Ficus palmata

Ficus palmata, the Punjab fig, or "Bedu" is a plant in the family Moraceae. It is native to southern Egypt across to north-eastern tropical Africa and also the Arabian Peninsula. It is a shrub/tree with edible fruit.

Description

This is the eastern form of the cultivated fig, Ficus carica. It is a shrub. It loses its leaves during the year. It grows to about 4-8 m high. The twigs are furry. The bark is smooth and ashy or brown. The leaves are round and sometimes deeply lobed. There are teeth along the edge. The leaves have stalks. The leaves are 2.5-15 cm long by 3-13.5 cm wide. The figs occur singly and have stalks. They are downy. The figs are yellow-purple when ripe. They are 1-2.5 cm across.

Edible Uses

The fruit is eaten raw — sweet, succulent, and very tasty. It is about 2.5cm in diameter, and wild trees yield around 25kg annually. The fruit contains approximately 6% sugars, 1.7% protein, 0.9% ash, and 0.2% pectin, and is low in vitamin C at about 3.3mg per 100g. It is often dried for later use. Unripe fruits and young growth are cooked as a vegetable: boiled, squeezed to remove water, then fried. Some caution is advised regarding toxicity.

Traditional Uses

The ripe fig fruit are eaten raw. They are used in drinks, jam and jelly and are also dried. The young shoots are cooked and eaten. They are boiled, fried and used as a green vegetable. The leaves are boiled for 2 hours to soften completely then eaten. The latex is used to curdle milk.

Medicinal Uses

The fruit is demulcent, emollient, laxative, and used as a poultice. It is eaten as part of the diet to treat constipation and diseases of the lungs and bladder. The sap is applied to warts, and the plant's latex is used to extract spines lodged deeply in the flesh.

Known Hazards

The sap and the half-ripe fruits are said to be poisonous.

Distribution

A subtropical plant. It grows in open places near watercourses. In Nepal it grows from 600-2700 m altitude. It is often on rocky slopes and in drier areas. It can grow in arid places.

Where It Grows

Africa, Afghanistan, Arabia, Asia, East Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Himalayas, India, Iran, Israel, Mediterranean, Middle East, Myanmar, Nepal, North Africa, Northeastern India, NW India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, SE Asia, Sikkim, Sinai, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Yemen,

Cultivation

Requires a well-drained medium to light loam and some lime rubble incorporated into the soil. A heavy wet soil tends to encourage excessive plant growth at the expense of fruit. Not very hardy in Britain it is best on a south or south-west facing wall in order to provide winter protection and more heat in the summer for ripening the fruit. It would probably succeed in a sheltered position in the open in the milder areas of Britain. The young growth in spring, even on mature plants, is frost-tender and so it is best to grow the plants in a position sheltered from the early morning sun. This species is closely related to the common fig, Ficus carica, and is not perhaps specifically distinct. It has been recommended for growing in areas where the climate is too wet for common figs since it fruits during the monsoon season in the Himalayas. However, it probably requires the fig-wasp in order to pollinate the flowers and so is unlikely to fruit in areas such as Britain that are too cold for the fig-wasp to survive. The fruits are often sold in local markets in the Himalayas. There is a potential for commercial cultivation.

Propagation

Sow seed in spring in a warm greenhouse. Prick out seedlings once large enough to handle and overwinter young plants under glass for at least their first year. Plant out in late spring after the last expected frosts and provide some protection during their first winter outdoors. Cuttings of mature wood, 10–12cm with a heel, can be taken in winter and rooted in a frame; they must be kept frost-free and are best placed in individual pots. Layering is also suitable.

Other Uses

The pliable wood is of little commercial value but has been used for making hoops, garlands, and ornaments.

Production

In India fruit are available from February to July.

Other Information

The leaves are sold in markets. The fruit are eaten raw, especially by children. They are a tasty fruit,

Notes

There are about 800-1000 Ficus species. They are mostly in the tropics. There are 120 Ficus species in tropical America.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Abjiri, Anjeeri, Anjiri, Areen, Balas, Bedu, Bedulo, Beles, Belese, Beru, Camera, Dagla, Fagu, Fagwara, Feru, Guma, Hamat, Hamat wahashi, Heiban, Ingar, Inzat, Inzar, Inzeer, Inzer, Kaimbar, Kala-thapan, Kamari, Kappa, Khasri, Khemri, Kock, Kok, Manmjedi, Nibhro, Pagoye, Pepri Kak, Phag, Phagoru, Phagwara, Phah, Phedu, Phegra, Pheru, Raggad, Sarmangol, Thapur, Togha, Warookay, Yekola-beles

References (66)

• Abbasi, A. M., et al, 2013, Ethnobotanical appraisal and cultural values of medicinally important wild edible vegetables of Lesser Himalayas-Pakistan. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 9:66
• Abbasi, A. M., Khan, M & Zafar, M., 2013, Ethno-medicinal assessment of some selected wild edible fruits and vegetables of Lesser-Himalayas, Pakistan. Pak. J. Bot. 45 (SI):215-222
• Acharya K. P. and Acharya, R., 2010, Eating from the Wild: Indigenous knowledge on wild edible plants in Parroha VDC of Rupandehi District, Central Nepal. International Journal of Social Forestry. 3(1):28-48
• Addis, G., et al, 2005, Ethnobotanical Study of Edible Wild Plants in Some Selected Districts of Ethiopia. Human Ecology, Vol. 33, No. 1, pp. 83-118
• Agarwal, R. & Chandra, V., 2019, Diversity of wild edible plants in the Mandal-Chopta forest, Uttarakhand. Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies 2019; 7(1): 89-92

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