auctioning numerous rare figs. descriptions followed by photos...
my hybrids (small seedlings)
ficus fraseri x carica - mother is an australian sandpaper fig (sycidium subgenus). small tree with small figs. haven’t tested its graft compatible with carica. the hybrid seedlings have been relatively vigorous. the one seedling i grafted onto carica seems very compatible. so far most of the seedlings have leaves more lobed than carica.
ficus opposita x carica - mother is another australian sandpaper species with small figs on a small tree. my figs are sweet, with green flesh and a flavor a bit like kiwi. opposita is only a little graft compatible with carica, but the hybrid seedlings seem relatively vigorous. most of the seedlings have spade shaped leaves. so far i’ve only grafted one seedling onto 2 different caricas and both scions seem very compatible.
ficus racemosa x carica - the mother is a large, cauliflorous tree in the sycomorus sugenus. the figs are medium size and taste like tropical applesauce. most if not all of the hybrid seedlings have suffered from some degree of outbreeding depression. so i’m guessing that carica is more closely related to subgenus sycidium than subgenus sycomorus. interestingly, racemosa seems to be somewhat more graft compatible with carica than opposita. this is the first time that a dioecious species (carica) has been crossed with a monoecious species.
ficus ulmifolia x carica - another sandpaper small tree but this one is from the phillipines. the figs are small, sweet, and have orange flesh that tastes a bit like melon. so far the hybrid seedlings seem around as vigorous as the other 2 sycidium hybrids. haven't yet tried grafting any of the seedlings or the mother onto carica.
male figs
ficus carica variegated 10 fwy (7” cutting) - found it on the side of the 10 fwy near downtown los angeles. a large tree had several branches with varying degrees of variegation. figs are medium size, can be slightly variegated and produce a decent amount of pollen. not sure about how many crops it has or the differences between them since i haven’t grown it that long. no idea if its parthenocarpic.
ficus coronata (rooted cutting) - small to medium australian sandpaper tree with small figs. im relatively certain that mine is parthenocarpic since its figs mature and develop anthers. haven’t tested its graft compatibility with carica.
ficus ischnopoda (rooted cutting) - small scrambler from india to malaysia that grows near streams (rheophyte) in lightly shaded areas. small male figs drop before forming anthers so i’m certain its not parthenocarpic. same subgenus as carica (ficus). haven’t tested its graft compatibility with carica but i’m certain its compatible, since it looks very similar to my ficus formosana which is compatible with carica.
ficus johannis hybrid (7” cutting) - purchased this from a reputable source as ficus silverlyre, which is female. when mine turned out to be male i was initially disappointed so i started calling it silverliar. however, now i’m happy its male since its small figs have been my most consistent source of pollen. relatively slow grower on its own roots, not easy to root from cuttings, so i’d highly suggest grafting onto a big carica rootstock.
ficus palmata hybrid 10 fwy (rooted cutting) - another male fig i discovered on the side of the 10 fwy near downtown los angeles. no idea if its truly a palmata hybrid but so far its the only wild fig i’ve found with consistently spade shape leaves. the only other possibility is ficus carica subsp. rupestris which i’d love to get my hands on. since i’ve only started to grow this wild male tree recently i can’t say much about it, other than the figs are medium size and at least one crop has produced a decent amount of pollen. no idea if its parthenocarpic.
species (small seedlings)
ficus austrocaledonica - this is the only ficus i have in the subgenus pharmacosycea, which only contains monoecious species. this species is a small tree from new caledonia and southern vanuatu that prefers some shade and produces cherry size fruit that are sweet, in theory. according to google search ai, this species is even more distantly related to carica than urostigma is, so its unlikely to be graft compatible with carica.
ficus exasperata - sandpaper species from india and africa that forms a medium to large tree that can be loaded with small to medium fruits. guessing it prefers consistent moisture. last august i grafted a tiny scion onto a carica in a 15 gallon. the scion took but so far it hasn’t grown much. then again its competing with a strongly growing scion of ficus fraseri x carica.
ficus gasparriniana - small shrubby ficus with neat leaves from india to vietnam. prefers some shade and regular moisture. in the same subgenus as carica, so no surprise they are quite graft compatible. this is the only ficus i have that ripens and forms viable seeds without the help of a pollinator. when the small fruits are fully ripe they are sweet and a bit like banana (very generous description) but the seeds are so large and numerous that they distract from the experience.
ficus opposita - see hybrid description
ficus racemosa - see hybrid description
ficus septica - small to medium tree from taiwan to australia in the subgenus sycomorus. its smallish figs are sweet, at least according to youtube videos that i’ve seen. has been used as a rootstock for carica but in my very limited experience so far they are barely compatible.
ficus ulmifolia - see hybrid description
species (small rooted cuttings)
ficus auriculata - ornamental and edible dioecious species in the subgenus sycomorus. small to medium size tree with large leaves. produces large figs on leafless branches on its trunk. ranges from india to malaysia. figs taste pretty good, kinda like strawberry, but there’s quite a bit of variation in fruit quality. at least one variety is parthenocarpic. not graft compatible with carica. in theory these two species were crossed by researchers in israeli more than a decade ago. i say in theory because i haven’t seen any pics.
ficus cocculifolia - large tree with large cauliflorous figs from madagascar. in the subgenus sycomorus and seems quite graft compatible with carica. the trick is that since carica is deciduous, when cocculifolia is the rootstock it might be necessary to leave it with a branch or two to supply it roots with energy during the winter. this species was lumped under ficus sycomorus, which is not graft compatible with carica, so i prefer to keep them separate.
ficus fraseri - see hybrid description
misc
ficus carica fignomenal seedling (7” cutting) - the two seedlings i have from my fignomenal both seem to be dwarf, so this trait can be inherited. neither seedling has fruited yet and i’ve been meaning to graft them onto a larger rootstock.
ficus pumila x carica (small rooted cutting) - not sure if my cross is from one of condit’s originals or from a remake by his colleague william b. storey. form is somewhat intermediate between both parents, and it grows relatively well, but it is very reluctant to produce figs.
all the rooted plants that the winner will receive. male ficus palmata hybrid is in upper left. plants in 5 gallon pots will be shipped bareroot unless winner prefers otherwise.
