08/06/2026
We're excited for our first real harvest of figs. But did you know the leaves are edible and actually delicious?
Even experienced gardeners are surprised to learn that figs can flourish in our area. Of course, we grow them for the sweet, juicy fruit, but we only started learning about the leaves last year. Once they're dried, a whole new set of possibilities opens up.
When dried and crumbled, the leaves resemble parsley or basil from the grocery store seasoning aisle, but the flavor is unexpected. The aroma immediately brings to mind coconut, and we've seen mentions of walnut and vanilla. Add them to any dish that can benefit from that flavor profile: seafood, stir-fries, or simply experiment and come up with your own combinations!
Brew them into a tasty tea, where they're traditionally used to support healthy blood sugar, healthy triglyceride levels, and to help soothe lingering coughs and bronchial irritation.
When harvesting, be mindful of the sap. It can irritate the skin, although we've not had an issue with it. As a bonus, fig leaves are a good source of vitamins A, B1, and B2, along with small amounts of calcium, iron, phosphorus, manganese, sodium, and potassium.
We often talk about everything on a small property needing to serve more than one purpose. That might mean a garden bed that produces two or three crops each year, or a plant that supports pollinators while providing us with both food and medicine. On top of looking awesome with their big, lobed leaves, our figs are definitely pulling their weight around the homestead.
FUN FACT: Did you know the figs we eat aren't actually fruits, but an inflorescence (a cluster of tiny flowers blooming inside an inverted, bulbous stem called a syconium)? Well, now you do!
