Fikon

Fikon is the Swedish name for the common fig, Ficus carica, a species of flowering plant in the mulberry family Moraceae. Native to the Mediterranean basin and western Asia, it has been cultivated for thousands of years and is now grown in many warm temperate and subtropical regions around the world.

Description and fruit: The plant is a large shrub or small tree, often reaching several meters in height, with a stout trunk and palmately lobed leaves. The edible fruit is a syconium, a hollow inverted inflorescence containing many tiny flowers inside. Ripe figs vary in color from green to yellow, purple, or brown, and have a sweet, soft texture with edible seeds.

Cultivation and varieties: Fig trees prefer full sun and well-drained soil and can tolerate drought, though they fruit best with regular irrigation during the growing season. They can be propagated from cuttings. Some cultivars require pollination by the fig wasp Blastophaga psenes to set fruit (notably Smyrna-type varieties), while many common garden and market varieties are parthenocarpic and set fruit without pollination. Popular cultivars include Brown Turkey, Black Mission, Kadota, and Calimyrna.

Uses and nutrition: Figs are eaten fresh when ripe or dried for longer storage. They are a source of dietary fiber, natural sugars, and minerals such as potassium and calcium. Figs also contain ficin, an enzyme, and the plant latex can cause skin irritation in sensitive individuals.

See also: Fig tree; Fig wasp; List of edible fruits.