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Are figs the seeds produced by the edible fig tree? If not, does the fig tree have a seed or is it a seed bearing fruit? I live in Texas.

Last Updated: December 10, 2008

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Most figs produced in Texas are seedless or parthenocarpic. Some figs in California require a special wasp to pollinate them. Such pollinated fruit would eventually produce seeds. All the figs in Texas are not pollinated, hence no seed. The flower is actually the inside of the fig. Thus, the reason for needing the wasp to enter the fruit to do the pollinating. There are four types of figs: Caprifigs, Smyrna figs, San Pedro figs and common figs. Of these, only the common fig is of significance to southern fruit growers. It is a seedless fruit, which does not require pollination. The fruit is produced as a main crop on wood that has grown the same season. In other words, the current season shoots will usually produce the main crop of figs if the bush is "mature" (i.e. not overly vegetative). Some common fig types like Texas Everbearing will produce a few figs on last year's growth. This crop is known as the breba crop. Figs should make about one foot of new growth every year to produce a crop the following year. The other fig types are either pollinators (Caprifig) or require pollination (Smyrna and San Pedro); they are not commonly grown in the south.

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