Silver Lyre Afghan Fig Tree
A most lovely introduction from our friends at Cistus Nursery, Silver Lyre Afghan Fig is a mostly ornamental fig as the fruits are not the tastiest, but what it lacks in flavor it makes up for in beauty and drought tolerance. The silvery green leaves adds an incredible texture to the dry garden and the fruit quality might be improved if caprified, though it is incredibly difficult to find any good data on this particular species. Many thanks to Sean Hogan for introducing another valuable Ficus species to us!
Click here to read our Fig Growing Guide.
Latin Name: Ficus afghanistanica ‘Silver Lyre’
Site and Soil: Figs do well in a variety of soils, but require at least 8 hours of sunlight during the growing season.
Pollination Requirements: Self-fruitful.
Hardiness: Hardy to about 0-5° F.
Bearing Age: 1-2 years after planting.
Size at Maturity: 12-15 ft in height, smaller with pruning.
Taste: Ornamental fig
Bloom Time: Flowers are not noticeable as they are inside the fig.
Ripening Time: Early August-October
Yield: 10-15 lbs. or more per plant
Pests & Diseases: Figs are not bothered by pests in our region. Cover plants with netting if birds are a problem.
Fig Mosaic Virus is a benign virus that exists in all cultivated fig trees. Yellow spotting of the leaves is a cosmetic symptom that shows more in container culture, but is quickly outgrown once trees are planted in the ground. The presence of FMV in all cultivated figs has become widely accepted, as even the national germplasm repository for figs maintained by the USDA has Fig Mosaic Virus. If the presence of FMV is a concern, then purchasing fig trees may not be the best option for you.
USDA Zone: 7b