Ficus carica Jordan

Ficus carica 'Jordan', or the Jordan Fig, is a variety with large leaves that produces reddish-purple figs with sweet and flavourful flesh. It is a self-fertile biferous variety, meaning it bears fruit twice, starting in early July and then again in late August. It is a deciduous, hardy tree that enjoys a sunny exposure.

Figs are used in sweet dishes (tarts, clafoutis, compotes etc.) or savoury dishes combined with goats cheese, or dry-cured ham. After harvesting, refrigeration is not recommended as it alters the flavours of the fig and the skin can suffer from humidity and condensation. The best way to consume them is fresh, and tasting them under the tree will preserve their honey-like aroma.

Among the varieties of fig trees, we distinguish:

- Unifere varieties, producing a single harvest per year in early autumn.

- Bifere varieties, like the Jordan variety, bearing fruit twice a year: producing figs called 'flower figs' in early summer, appearing on the wood of the previous year, and autumn figs, developing on the branches of the current year.

Harvesting should be done several times, as the figs ripen. This variety is self-fertile and parthenocarpic, allowing the fruits to develop without fertilisation. It does not require other fig trees and does not rely on the intervention of the fig wasp, the only pollinating insect of the fig tree, which is too sensitive to survive in cold climates.

Originating from Turkey and Asia Minor, the fig tree (Ficus carica) belongs to the Moraceae family. It is a small, vigorous, deciduous tree, with a rounded and erect habit, and often a twisted trunk. The leaves are rough, bright green turning yellow in autumn, finely velvety, relatively large (sometimes 20 cm (7.9 in) long), and have a long petiole. The lamina is deeply divided into three to seven crenate lobes (most often five) of variable shape, with a velvety underside and prominent veins. The wood is soft and spongy, the bark grey and smooth. The root system of this small tree is powerful, spreading in all directions.

The fig tree is often considered one of the most beautiful fruit trees. Its unique foliage gives it an ornamental aspect and provides a beautiful shaded space, which is most welcome during summer heatwaves. Plant it sheltered by a wall that will protect it from the cold during harsh winters, with a south or southwest exposure, in the company of Pomegranate, White Mulberry, and Japanese Medlar in warmer climates. In colder regions, plant it alongside Quince, Akebia quinata, and Feijoa, which are also hardy and exotic. Take into account its adult size to determine the distance at which you will plant it. Although the roots do not cause damage to modern constructions, they can cause damage to dry stone walls or walls built with weak mortars.