Top 5 Fig Trees to Grow at Home | Nature Hills

Do you love Figs? Forget about paying high prices at the grocery store, especially when it's so easy to grow your own tree!

Fig leaves are deeply lobed with three or five lobes, which stand in contrast against the tree’s smooth silvery bark. The word Fig trees means 'Nurturing', so it's a wonderfully thoughtful gift and a fantastic ornamental edible landscaping specimen that pulls double duty in your garden!

Fantastic Fig Trees!
How to Use Your Fig Trees Bounty
Fig Tree Pollination
Top 5 Fig Tree Varieties at Nature Hills
Fig Tree Care & Maintenance

Fantastic Fig Trees!

Botanically identified as Ficus carica, the fig tree is also known as the Common Fig or Edible Fig. Fig trees are grown throughout the world for their tasty fruit and alluring good looks. It’s a fruit tree that doubles as an ornamental tree, with fragrant, lovely leaves that can reach nearly 10 inches long.

These hardy and heat-tolerant trees are so attractive, you'll want to add more than one! They'll look amazing in the landscape as an ornamental too! The green heavily lobed and ornamental foliage is so refreshing to behold! It adds shade, curb appeal, and privacy too!

Best Shade Trees - Black Mission, Osborne Prolific, Peter’s Honey
Best Container Figs - Violette de Bordeaux, Olympian, Chicago Hardy, Black Jack
Cold Hardy - Brown Turkey, Desert King, Chicago Hardy
Most Productive - Osborne Prolific, Black Mission, Chicago Hardy
Best Tasting/Sweetest Sugar Figs - Peter’s Honey, Celeste, Black Mission
Most Ornamental - Panache Tiger, Black Mission,
Best Figs for Humidity - Celeste, Violette de Bordeaux, Peter’s Honey
Best Figs for Arid Climates - Panache Tiger, Brown Turkey, Violette de Bordeaux

Pick the ripe Figs when the texture turns fully colored, and feel soft with a gentle press of the thumb. Use garden shears or hand-pick your crops with a gentle tug upward. These powerhouses contain a lot of healthy micronutrients, in addition to a wonderful amount of delicious, natural fructose. Figs are rich in potassium, Vitamins B and C, fiber, and magnesium.

How to Use Your Fig Trees Bounty

Foodies take note! There is nothing like a hand-picked Fig fresh from your own tree, still warm from the sun. Start gathering Epicurean recipes of figgy deserts!

Fresh Figs sweeten up the taste of many dishes, from savory meats, vegetarian, and rice dishes, to desserts. Go ahead and add them to smoothies with bananas, Figs are ideal for adding to fresh and vibrant salads for a hint of sweetness or as a topping for yogurt or ice cream. Enjoy them fresh on a cheese plate, then add some nuts and artisan crackers on a charcuterie tray for an unforgettable wine-pairing party! Turn them into a dried snack for winter. Or, try your hand at crafting homemade Fig preserves!

Even the leaves are edible and used to wrap or flavor meat and vegetable dishes, adding a Mediterranean flair to your recipes! Use as a spinach substitute, in stir-fries, as vegetarian wraps, as tea, and stuffed. Just boil them first before eating.

Try grilling stuffed Fig leaves, cooked into a simple syrup that can be drizzled over ice cream or breakfast treats, or added to cocktails. They are believed to have some health benefits, including aiding digestion and regulating blood sugar.

Fig Tree Pollination

Figs are either open or closed-eyed (and some in between). The fruit is truly unique! Unlike most fruit in which the edible structure is matured ovary tissue, a Fig's edible structure is actually the stem tissue! The Fig fruit is an inverted flower with both the male and female flower parts enclosed in stem tissue.

Figs have at least one main crop harvest a year on new growth that ripens in the summer or fall, while other Fig trees can have a Breba crop that is typically produced on last year's wood in spring and the main crop comes on later in summer or into fall.

These are partially self-pollinating trees, and a single tree will produce plenty of fruit, but you'll get a much larger harvest with a partner tree. High-Density planting is a time-tested, proven formula for modern backyard orchard agriculture. Plus you will increase pollination.

Top 5 Fig Tree Varieties at Nature Hills

Here are the top five Fig trees that will perform amazingly in your landscape!

Impressive Black Mission

Very easy to grow with two crops of closed-eye Figs per year, producing much earlier in age. Great eaten fresh and baked. Growing 20 - 35 feet tall and wide, these trees thrive throughout USDA zones 7-10.

Charming Celeste Fig

Growing throughout USDA zones 10-15 feet tall and wide, Celeste is a closed-eye fruit tree that produces two crops a year! With reddish skin and red insides, these are great Fig trees for heat and humidity.

Petite Violette de Bordeaux

Two crops a year on a smaller tree, This heirloom variety thrives throughout USDA hardiness zones 7 to 10 and produces closed-eye, rich and sweet fruit. Growing 6 - 10 feet tall and 6-8 feet wide

Hardy Desert King

A green-skinned Fig that is cold and heat resistant, Desert King has a jam-like texture that is luscious and sweet. An opened-eyed variety that is great for USDA growing zones 5 to 9.

Fantastic Brown Turkey

Growing 10-15 feet in height and about as wide, Brown Turkey is a long-lived tree with two crops of open-eyed Figs.

Fig Tree Care & Maintenance

Common Fig trees can grow in the wild in a number of different areas. You’ll find them in sunny, dry areas and rocky areas. They’re also known to grow in nutritionally poor soil. This makes them an ideal pick for a wide variety of locations. They just can’t tolerate soggy conditions.

Plant in full sun for the most fruit, and in well-drained soil with regular moisture. All plants appreciate a 3-4 inch layer of mulch.

Fig Trees that are grown in USDA zones 5, 6, and 7 outdoors will need some winter insulation/protection to survive. Some people grow Fig trees in containers so they can be overwintered in unheated garages, cool greenhouses, or areas where the plants remain dormant but will not get colder than about 20°F. These trees don't do well being brought in as houseplants, and do need to go dormant for winter, but can be temporarily housed indoors during short bursts of bad weather.

Figs are very low-maintenance and need 100-200 chill hours a year to set fruit.

Sweet, Delectable Figs for You!

Nature Hills has a wide selection of quality Fig trees available for you to grow and enhance your own food sustainability and landscape!

For its ornamental beauty and delicious fruit, the fig tree has been a sought-after landscaping feature for years. You’ll find a fine selection of high-quality fig trees for sale at Nature Hills Nursery!

Happy Planting!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best soil type for growing fig trees?

Fig trees thrive in well-draining soil with a pH between 6.0-6.8, though they tolerate a wide range from sandy loam to clay soils as long as drainage is adequate. The key is avoiding waterlogged conditions, which can cause root rot and kill the tree within one growing season. In heavy clay soils, plant figs in raised beds 8-12 inches high or amend with compost and coarse sand to improve drainage. Test your soil drainage by digging an 18-inch hole and filling it with water – if water remains after 24 hours, improve drainage before planting.

How deep should I dig when planting a fig tree in the ground?

Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball but only as deep as the container height to prevent the tree from settling too low. In zones 6-9, plant fig trees at the same depth they were growing in the nursery pot, ensuring the root flare sits at ground level. Amend heavy clay soils with compost to improve drainage, as figs prefer well-draining soil. Water thoroughly after planting and apply 2-3 inches of mulch around the base, keeping it 4 inches away from the trunk.

What is the ideal spacing between multiple fig trees?

Space fig trees 10-15 feet apart to allow for their mature spread and proper air circulation. In zones 6-7 where figs are grown as large shrubs due to winter dieback, you can plant them closer at 8-10 feet apart. Container-grown figs need at least 6 feet between pots if kept outdoors year-round. Plan your spacing based on your climate zone and whether you'll be growing them as trees or managing them as shrubs.

Can fig trees be grown successfully in containers?

Yes, fig trees thrive in containers and this method actually extends their growing range into colder zones. Choose a container at least 20-24 inches wide with drainage holes, and select compact varieties like 'Petite Negra' or 'Chicago Hardy' for best results. Container-grown figs in zones 6-7 can be moved to an unheated garage or basement when temperatures drop below 20°F. Start with a 15-gallon pot and repot every 2-3 years, using well-draining potting mix and feeding monthly during the growing season.

What size pot do I need for a young fig tree versus a mature one?

Start young fig trees in 15-20 gallon containers, which provides adequate root space for the first 2-3 years. Mature fig trees require at least 25-30 gallon pots to support their extensive root system and 6-8 foot height potential. In zones 7-10, you can eventually transplant to larger 40+ gallon containers for permanent outdoor growing, while colder zone gardeners should plan for manageable sizes that can be moved indoors. Choose containers with drainage holes and plan to repot every 2-3 years until your tree reaches its desired mature container size.

How do I propagate fig trees from cuttings?

Take 6-8 inch hardwood cuttings from dormant fig trees in late winter, selecting pencil-thick shoots from the previous year's growth. Plant cuttings in well-draining potting mix with at least two nodes buried, keeping soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. In zones 6-9, you can root cuttings directly outdoors in spring, while colder zones should start them indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost. Place cuttings in bright, indirect light and expect roots to develop within 4-6 weeks.

Can I grow fig trees from seeds, and if so, how?

While you can grow fig trees from seeds, the process is challenging and unpredictable since most commercial figs produce seeds without pollination, resulting in seedlings that rarely match the parent plant's characteristics. Fresh seeds should be extracted from ripe figs, cleaned thoroughly, and started indoors in seed-starting mix at 70-75°F, taking 2-4 weeks to germinate. Seedling figs typically take 3-5 years to produce fruit and may not be cold-hardy in your zone. For reliable results, purchase grafted varieties suited to your growing zone instead of starting from seed.

What are the sunlight requirements for fig trees?

Fig trees thrive in full sun, requiring at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal fruit production and tree health. In zones 7-9, morning sun is especially important to help dry dew from leaves and prevent fungal issues, while afternoon sun ensures proper fruit ripening. Trees grown in partial shade will produce fewer, less flavorful fruits and may struggle with disease problems. Plant your fig tree in the sunniest spot available in your yard, ideally with southern or western exposure.

In which USDA hardiness zones can fig trees survive outdoors?

Fig trees can survive outdoors year-round in USDA hardiness zones 7-10, with some cold-hardy varieties like 'Chicago Hardy' and 'Brown Turkey' surviving in zone 6 with winter protection. In zones 5-6, figs often die back to the ground in winter but can regrow from the roots if mulched heavily. For zones 4 and colder, grow figs in containers that can be moved to an unheated garage or basement when temperatures drop below 20°F. Choose cold-hardy varieties and provide 4-6 inches of mulch around the base in borderline zones for best survival.

How do I protect fig trees from frost in cold climates?

In zones 6-7, wrap fig trees in burlap and mulch heavily around the base with 6-8 inches of straw or leaves before the first hard frost. For colder zones, consider growing figs in containers that can be moved to an unheated garage or basement when temperatures drop below 20°F. You can also practice the "Chicago method" by bending flexible branches to the ground in late fall and covering them with soil and mulch. Start protection in mid to late October and remove coverings gradually in spring after the last frost date.

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