My creeping fig Ficus pumila in the Moraceae (Mulberry) family has produced fruit! Fruit is rarely seen on this plant indoors, but mine has taken over the cedar fence on the west side of my garden. Just as is described on Floridata.com, (which did not mention fruiting, but other sites say it is rare and not edible) when the plant reaches it vertical limit, it creates adult branches that extend horizontally. I have noticed that this summer, and at first thought is was a different plant coming over the back of the fence. The leaves are much larger and thicker with glossy sheen. This photo below illustrates this, as you can see both kinds of leaves. The smaller leaves are more typical and is what is seen on topiary animals. This entire plant came from a little topiary monkey my mother gave me about 8 years ago. The monkey is long gone, but the vines jumped to the fence and have aggressively taken over.
Now I know I will have to replace the fence one day, but I love the green foliage covering it. It adds a bit of coolness to the area that is now void of any green grass on the ground.
Jacqueline D'Elia Freelance garden writer, photographer, wordpress blog designer, and computer geek. Earned a BS in Horticulture at Texas A&M. She gardens in Houston Texas and enjoys growing organic food in her raised bed garden. You can follow her garden antics on Twitter @JDElia.
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You are lucky to have ficus bearing fruit… you never know, that could be a sign for good fortune ahead! … ~bangchik
We just discovered this strange fruit on the ground. It was under an oak tree. It was a real mystery to us so I took it to the county agent. After talking about what was growing in that area, I mentioned that I had ground cover that was in the ficus family. Then we began to put two and two together because the fruit does resemble a fig. The agent pulled up the ficus pumila up on the computer and we discovered we had solved the mystery. When I came home, my husband and I were able to find some still on the vine way up in the oak tree and like Jackie says it looks like two different vines, the leaves are larger.
I too have a beautiful creeping fig that bore a few fruit last year, but this year my creeping fig is loaded with fruit, approximately 50 or more with additional fruits popping up daily. Is the fruit edible? In researching I haven’t been able to find a definative answer, some say yes others no that the fruit may even be toxic?
I am not really sure if they are edible. I did the same research on the web too and it was not clear. If anyone knows for sure, please post a reply.
The fruit is indeed edible. In singapore they boil it and add lemon and once it cools it forms a gelatinous paste they call “ice jelly” which is actually quite good.
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