'Fruit of paradise' grows in Cibodas

Theresia Sufa, Bogor

The fig tree (Ficus carica) brought to Indonesia by President Megawati Soekarnoputri from her visit to Libya in November 2003 had grown well in Cibodas Botanical Gardens, producing its first fruit.

Known as tin where it grows in the Mediterranean region, figs were highly prized for both their medicinal and dietary value centuries ago and were known as an important fruit of commerce.

The fig is frequently mentioned in ancient Greek, Roman and Egyptian literature and even in the Bible and Koran. According to the History of the Fig at Http://www.meccagold.com, Zamakkhschari, an Arabian interpreter of the Koran, reported that Muhammad the Prophet said, "If I could wish a fruit brought to paradise it would certainly be the fig".

Lybian leader Moamar Khadafi gave a tin tree and four olive trees to Megawati.

"The fig tree has been grafted into eight trees now ... It's amazing that the tree, which usually only grows well in dry, lowland areas, can also grow in upland like Cibodas," garden manager Holif Imanuddin told reporters on Tuesday.

The deciduous tree grows like a shrub. The large, wavy leaves are usually five-lobed but may have only three or four lobes.