Black Manzanita Fig Tree
Black Manzanita is one of the most exciting wild collected figs to come out of California. It was shared with us years ago by Mike Boss who had recently taken over Sonoma Horticultural Nursery and we assumed that this was yet another California seedling that might not produce figs without the wasp, but sure enough it produces loads of large and unique figs up here in Oregon. What is really special about Black Manzanita is how deep black the figs are. The skin is as dark as any fig you’ll find and the pigments in the skin even bleed through to the pith to turn it purple and the flesh is so dark red it turns purple in figs that get enough sunlight on them. An excellent addition to any fig collection, and likely an extremely healthful one given the amount of anthocyanins in the figs.
A true gourmet delight, you should not live your life without feasting on this sweet, delectable fruit. One of the easiest fruits to grow, figs are happy outdoors in the Maritime Northwest and, with winter protection, in ports or in the ground in colder climates. To fully enjoy fresh Figs you must grow your own. When fully ripe and at their tender best, shipping them long distances is virtually impossible. While many fig varieties are not suitable for the Northwest, our varieties have been chosen for their ability to ripen in our climate. Another plus for Figs – deer don’t like them (most of the time)!
Growing Info:
Latin Name: Ficus carica
Site and Soil: Figs like 1/2 day to full sun and well-drained soil.
Pollination Requirements: Self fig-ful
Hardiness: Hardy to between 0° & 5° F.
Bearing Age: 1-2 years after planting
Size at Maturity: 10-20 ft in height, smaller with pruning.
Taste: concentrated fig berry sweetness
Fruit Skin: Black
Fruit Flesh: Dark red to purple
Bloom Time: Flowers are not noticeable as they are inside the fruit
Ripening Time: late September-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: 7