Figs are easy to recognize, due to their straggly habit and large, deeply lobed leaves. If you were unsure that you truly were looking at a fig (or at least a member of the Ficus genus) you could simply snap off a leaf and wait for the milky, latex-like sap to appear.
Of course, if there are fig fruits actually on the tree, like the one below, you probably don't need to hesitate in your identification. But, calling this "fruit" is inaccurate. The thing that we usually consider a fig is technically a flower. The flower is blooming - and the fruit subsequently sets - inside the pod you see below. Your next question, I'm sure, is how does the flower get pollinated if it's fully covered? Ficus carica has a special relationship with the fig wasp, which burrows into the small hole at the center of the fig (technically called an ostiole) to pollinate the flower.
Figs have been popular for millennia. Fossil records dating back to 9000 BC indicate the fig was cultivated in the Jordon Valley long before wheat or barley - or even legumes, were grown for agriculture. The plant grows best in Mediterranean climates but can survive in areas as cold as Hungary, so long as the summers are hot.
The 'fruit' are high in fiber and calcium, as well as many other nutrients, and are high in antioxidants too. When they are fresh they don't travel well, so for large-scale agricultural purposes, they are often dried.
Inside the library at the garden, an exhibit of botanical art was on display and sure enough, Ficus carica was featured in the title art. In addition to the plant's rich history of agricultural and commercial use (fig newtons, anyone?), it's featured repeatedly in the bible and in early Greek literature.
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