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The fig is a picturesque tropical looking tree or shrub with a dramatic spreading habit. The breadth is often wider than the height of 15 to 30 ft (4.6-9 m). The bark is a smooth, silvery gray and the 4 in (10 cm) long deciduous leaves have 3 or 5 lobes. There are many cultivars available for the home landscape. 'Celeste', 'Ischia', 'Magnolia' and 'Brown Turkey' are popular in the southeastern United States. 'Brown Turkey' (also called 'Everbearing') is probably the most cold hardy. In the drier Southwest, popular cultivars include 'Adriatic', 'Kadota', and 'Mission'. Figs usually begin bearing fruit within two years. Location
Culture
In colder regions, figs are grown as bushes with multiple stems and branches close to the ground that are laid down and buried before winter. It makes an especially attractive specimen in the landscape. Plant one on an expanse of lawn where its graceful, spreading shape and smooth, twisting branches command attention in all seasons. These trees are NOT recommended for planting near outdoor living areas because of the massive quantities of fruit produced. So unless you are willing to harvest regularly, figs will quickly accumulate. These will mold, rot, ferment, stink and attract flies, wasps and other unlovely critters that you don't want to share space with. Figs grow nicely and will bear fruit when grown in containers where they can be artfully pruned to create a living sculpture to decorate deck or patio. This is convenient for two reasons: cold climate growers can move their figs indoors in winter and the plants can be removed from the patio when the fruit begins to (over)ripen.
The fig fruit is actually a hollow receptacle with hundreds of small fleshy flowers facing each other on the inside. In their native habitat, figs are pollinated by a tiny gall wasp that enters the flower cluster through a small opening in the apex. Each flower then produces a small fruit containing the seeds. The wasp is not present in most of North America, so seeds are not produced. Most cultivars of fig trees produce two crops, a spring breba crop on last season’s growth, and a summer or fall, main crop on new wood. Figs must be allowed to ripen fully before they are picked. Fresh figs won’t keep long, but dried figs will keep for months. The delicious figs will keep a yard full of children and squirrels occupied for several weeks each summer. Jack likes figs so much he wrote a poem about them called The Fabulous Fig.
Steve Christman 06/17/97; updated 08/04/01, 07/27/03, 10/22/03, 7/18/07
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