Fig trees: our varieties and how to grow them

Our varieties

We grow varieties for every taste: light and dark figs, early and late, well-known foreign varieties and traditional Cypriot ones. By combining early and late varieties you spread the harvest over more months.

Common Fig 'Tiger'

Ficus carica

Green skin with yellow stripes and deep red flesh. Ripens from August to October and holds on the tree for a long time. Self-fertile, good in a pot too.

3–8 m down to -10 °C Moderate In stock

Common Fig 'Pietro'

Ficus carica

Two crops: early, large figs in June and the main crop from late summer into autumn. Golden-green skin with pink flesh.

3–8 m down to -10 °C Moderate In stock

Common Fig 'Gentile Bianco'

Ficus carica

Large, juicy figs with yellow-green skin and amber to pink flesh. Ripens early, from late July. For eating fresh and drying.

3–8 m down to -10 °C Moderate In stock

Common Fig 'Napolitana Negra'

Ficus carica

3–8 m down to -10 °C Low

Common Fig 'Royal'

Ficus carica

3–8 m down to -12 °C Moderate In stock

Common Fig 'Laitziani'

Ficus carica

3–8 m down to -10 °C Moderate In stock

Common Fig 'Bazanati'

Ficus carica

3–8 m down to -10 °C Moderate In stock

Common Fig 'Vardika'

Ficus carica

3–8 m down to -12 °C Moderate In stock

Common Fig (Winter)

Ficus carica

3–8 m down to -10 °C Moderate In stock

Common Fig 'Smyrna'

Ficus carica

3–8 m down to -10 °C Moderate In stock

Position and planting

• Position: full sun. In shade a fig gives fewer and less sweet figs.
• Soil: any soil with good drainage, even chalky or sandy. Avoid spots where water pools.
• Season: from November to February, while the tree is dormant. Container plants can be planted later too, with regular watering.
• Space: left unpruned, a fig spreads more in width than in height. Give it room and keep it away from pipes, foundations and pools, because its roots seek out water.
• Fruiting: a young fig usually needs at least two years to bear fruit.

Watering

• A fig tolerates dry spells once established, but for steady cropping it needs enough moisture in the soil.
• Both too little and too much water reduce fruiting. Water deeply and steadily from spring to harvest.
• Avoid sudden changes in watering close to ripening: a big watering after a dry spell splits the figs.
• In winter, when the tree is bare, the rains are usually enough.

Pruning

• Prune in winter, while the tree is bare.
• Keep the tree low and open in the centre, so sun reaches the fruit and the figs are easy to pick.
• Remove dead, broken and crossing branches, as well as suckers from the base.
• Varieties that give an early crop carry it on the previous year's wood. Hard pruning removes those branches, and the early figs with them.
• Fig sap irritates the skin, especially in sunlight. Wear gloves and long sleeves when pruning.

The two crops and the harvest

• Some varieties give two crops: early figs in early summer, on last year's wood, and the main crop from late summer, on the new growth.
• A fig is ready when it softens, its neck droops and it takes on the colour of its variety.
• Figs don't ripen any further once picked. Pick them ripe, every few days in season.
• Ripe figs are loved by birds and wasps. A net over a small tree saves much of the crop.

Figs in pots

• A fig can also be grown in a large pot, in yards and on terraces. Restricting the roots keeps the tree small and helps it fruit.
• Start with a pot of at least 40–50 litres, with drainage holes and a free-draining compost.
• In a pot it needs more frequent watering in summer than in the ground, and a little fertiliser in spring.
• Every two to three years, in winter, refresh the top layer of compost or repot into a bigger pot.

Frequently asked questions

How many years until a fig tree bears fruit?

A young fig usually needs at least two years to bear fruit, depending on the size of the plant and the care it gets.

Why do my figs split?

Usually from a sudden heavy watering or rain after a dry spell, close to ripening. Water steadily, without big changes, while the figs ripen.

Why do figs drop before they ripen?

The most common causes are irregular watering, meaning too little or too much water, and too much shade. It is also common in young trees in the first years.

When should a fig tree be pruned?

In winter, while it is bare. If the variety gives an early crop, don't prune it hard, because the early figs grow on the previous year's wood.

Can I grow a fig in a pot?

Yes, in a large pot with good drainage. Tiger, for example, fruits well in a pot, because restricting the roots encourages fruiting.