The fig tree is synonymous with the Mediterranean area even though it is originally from the Middle East and western Asia. Along with the grape vine and olive tree, the fig tree was one of the first trees to be domesticated.

Its cultivation marked the start of horticulture in the Mediterranean. Nowadays the fig is cultivated for its fruit and as an ornamental tree far beyond the Mediterranean.

The fig tree remains in leaf and produces figs during the hottest months. It manages to do this by having an aggressive root system that can dig deep into the earth, seeking the minutest sources of water that allow it to flourish when all surrounding vegetation is parched dead and in the process cooling the surrounding environment.

Figs are an important food for mammals as well as for local and migratory birds.

To produce seeds, all species of fig require the help of a particular species of wasp

To produce seeds, all species of fig require the help of a particular species of wasp, which fertilises the seeds and spreads the pollen from tree to tree.

Reading through the list of health benefits of the tree and its fruit is like going through the list of contents in a medicine chest.

Even the sap, which is known as an irritant to human skin, has its benefits. It is traditionally used to remove warts and to reduce the pain from wasp stings, but recent studies have shown that it is also anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant.

Other parts of the tree are antibacterial and antiviral while the fruit provides many beneficial nutrients.