Sycamine facts for kids
The sycamine tree is a fascinating plant with a long history. It's also known as the sycamore fig tree (Ficus sycomorus) or fig-mulberry. This tree can live for a very long time, sometimes up to 1,000 years!
The sycamine tree is mentioned in ancient writings, including the Bible. You can find it in the Book of Isaiah (Isaiah 9:10) and in the Christian Bible in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 17:6 and 19:4). In Hebrew, the tree is called shiḳmah. Some people also think the sycamine tree might be a type of mulberry tree, like the black mulberry or white mulberry, which grow in Palestine. The sycamine tree belongs to the same plant family as the regular fig tree.
What is a Sycamine Tree?
The sycamine tree is a type of deciduous tree, which means it sheds its leaves, or it can be semi-deciduous, shedding some leaves. It produces a lot of fruit. Because of how much fruit it drops, ancient rules in Israel suggested not planting these trees too close to a neighbor's water supply, like a cistern. This was to prevent the fallen fruit from causing problems.
Where Sycamine Trees Grow
Sycamine trees were once very common in the Land of Israel, especially in the lowlands and near the coast. For example, during the time of the Second Temple, sycamore fig trees grew in Jericho. Sometimes, people would take branches from these trees without permission. To stop this, the tree owners would give their trees to the Temple treasury. This meant the trees belonged to the Temple, which helped protect them from theft.
Today, most sycamine trees (Ficus sycomorus) growing in the Land of Israel are thought to be species that were brought there from other places. They are now grown and cared for in Israel. The sycamine tree originally comes from East Africa. However, it's believed that this type of tree might have grown naturally in the Land of Israel a long time ago. Another type of sycamine, called Ficus vasta, grows in places like Ethiopia and Yemen.
