There is a very unusual sight in the countryside of Ibiza.

A fig tree stands with its branches spread wide and almost horizontal, supported by a forest of wooden poles.

At first, it can look as though someone has carefully built the tree rather than simply planted it.

But this is a traditional way of cultivating fig trees in Ibiza and Formentera.

Figs have been part of the island's agricultural life for centuries, and the remarkable shape of some old trees tells the story of how rural families made the most of the land around them.

Figs have been grown in Ibiza for a very long time

The fig is one of the traditional crops of Ibiza.

Ibiza's official tourism information describes figs as a fruit cultivated on the island since antiquity and says they were an important food in the island's economy for many years.

Fig trees were particularly well suited to traditional Mediterranean agriculture because they could be grown in the island's dry conditions.

They became part of the mixed agricultural landscape that also included almonds, carob trees, olives, vines and cereals.

Why do some Ibiza fig trees look so strange?

This is where Ibiza's fig trees become especially interesting.

Traditional farmers developed a technique in which the branches of a fig tree were trained to grow outward and horizontally.

Wooden supports were placed underneath the branches to hold them up.

Over time, this could produce an enormous, spreading canopy.

The result can be spectacular.

Instead of a conventional upright tree, you may find a wide, low structure with branches extending in almost every direction and dozens, or even hundreds, of supports underneath.

The supports have a name

The wooden poles used to support the branches are traditionally known as estalons or talons in different local usages.

They are an essential part of the traditional system.

The branches of an older fig tree can become extremely heavy, particularly when carrying fruit.

Supporting them prevents the branches from resting on the ground or breaking under their own weight.

In some remarkable examples documented in the Balearic Islands, individual fig trees have been recorded with more than 200 supports.

Why train the branches horizontally?

The technique had a practical purpose.

A wide, low canopy could produce a large amount of fruit while also creating a substantial area of shade beneath the tree.

That shade was particularly valuable for livestock.

Traditional agricultural authorities in the Balearic Islands have documented fig trees whose branches were deliberately trained and supported to create broad shaded areas where animals could shelter during hot weather.

So the tree served two purposes at once.

It produced food.

And it provided shade.

The tree was part of the farm

This is an important part of understanding traditional Ibiza agriculture.

A farm was not simply a field where one crop was grown.

Different elements of the landscape could have several functions.

A fig tree could provide fruit for people.

Its leaves and shade could benefit animals.

The surrounding land could be used for other crops.

Walls divided fields.

Wells and cisterns provided water.

The farmhouse provided storage and living space.

Everything was connected.

The traditional fig tree fits perfectly into this multifunctional way of farming.

Figs were eaten fresh

Fresh figs were an important seasonal food.

They ripen during the warmer months and could be eaten directly from the tree.

For a rural household, fruit grown on the property was a valuable food resource that required no long-distance transport.

The harvest therefore formed part of the seasonal rhythm of farm life.

Figs could also be preserved

Fresh figs do not remain available indefinitely.

Traditional communities therefore developed ways of preserving them.

Drying figs allowed part of the harvest to be kept for later consumption.

This was particularly useful in a rural economy where food needed to be stored for periods when fresh fruit was unavailable.

Dried figs could be eaten as they were or used in other preparations.

Preserving seasonal produce was an important part of traditional food culture across Mediterranean farming communities, including Ibiza.

Fig trees and self-sufficiency

Traditional Ibiza households produced many of the foods they depended on themselves.

They were not completely isolated from trade, but growing and preserving food locally was an important part of rural life.

A productive fig tree could contribute to that system year after year.

Once established, a mature tree could produce substantial quantities of fruit without requiring the kind of annual planting associated with cereal crops.

This made perennial fruit trees valuable features of the farm.

Why are fig trees so suited to Ibiza?

The common fig, Ficus carica, is well adapted to Mediterranean environments.

It can tolerate relatively dry conditions and is therefore well suited to traditional rainfed agriculture in Ibiza.

The island's agricultural landscapes historically included fig trees alongside other crops adapted to the local climate.

In the rural areas of northern Ibiza, for example, agricultural landscapes traditionally included fig trees together with carob, almond and other fruit trees.

The shade was surprisingly important

The huge crowns of some traditional fig trees were not simply a consequence of farmers wanting more fruit.

The shade created beneath them could be extremely useful.

During the hottest part of the summer, livestock could rest under the branches.

The same shaded area could also provide a more comfortable working environment for people.

This made the fig tree a practical piece of agricultural infrastructure as well as a fruit tree.

It is one of the most fascinating examples of how traditional farming techniques could make a single plant serve several needs.

The technique required constant care

A tree trained in this way does not simply develop its unusual shape by itself.

The branches need to be managed.

Supports must be positioned and maintained.

Old or damaged branches need attention.

The system is therefore an example of agricultural knowledge developed through experience and passed between generations.

It requires an understanding of how the tree grows and how its weight changes over time.

Some of the old trees are impressive

The Balearic Islands have officially catalogued notable fig trees with exceptionally large canopies.

One documented example in Formentera has two trees with canopies measuring approximately 19 and 16 metres across.

The trees are only around five metres high, but their branches spread broadly and are supported by more than 200 individual poles each.

These figures demonstrate just how dramatically traditional training can change the shape of a fig tree.

The landscape is changing

Traditional agriculture has declined in importance as Ibiza has changed.

Tourism, urban development and changing economic conditions have transformed the island's countryside.

Some traditional farming practices have become less common, and the knowledge required to maintain them is gradually being lost.

This is one reason the surviving examples of traditionally trained fig trees are so valuable.

They preserve not only old trees but also knowledge about how earlier generations managed the land.

Fig trees are part of Ibiza's cultural heritage

A traditional fig tree can therefore be understood in several ways.

It is an agricultural crop.

It is a source of food.

It is part of the rural landscape.

It can provide shade for animals.

And its unusual form preserves evidence of a traditional farming technique.

This makes the tree part of Ibiza's cultural landscape, rather than simply another species growing on the island.

Look for them in the countryside

Once you know what to look for, these trees are difficult to miss.

A traditional fig tree can look almost architectural.

Its branches spread outward in layers, held above the ground by rows of wooden supports.

The canopy can be enormous compared with the height of the trunk.

And underneath it, there may be enough shade for animals and people to shelter from the summer sun.

It is a remarkable sight.

More than a fig tree

The traditional Ibiza fig tree tells a simple story about how people once lived from the land.

Farmers needed food.

They needed shade for animals.

They needed to make efficient use of their limited resources.

So they learned how to shape and support a tree in a way that allowed it to provide several benefits at once.

The result became one of the most distinctive features of the island's rural landscape.

Today, the great supported fig trees of Ibiza are beautiful.

But their real importance is that they show traditional agricultural knowledge still written directly into the landscape.