Fig Tree Basics

We often think of flowers being pollinated by honeybees or wind. In the case of the fig tree (ficus carica), there is a specific species of insect that pollinates the fruit. This species is called Blastophaga psenes, or "the fig wasp". Although it is called a wasp it is actually closer to the size of a small ant. Although the fig tree itself can withstand a variety of environmental conditions, the pollinator can only live in a mediterranean-type climate. As a result, it only exists in a few places in the world. Specifically, the mediterranean, California, and portions of Australia. Figs will only reproduce naturally in these locations, which is why there are a lot of wild fig trees in these areas, but there are no wild fig trees in other areas. For growers, this means that if a fig variety requires pollination (see types of fig tree varieties above), it shouldn't be grown outside of these areas that have the pollinator. The map above shows the approximate range of the fig wasp in California.