Ficus carica 'Ice Crystal'
(Fig 'Ice Crystal')
Family - Moraceae
Category - Shrub
Season of Interest - Spring, Summer, Autumn
Hardiness - H5
Height - 3m or more
Width - 4m
Location - The Exotic Garden
Description: A large, Deciduous Shrub with an upright, bushy habit. The stems can be trained against a wall. Large, decorative leaves are deeply Divided, with slender, finger-like lobes and jagged margins. The Apetalous flowers are contained within receptacles that resemble small, undeveloped fruit. The flowers can be pollinated by small wasps that crawl through an orifice at the base of the receptacle and fertilise the flowers with pollen carried from another plant. The receptacles then develop into the well-known fig fruit. This cultivar is self-fertile, so wasp pollination is not required for fruit production. The fruit is produced from late summer into early autumn and is purplish-brown when ripe. The leaves turn yellow in autumn before falling.
Award of Garden Merit (AGM).
Flower:
Small, apetalous flowers are held within structures (receptacles) that resemble small, undeveloped fruit. The flowers can be wasp pollinated, though this cultivar is self-fertile so wasp pollination is not required for fruit production. Small wasps crawl through a small orifice at the base of the receptacle and fertilise the flowers with pollen carried from another plant. The receptacles develop into figs. The fruit is produced from late summer into early autumn and is purplish-brown when ripe.
Flower shape: Apetalous flowers held in receptacles
Flowering time: April, May
Foliage:
Large, dark green leaves are deeply Divided and have slender, finger-like lobes with jagged margins. The leaves are Alternately arranged on the stems and turn yellow in autumn before falling.
Foliage Senescence: Deciduous
Foliage Shape: Deeply lobed leaves
Autumn Colour: Yellow
Fruit:
Purplish-brown when ripe.
Fruit Type: Fig
Ripening Time: August, September
Propagation:
Cuttings.
Cultivation:
Best in a sheltered position in full sun to partial shade in fertile, moisture-retentive soil that is well-drained.