Green fruits can grow on the fig tree (Ficus carica) for various reasons. In the realm of fig varieties, a green peel color is not a necessary indication of the degree of ripeness. Read here about common causes of green fruits on the fig tree.
Why does a fig tree have green fruits?
A fig tree (Ficus carica) has green fruits because it is agreen-skinned fig varietyor the figs are stillunripe. Green-skinned, ripe figs stay green. Unripe, green fruits on the fig tree are usually reddish to blue-violet when fully ripe.
Are there varieties of figs with green fruits?
There are numerous fig varieties with green fruits, such as the early ripeningsummer fig Desert King, the late ripeningautumn fig Marseillaiseand the twice-bearingTwotimer fig Ficcolini In terms of taste, green-skinned figs are just as juicy and aromatic as purple fig varieties. Other tasty fig varieties with green fruits are:
- Dottato: early harvest, yellow flesh.
- Columbaro Bianco: green autumn fig with pink, juicy-sweet aroma.
- Filacciano: popular green-skinned fig variety for beds, balconies and winter gardens.
- Blanche Parfrenolles: green fig variety with white pulp from Provence for the full sun house wall or the south-facing balcony.
When are green fruits on the fig tree ripe?
The harvest time on the fig tree in Germany is fromJuly to SeptemberGreen fruits on the fig tree are ripe when theshell gives softly under light finger pressure Another indication of a ripe green fig is that the fruit hangs down on the stem. In contrast, unripe, green fruits are hard and point towards the sky.
What to do with green fruits on the fig tree?
You canharvestripe green fruits on the fig tree and eat them with the peel on or use them culinary to your taste. How you deal with unripe, green figs depends on various factors. A thumb-sized, green fig is a fruit that can still ripen on a container fig in the winter garden. For half-ripe, green fruits, you can acceleratefruit ripeningin August by thinning out the fig tree. From September you can pick unripe green fruits from the fig tree andcook into figs in syrup.
Tip
Figs don't ripen
The fig is not a ripening type of fruit. For this reason, you cannot harvest unripe, green fruits from the fig tree and let them ripen on the windowsill. In contrast to ripening fruits such as apples or bananas, figs do not produce the ripening hormone ethylene. This results in unripe figs rotting and falling off the tree in autumn and winter unless you remove the fruit mummies.
