2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Sycamore (lat. Ficus sycomorus) - one of the varieties of ficus with edible fruits.
Description
Sycamore is the oldest fruit crop - Egypt is considered its homeland. This pretty evergreen tree resembles an oak in its strength and size. Sycamore has a magnificent spreading crown and very hard wood and grows to a height of forty meters. And on the thick branches extending from its powerful trunks there are numerous stolons - fruitful branches, somewhat reminiscent of grape bunches.
Sycamore fruits are orange-pink figs reaching 25 - 50 mm in diameter.
By the way, sometimes sycamore is also called a water glider (in fact, this tree belongs to the Elm family), and sycamore.
Where grows
Most often, sycamore can be found in Western Asia, in East Africa, as well as in Cyprus and Jordan - there it has long been cultivated for its excellent edible fruits.
Application
Sycamore is actively eaten, and it is equally good both fresh and processed. These miniature berries make excellent jams, preserves, etc. And they also produce juice that later turns into jelly.
Sycamore fruits are rich in pectin, which helps to eliminate waste products, excess water and "bad" cholesterol from the body. Vitamin B in the composition of these miraculous berries has a beneficial effect on the nervous system - this property helps to get rid of fatigue, stress and insomnia. And ascorbic acid strengthens and strengthens the immune system, helping the human body to resist the action of all kinds of infections and viruses. Sycamore also helps with chest pains or tachycardia. It is no less widely used to treat venous insufficiency and hypertension, as well as to get rid of various stomach problems and anemia.
The potassium contained in the sycamore fruit helps to improve the activity of the cardiovascular system and thereby significantly reduce the risk of developing a stroke or heart attack. Potassium also relaxes and dilates blood vessels. In addition, sycamore fruits also contain fatty acids necessary for the normalization of the activity of the brain, nervous system, heart and the whole organism as a whole.
Another important property of sycamore is the ability to dissolve blood clots and reduce blood clotting. This action is due to the content in sycamore of an enzyme called ficin. So these berries will serve well for people prone to thrombosis. Also ficin helps to cure whooping cough, asthma, bronchitis and cough. In addition, these beneficial fruits also have a laxative and diuretic effect.
Interesting facts about sycamore
Sycamore is often mentioned in the Bible. True, in its synodal translation it is called a fig tree - it was on this tree that Zacchaeus was looking out for Jesus Christ. And according to an old Coptic legend, a holy family fleeing to Egypt was hiding under this tree. In addition, the cult of the ancient Egyptian goddess Hathor was associated with him.
The sycamore tree is depicted on the coat of arms of the city of Holon, and in the Middle East this tree is considered inviolable. It was under the sycamore tree that Ra once cut off the head of the malicious snake Apop, overtaking him in the form of a ginger cat. And from the wood of this tree was made the floor in the palace of Pharaoh Amenemhat I.
Sycamore is also mentioned in "Twin Peaks" - the famous TV series by David Lynch: a ring of twelve sycamores marks the entrance to the Black Lodge there. Paulo Coelho did not bypass this tree in his book "The Alchemist" - in this work the sycamore grew on the site of the sacristy, and Santiago, the main character, found treasures under its roots.
