Ficus carica L

For as long as I can remember I have always loved being in the shade of trees in the summer. The play of light and shadow, the gentle sound of the leaves in the breeze...a timeless thing. Fig trees seem to grow in abundance here in the area where I live. Along the sides of roads or railway tracks, at the edge of fields and in many gardens. The Fig (Ficus carica L) is believed to be indigenous to western Asia and to have been distributed by man throughout the Mediterranean area. Remnants of figs have been found in excavations of sites traced to at least 5,000 B.C. The fruit of this tree is truly wonderful in every way; the dark green and purple skin, its deep red flesh when opened and that very distinctive flavour. Here's a fig tree I found the other day in Llanteno, Alava on my wanderings and under which I took refuge from the afternoon sun...