Sycamore fig

Sycamore fig

Botanical name: Ficus sycomorus

Origin: Indigenous

The magestic Ficus sycomorus is a sprawling semi-deciduous tree towering up to 25 meters, often adorned with buttresses and a base that gracefully spreads across the earth. Known for its copious latex secretion when pruned. Bark showcases a unique hue ranging from yellow to cream-brown, boasting a smooth texture; as stems age, rectangular scales shed, revealing patches of pale brown. Leaves, oval to nearly circular, reach up to 15 cm, with a rough upper surface, wavy margins, and a heart-shaped base, attached to a hairy stalk extending up to 3 cm. Figs emerge in leaf axils, occurring in pairs or dense clusters on main branches and the trunk. Each fig, rounded and typically 1.5-5 cm across, showcases dense hairiness and a yellow-red hue when ripe.

Uses: firewood, timber for constructions like door frames and furniture such as stools, as well as in crafting beehives, carvings, and utensils like pestles and mortars. The tree serves purposes in boat building, food consumption (both fruit and inner bark), medicinal applications (from milky latex), fodder production from leaves and fruit, and offers shade and ornamental appeal. Additionally, it aids in soil conservation, stabilization of sand and river banks, and provides fiber extracted from its inner bark, along with glue from its latex, used traditionally for arrows. Notably, the figs are relished fresh or cooked, and when dried, they retain excellent flavor and high nutritional value, appealing not only to humans but also to livestock, birds, and game.

Notes: Culturally significant, the Ficus sycomorus holds sacred status among numerous communities including the Boran, Kamba, Kikuyu, Mbeere, Tharaka, Meru, and Luo. Its wood, light in weight and pale in color, offers ease of manipulation.

Kenya boasts over 30 indigenous fig species, most of which produce edible figs, serve as excellent shade trees, and yield wood suitable for firewood