Spreading to north: naturalisation of Ficus carica (Moraceae) in Hungary

Between the years 2015–2018, 147 stands of Ficus carica L. was found out of cultivation in Baranya county. In 2008 presence of fig wasp (Blastophaga psenes L.) and caprificus individuals that are necessary for pollination, then for producing fertile seeds were detected in Pécs at first time. For germination tests fig seeds were collected from several different stands in Pécs and successful reproduction of the species was confirmed under in vitro conditions. According to former and recent observations (i.e. subspontaneous seedlings and/or successful in vitro germination of common fig seeds in 2010 and 2014) fig wasp may have occurred in Budapest and Máriagyűd too, at least in the last ten years. These results confirm that F. carica is an old ‘new’ casual or may be a naturalised neophyte element of the Hungarian flora. According to the new records the northernmost escaped individuals of F. carica was found at 47.475° N in the Carpathian Basin, 116.5 km N of the closest Slovenian stand in the latitudinal direction.