Christmas Fig Tree

Christmas Fig

A funky little hardy fig species that’s got a downright cheerful demeanor. The Christmas fig gets its name from the fact that figs begin ripening in early summer and continue all the way until Christmas, at least in the right climate, but could also called that for the abundance of little figs on it look like ornaments on a tree. Christmas fig is very easy to grow and is truly a dwarfing fig, growing to only about 6′ tall. Oh and about the figs… they taste about as rich and sweet as an Arbutus unedo fruit. Which is to say like almost nothing, but some people say they like them.

One other interesting feature of this fig is that it is fully self-fertile, not just parthenocarpic. We realized this when seeds from dropped figs began germinating in the pots of our stock plants. Perhaps work could be done to select sweeter fruits from these seedlings, or maybe hybrids with other Ficus species? Queue up the Vince Guraldi and get ready to pick flavorless seeds out of your teeth!

Our original plants were given to us by the wonderful folks at JC Raulston Arboretum. Check them out if you’re in the Raleigh area and support their incredible work.

Oh, Christmas fig! Oh, Christmas fig! How lovely are the figs on your branches!

Click here to read our Fig Growing Guide!

Latin Name: Ficus gasspariniana var. laceratifolia
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-figful.
Hardiness: Hardy to between 0° & 5° F.
Bearing Age: 1-2 years after planting.
Size at Maturity: ~6 feet in height and width
Taste: almost flavorful…
Fruit Skin: Red
Fruit Flesh: mushy with seeds
Bloom Time: Flowers are not noticeable as they are inside the fig.
Ripening Time: July-December
Yield: 10-15 lbs. or more per plant
Pests & Diseases: Figs are not bothered by pests or diseases 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
Sunset Western Zone: 4-9, 12-24
Sunset Northeast Zone: 31, 32