow-green to dark-purple, turbinate to pear-shaped, or 1 to 4 inches long (4).

Climate

Ficus carica grows best in semi-arid tropical areas, or in subtropics where the growing season is generally dry. Light rainfall in the spring, with a generally dry summer provides the best conditions for fruit development (4). In the United States, most commercial fig production takes place in areas with warm climates, such as California, but  Ficus carica can grow as far north as New York (2, 5).

Propagation of Ficus carica

Methods of Propagation

The common fig can be propagated in a number of ways. The development of new cultivars is usually accomplished by seed (3). Grafting and budding onto the rootstock of another type of fig is also possible to produce satisfactory fruit on an otherwise mediocre cultivar (4). Grafting can also provide resistance to nematodes and offer other support (2). Ficus carica can also be propagated using tissue culture, air-layering, ground-layering, or softwood cuttings under mist (2, 3, 4).

However, the main propagation method used, and the one which will be described is rooting hardwood cuttings. The common fig is most easily propagated by hardwood cuttings, so much so that other propagation methods are rarely used for commercial production (2).

Preparing to take cuttings

Timing

The best time to collect hardwood cuttings is in the early spring, before the buds break. Cuttings should be taken from 2-3 year old hardwood shoots (3).

Pre-cut girdling

In order to boost rooting rate, it is possible to pre-girdle the desired shoot 30 days before taking the cutting. Girdling forces carbohydrates to accumulate at the base of the cutting, facilitating the formation of root primordia (1, 3). If you are considering pregirdling, follow these steps:

1. Remove a thin layer of bark from the lower inch of the desired shoot. The aim is to remove the phloem without damaging the xylem (1).
2. Apply IBA talc, a rooting hormone. This will promote the formation of roots at the wound.
3. Wrap polyethylene film and aluminum around the shoot.
4. Remove the shoot 30 days later, when root primordia should be visible. (3)

Sanitation

It is important to practice good sanitation techniques. The shears used for taking cuttings should be periodically disinfected with bleach or another disinfectant. This prevents the spread of diseases (3).

Taking cuttings

First, branches should be pruned off of the desired plant. You can tell if the branch is good cutting material if you can tear leaves off of the shoot without tearing the bark (3).

Now it is time to prepare the actual cutting. A good cutting should be 8-12 inches long and 1/2 to 3/4 inches thick (4). Include at least two nodes in the cutting, making the basal cut right below a node and the top cut about 1/2 to 1 inches above another node. The best cuttings are those that are taken from the middle or basal part of the stem. If it is hard to tell which side of the cutting is up or down, cutting one end consistently with a slant can help distinguish between the two (3).

Post-harvest treatment

If you did not pre-girdle the cuttings, apply between 2500-5000 ppm of IBA to the basal cut (1). This can be applied as either a dip or as a powder. It is important to keep the cuttings moist in order to prevent dessication. Within the next 24 hours, allow the cuttings to form callus for 10 days in a slightly moist medium such as bark or peat moss (3, 4) .

Rooting

After this period, plant the cuttings into a nursery bed in order to root. Generally, the cuttings are allowed to root for one or two seasons, or approximately 12-15 months (3, 4).

Media

The proper choice of media for this step is important. The media used for rooting should be able to provide enough support to hold up the cuttings, provide good aeration, and maintain a moist and dark environment for the cutting’s base. The rooting media should also be free from any pathogens, so consider steam pasteurizing the media before use. A possible rooting media could be a peat-perlite mix, or a mix that partially substitutes the peat for another organic material, such as composted bark (3).

The Nursery

The location for rooting can be either indoors or outdoors, depending on the climate and the resources available. Indoor rooting within a greenhouse requires mist irrigation, while field rooting does not. Consider using propagation flats or beds filled with the media of choice for the rooting process (3).

Finishing the Tree

After the cuttings have been successfully rooted, the cuttings can now be transplanted to their final location (3).

Author: Christina Terradista (cct5090@psu.edu)

Sources

1. Berghage, Robert. “Vegetative Propagation: Principles of Propagation by Cuttings.” HORT 202. Penn State University, 6 February 2014.

2. Condit, Ira J. Ficus: The exotic species. University of California: Division of Agricultural Sciences, 1969. Print.

3. Hartmann, Hudson T. et al. Hartmann & Kester’s Plant Propagation: Principles and Practices. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2011. p. 738-739. Print.

4. Morton, Julia F. “Fig.” Fruits of warm climates. Miami: Julia F. Morton, 1987. p. 47-50. Web. Feb. 2014.

5. “Plants Profile for Ficus carica (edible fig)” PLANTS Database. Natural Resources Conservation Service, n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2014

6. “The New American Bible – IntraText Concordances: <<fig>>.” The New American Bible. Libreria Editrice Vaticana, n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2014.

7. Simon. “Ficus, Cowardly, Ficus Carica Euro Dynasty Fruit.” Photograph. Pixabay. Pixabay, 8 Sept. 2012. Web. 24 Feb. 2014.