Fig - Ischia

Ischia Fig – Ficus carica

Plant Characteristics

Plant Height

10 to 15 feet.

Common form

Small tree or shrub.

Growth

Vigorous shoot growth

Leaves

Thick, 3-5 lobed, rough above

Culture

Soil

Well-drained soil. Will not tolerate excessively wet soil but needs ample moisture during fruiting.

Exposure

Full sun, often planted near a structure.

Pruning

Very little pruning as it will reduce crops size.

Zone

8,9,10

Comments

Figs respond to minute amounts of fertilizer during growing season.

Variety

Fruit

Season

Comments

Black Mission,

Beers Black,

Fransiscan

Large

Deep purple

Origin: Balereac Islands. Deep purple skin and strawberry red flesh. Edible seeds. Medium eye

Celeste,

Honey, Malta, Sugar, Violette

Small fruit CE*

Purple/brown

Commonly grown in the south. Doesn't bear fruit following severe freeze damage. Resistant to most souring and rotting. Closed eye very desirable.

Brown Turkey,

Texas Everbearing

Moderate fruit ME

Bronze

Origin: Provence. Most widely grown variety. Will fruit following severe freeze damage. Medium eye opening.

Green Ischia

CE Green

Not widely grown, but color and closed eye make it desirable. Doesn't fruit following severe freeze.

Magnolia,

Madonna, Dalmatia

Lopsided, Large OE Bronze

The most popular canning fig in the south. Tends toward souring and splitting if weather is wet. This can be reduced by picking just before maturity and used as preserves. Brown skin and amber pulp. Will bear after severe freeze.

Variety

Fruit

Season

Comments         

*(CE=Closed eye, ME=Medium eye, OE=Open eye)