"Exotic" Projects - A Tradition

Our "exotic" project on Heligoland is not at all a little new one for the island but a follow-up project of earlier projects with many plant species, which were never tested on Heligoland till now, we think of different eucalyptus, acacias, palms, bananas and other subtropical and Mediterranean plant species which were discovered and introduced only in recent time. The famous Heligolandian mulberry tree (Morus nigra) in the parish priest garden in the Upper Town is the oldest "exotic", approx. 180 years old! Fig trees were grown successfully on the island already in the 19th century.

Figs on Heligoland, this is nothing new! Unfortunately, the splendid big specimens were destroyed by the two World Wars, only the mulberry tree has survived to this day!

The Deutsche Dendrologische Gesellschaft had published the article mentioned below in 1906:

HARDY FIGS ON HELIGOLAND - The oldest fig on Heligoland is probably the on the Lower Land in the garden of the died consul 'Bafe' (Siemens Terrace), which was grown as a trellis and covers the most part of one to S. S. W. situated house wall.

The most beautiful fig tree is in the garden court of 'Siemens' Dairy' on the Upper Land (Prince of Wales-Straße) and has been grown from a scion of the 'Bafeian Specimen' 25-27 years ago. The branches of the trunk of the developed strongly specimen which is forked near over the ground are supported. The trunk has a perimeter of 37 inches over the ground, one of the fork trunks a such of 22.4 inches. Another beautiful but weaker specimen grows in the Kirchstrasse in the garden of 'Louis Arends' (Upper Land), a smaller specimen in the garden of the 'Villa Gromenz' (Upper Land), a rather stately but bushy and a little unkempt specimen in the Berliner-Strasse (Upper Land), in the garden of 'Rickmers'.

The figs have exceptionally large leaves here and bear very much. The Biological Institution keeps fruits from 3.15 inches of length and 5.5 inches of size which are completely ripen. But they do because of lacking qualification of the flavor, but enthusiasts are eating them with an a little spice approximately like tomatoes or cucumbers.

In fall 1905, the undersigned has planted a little fig tree and numerous scions which were sprouted strongly in his garden which shall be arranged to a little botanic test garden (Upper Land, minimum temperature of the past winter 20.3°F).

The figs are let here without any protection in winter and of course shed their leaves at the strong winds very soon completely.

HELIGOLAND, Prof. Dr. P. Kuckuck.

Translated by Joachim Jaeck.

Reference: 'Kleine Mitteilungen' der "Deutschen Dendrologischen Gesellschaft", volume 1906

Today, a young fig tree stands again in the garden of Rickmers, the descendant of the Rickmers mentioned above, however in the garden of the hotel "Insulaner", obviously today's garden of the Rickmers is located in another place than before the World Wars.

Author: Joachim Jaeck

Updated May, 1st, 2009