I looked up the variety of sycamore tree which grows in the
Middle East, and which I believe is the one Zacchaeus climbed (see Luke chapter
19) and found a short post on www.treesofjoy.com
– see following (with a few grammatical corrections by Ed.).
Click the link below to see wonderful photos. (It doesn’t look like a comfortable tree to
climb!)
Posted Jul 19, 2011 10:00 pm
The sycamore fig, Ficus Sycamorus, is native
to the middle east and parts of Africa. The name sycomorus came from the Greek
Syca-Morus, which means Mulberry Fig. The leaves are similar in shape to
mulberry [leaves] and the fruit looks very similar to the common fig, except it’s
smaller.
The fruits grow on clusters attached to the
bark. The fruit have a very sweet aroma. It tastes different than the common
fig, a little sweeter and very aromatic. The fruit of the sycamore fig is not
grown commercially. However, you may find fruits of the Sycamore fig selling in
Israeli farm markets. The trees are not as cold hardy as the common fig Ficus
Carica. They are usually grown in the warmer regions of the Middle East and
Africa.
The Sycamore fig was mentioned a few times in
the Bible - Amos 7: 14 - “I was neither a prophet nor a prophet’s son, but I
was a shepherd, and I also took care of Sycamore-fig trees.” The prophet Amos
occupied the most humble position in the society of his day. No one but the
poorest cultivated sycamore figs for it was hard labor.
“Also mentioned in the New Testament, Luke 19:
3 - “He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not,
because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a Sycamore-fig tree to see
him, since Jesus was coming that way.” Sycamore trees were planted on the sides
of roads to provide shade and some were planted along the road that Jesus took.
Fruit set requires pollination with the help
of Fig Wasps. Flowering and fruiting occurs year-round, peaking from July to
December.
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