Dried Fig Leaf in a wooden bowl

Fig Leaf: Mediterranean Heritage, Fragrance & Botanical Traditions

Dried Fig Leaf in a wooden bowl

The fig leaf is one of the most recognisable shapes in the plant world: broad, deeply lobed and rough to the touch. Long before it became a perfume note or a famous cover-up in art, it was simply the leaf of one of the oldest cultivated trees on earth.

Fig Leaf plant in natureFig Leaf, close-up

An ancient tree

The common fig, Ficus carica, is native to the Mediterranean region and to western and southern Asia. Edible figs may have been the first plant humans cultivated: subfossil figs from the Jordan Valley date to about 9400–9200 BCE. Greeks and Romans grew them, and Aristotle and Theophrastus wrote about fig cultivation. The leaves are fragrant and large, about 20 cm long, rough and deeply lobed, usually with three or five lobes.

Green, a little milky, and sometimes coconut-like.

The fig leaf in art

Following the biblical account, Adam and Eve were often painted wearing fig or other leaves, especially in Northern Renaissance art. From about 1530 the Counter-Reformation led to alterations that reduced nudity in artworks, a movement sometimes called the "fig leaf campaign", and free-standing statues were given carved or cast fig leaves. The Victoria and Albert Museum in London even gave its plaster copy of Michelangelo's David a cast fig leaf in the Victorian era, kept ready to be hung on the statue with hooks when female dignitaries visited.

The scent of a fig leaf

Fig leaf smells green and a little milky, and perfumers often recreate the tree's milky sap with coconut notes or soft musks. The best-known example is Diptyque's Philosykos, created in 1996 by perfumer Olivia Giacobetti and often credited with starting the late-1990s fig trend in perfumery; it is described as evoking freshly crushed fig leaves.

In the kitchen

Cooks value fig leaves for their aroma. Common methods:

  • Wrapping: Wrap white fish in fig leaves before grilling so it picks up the aroma.
  • Steeping: Infuse the leaves in warm cream, milk or coconut milk, then use the cream for ice cream, panna cotta or rice pudding.
  • Syrups and drinks: Make fig leaf simple syrup for desserts or cocktails.
  • Dried leaves: Crumble them for a tea-like steep, or grind them into syrups or custards.

Chefs describe the flavour as coconut, vanilla and green nuttiness, with almond and pear notes too.

Dried Fig Leaf, close-upDried Fig Leaf, close-upDried Fig Leaf, close-up

Handle with care

The sap of fig leaves and green parts is a milky latex that irritates human skin. It contains the furanocoumarins psoralen and bergapten, which are phototoxic: contact with the sap followed by sunlight can cause a skin reaction. People with a natural rubber latex allergy should also be careful, because fig latex can cross-react. Wear gloves when handling fresh leaves.

How to use

  • Amount: 1 teaspoon
  • Water: 250 ml boiling water
  • Steep: 5 minutes

Pour freshly boiled water over the dried leaves, cover, steep and strain. Do not exceed the recommended amount.

Fig leaves contain furocoumarins, so avoid strong sun on skin that has been washed with the tea. Not for use during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

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Did you know?

Subfossil figs from the Jordan Valley date to about 9400-9200 BCE, which makes the fig a candidate for the first plant ever cultivated.

Sources

The information in this article is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or condition. Herbal products are not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or have a medical condition, please consult a qualified healthcare professional before using any herbal product.

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