Common fig

Identification and origin

Ficus carica belongs to the mulberry family, Moraceae. It is native to a region stretching from Greece, Crete, and Cyprus to Central Asia and the western Himalaya, by way of Turkey, the Levant, the Caucasus, Iran, and Afghanistan. It has naturalized very widely, to the point of being invasive in Florida and California.

It is a deciduous tree or large shrub, often multi-stemmed, with a rounded habit and rapid growth, reaching 10–29.5 ft tall and as wide in cultivation. The bark is silver-gray. The leaves, 5–10 in long, are deeply cut into three or five lobes and feel rough on top. Many suckers come up around the base.

The flowers are never seen: they are enclosed in a hollow receptacle, the syconium, which becomes the fig. Wild figs depend on a tiny wasp, but most garden varieties set fruit without it. The fig, 2–4 in long, ripens in late summer or fall. Many figs bear two crops: a breba crop in early summer on the previous year’s wood, then the main crop on current-season shoots. Expect three to four years before good-quality fruit.

Common cultivars: ‘Brown Turkey’, ‘Brunswick’, ‘Celeste’ (small brown-to-purple figs with a closed eye), ‘Chicago Hardy’ (among the most cold resistant), ‘Violette de Bordeaux’, ‘Marseille’ (green-yellow fruit), and ‘Little Ruby’, a dwarf suited to pots.

Light

A fig wants full sun: at least eight hours of direct sun a day during the growing season. In cooler regions, place it against a south- or southwest-facing wall, which radiates heat and blocks wind, at least 8 in from its base. In winter, limiting low-angled early-morning and late-evening sun reduces cold injury to the branches.

Watering

During the growing season, keep the soil evenly moist. Container plants and new plantings dry out fast: in hot, dry weather, check them every day.

Leaves that yellow and drop, or figs that fall before ripening during hot spells, often signal a lack of water. Too much water, on the other hand, rots the roots, especially in cold climates: never leave a pot sitting in a full saucer, particularly in winter. During dormancy, moisten the root ball lightly and only now and then, just enough to keep it from drying out.

Potting mix

In the ground, a fig prefers soil rich in organic matter, moist but well drained, acidic to neutral; it does poorly in alkaline soils. Avoid sites infested with root-knot nematodes. Restricting the roots encourages fruiting: dig a pit about 2 ft wide and deep, lined with upright paving slabs, with 4–8 in of rubble at the bottom. Each spring, spread at least 2 in of well-rotted compost, keeping it off the stems.

In a container, use a soil-based, peat-free mix in a pot about 12 in wide and deep to start. Feed with a high-potassium liquid fertilizer every two weeks from the start of growth until the fruit ripens.

Temperature

The common fig is hardy in USDA zones 7a to 10b. Even the hardiest varieties tolerate little below 19 °F, and true winter damage appears below 16 °F; the stems of ‘Chicago Hardy’ survive to about 10 °F. A fig killed back to the ground often regrows from its base.

In the ground, after the first frosts, mulch the base 6–12 in deep and wrap the tied-together branches in a breathable fabric, never plastic. In a container, the roots are more exposed: after a hard frost, remove the leaves and unripe figs, then move the plant to an insulated, unheated space that is preferably dark. A period of chilling is needed for fruiting. No pruning or fertilizer until spring; move it back outside once the last frosts have passed.

Repotting

Repot about every two years, in early spring, into a pot only slightly larger: an oversized container pushes leaves at the expense of fruit. When a bigger pot is no longer practical, return the plant to the same one after removing loose mix and lightly trimming the roots. In the other years, simply replace the top layer of mix.

Pruning

Prune in late winter, after the coldest weather and before new growth starts. Remove dead wood, low branches, and unneeded suckers, cutting back to a bud or a branch without leaving stubs, which invite decay. In cold regions, a bush form with three to eight well-spaced leaders rebuilds easily after a freeze.

In summer, pinch out the shoot tips to control vigor. In cool climates, the breba figs form at the shoot tips in late summer, stay pea-sized through winter, and ripen the following summer; at the end of summer, remove any figs larger than a pea, which will not have time to ripen. Wear gloves, because the sap irritates skin.

Propagation

Cuttings are the most common method. Take 8–10 in lengths of one-year-old wood, in fall or in early spring before the buds break, and insert them in the soil so that only one or two buds stay above ground. Rooting takes several months; let the cuttings grow for a full season before transplanting them.

Layering also works very well: bend a low branch down to the ground in spring or fall, keep it buried until it roots, then cut it free. Suckers dug up with their roots can be replanted in spring.

Common problems

• Figs dropping before they ripen: a young, overly vigorous plant, hot and dry weather, a trait of the variety, or nematodes.
• Figs that never ripen: a site that is too cool or shady, a poor summer, excess fertilizer.
• Yellow leaves that drop: lack of water, or roots damaged by overwatering or nematodes.
• Roots covered in galls: root-knot nematodes, with no cure; do not replant in the same spot.
• Spots on the leaves in late summer: fig rust; rake up fallen leaves.
• Pests: scale, aphids, and spider mites, especially under glass; birds and squirrels at harvest, kept away with netting.

The same symptom can have several causes: look at watering, exposure, vigor, and the roots before acting.

Toxicity

The fig is edible fresh, cooked, or dried. The white, milky sap, however, contains furanocoumarins: contact irritates the skin and, in sunlight, can cause burns (phytophotodermatitis). Its toxicity is rated low, but the plant is flagged as a problem for dogs, cats, and horses. Wear gloves and long sleeves when pruning and, if a pet eats any part of it, contact a veterinarian.