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story to find out more. Unique Figs
Featured in California CollectionBy Marcia Wood August 1, 2002The figs most familiar to us make a
dark, rich and sweet filling for fig bars or other baked goodies. But figs come
in many other colors and flavors. Commercially grown figs and their exotic,
rare and oddball botanic cousins from around the world are safeguarded at a
special orchard in northern California. These figs and specimens of more than a
dozen other crops make up a genebank known as the
ARS National Clonal
Germplasm Repository for Fruit and Nut Crops, headquartered at Davis. One of the most distinctive figs at the genebank is Violette de Bordeaux.
Purple-skinned with brilliant-red flesh, this outstanding fig is loaded with
aroma and tastes like superb raspberry jam, according to curator Charles J.
Simon at Davis. Violette de Bordeaux is one of more than 100 different kinds of figs growing
at the genebank's orchard at Winters, Calif., about 30 minutes from Davis. The
trees range from one to 20 years old and two to 20 feet tall. Most are very
handsome with smooth, silvery-grey bark and twisted limbs that give them a
somewhat sculptured look. The leaves are usually large, and most are
attractively lobed. Most of the trees are specialty varieties of edible Ficus caricafigs. In all, the repository ranks as one of the world's largest living
assortments of edible figs. The fig collection is part of a nationwide network of ARS-managed genebanks
that preserve seeds, cuttings and other plant specimens. The California
genebank ensures that the genes of these figs and their wild relatives don't
get lost as new varieties replace older, heirloom ones. Who uses the
collection? Fig breeders, researchers, and nursery managers interested in
finding figs suitable for their climates and customers. More details about the fabulous figs are reported in the
August 2002 issue of
the agency's Agricultural Research magazine. ARS is the U.S. Department of
Agriculture's chief research branch. Story contacts Marcia A Wood U.S. Department of Agriculture |