A TRIO OF WELL-SITUATED FLORA.

Byline: JOSHUA SISKEN

Three plants that are eminently suited to our local growing conditions are the focus of three recently received e-mails.

Q: I have a fig tree loaded with green figs that turn brown and fall off. I love figs and would like to eat them. They are like a chubby plum and when picked a white thick milky fluid comes out of the stem part.

- Trudy Teitell, Northridge

A: The fig is one of the most common volunteer trees in the Valley. In botanical jargon, a volunteer is any plant that grows from a seed that arrives serendipitously, whether sent by wind or contained in the droppings of a passing bird.

According to a publication of the California Rare Fruit Growers, ``figs must be allowed to ripen fully on the tree before they are picked. They will not ripen if picked when immature. A ripe fruit will be slightly soft and starting to bend at the neck. Harvest the fruit gently to avoid bruising.''

Figs may be eaten either fresh or dry. They do not require any special treatment before consumption. If you wish to dry your figs, simply lay them out in the sun for four to five days until they are dry. Turn them over at regular intervals and bring them inside at night. You can also dry them in the oven as long as the oven temperature does not exceed 135 degrees Fahrenheit. The advantage of dried figs is that they can be stored for six to eight months, while fresh figs rot after two or three days, even when kept in the refrigerator.

By the way, some people are allergic to the white sap of the fig tree. If contact with its sap causes irritation, gloves should be worn when pruning the fig tree or harvesting its fruit.

Q: I live in the San Fernando Valley and have five sago palms that are at least 10 years old. One of them is dying and another has fungus. Is there any assistance you can give me?

- E. Nebel

A: Sago palms, erroneously named since they are not palms at all but gymnosperms, are durable and adaptable plants that can easily live for more than 100 years. Your sago has probably received too much water, too much fertilizer or both.

What you describe as fungus may be yellow spotting of the foliage, a sign that you have overindulged your plant in water and minerals. Sagos need tough love to grow their best.

Q: About five or six years ago, I planted a large bougainvillea, hoping to have it grow over the patio cover. It has grown and blooms somewhat, but not up to my expectations. In 1994 we had a stovepipe and stucco chimney put in and the bougainvillea is in front of it. Did the workmen possibly discard excess materials in this area? Or is the plant that slow a grower?

- A. Kooper, Northridge

A: When bougainvilleas struggle to grow in the Valley, it is nearly always because of insufficient direct sun.

A classic case of bougainvillea failure was seen at the Budweiser brewery in Van Nuys. That collection of north-facing bougainvillea, deprived of any direct sun, never flowered much and after about 10 years of struggle was finally removed.

If toxic construction materials were buried in the ground where you planted, I doubt if your bougainvillea would have grown much at all, although if it is truly stunted then soil toxicity could be the explanation.

TIP OF THE WEEK: The Valley climate is eminently suitable for bougainvillea. After it has been in the ground for two or three years, it should require no more than twice-a-month watering (if even that) during the summer.