A fig tree can stink for two reasons. Read here why a fig (Ficus carica) can smell bad with tips for effective countermeasures.
What to do if a fig tree stinks?
A fig tree stinks as a container plant whenwaterloggingand when a non-self-fertile wild speciesattracts pollinator insects. The smell is over by planting the wild figoutdoorsand repotting a container fig.
What does a fig tree smell like?
On a fig tree in Germany, the fig leaves smell under direct sunlighttart, milky-s alty The smell intensifies if you rub a fig leaf between your fingers. The reason for the special scent is the slightly poisonous milky sap that flows through all parts of the plant of a fig (Ficus carica).
The flowers of a self-fertile fig variety have no smell. This changes as soon as you get closer to the wild form of a real fig. Read why this is so in the next section.
Why does my fig tree stink?
A fig tree stinks because a wild fig varietyattracts pollinatorsor a container fig suffers fromwaterlogging.
Wild figs rely on fertilization by fig wasps (Agaonidae). To attract the insects, the inward-turned fig flower emits a scent that human noses can detect as a stench. The phenomenon occurs when you plant a wild-type fig, such as 'Afghanistica' or 'Tacoma Violet'. Every fig tree in the pot stinks if you overwater the plant and root rot occurs.
How can I stop a fig tree from smelling?
You should plant a smelly wild fig species outdoorsOutdoorsThe unfertilized inflorescences will continue to stink in the hopeless attempt to attract Mediterranean fig wasps, albeit far away from human noses. A potted fig that is waterlogged will no longer smell if you repot the fig treeThis is how it works:
- Plant the wild fig in mid-May in a sunny, protected location, ideally on the house wall on the south side.
- Repot the fig tree in the pot in a loose, permeable substrate over expanded clay drainage (€19.00 on Amazon) to protect against waterlogging.
Tip
Many plants stink
With its foul smell, the wild fig (Ficus carica) is not an isolated case. Numerous plants in the beds and pots stink to high heaven. A prime example of houseplants is the Alocasia flower, which pollutes living spaces with its stench of rot and urine. Other stinky plants include the native spotted arum (Arum maculatum) with a bad smell of carrion and the stinking strawflower (Helichrysum foetidum), which smells like billy goats.
