PlantFiles: Common Fig, Edible Fig, Higo
Ficus carica 'Celeste'

When I purchased this plant, I knew NOTHING about figs. I got it b/c I liked the foliage and b/c I thought it would make a nice shrub. I never dreamed it would become a tree--luckily, I planted in a place where it had the space. Otherwise, I would have had to transplant a long time ago. Birds and squirrels have finally discovered my tree, so they hardly every leave me any fruit.

I have two Celeste's in pots on my south-facing front porch in Central Ohio. This is their third summer, and they are about 3' tall and around. (The pots are small square plastic tubs, about 18")

I bring them into an interior but unheated stairwell in the fall, once they've dropped their leaves, and water them two or three times during the winter. I wait until nights are above freezing to bring them out again, but the leaves start unfurling in mid- to late-March -- they're ready to get started! This year, I had a ton of fruit already forming on the trees when I brought them out, but we had several bitterly cold days when I brought them inside the house, and they dropped all the brebas.

Last summer I harvested about 30 figs from the two trees, this year it looks like I'll have at least 50. Last spring I sprinkled rabbit manure on top of the pots, but otherwise I have not given them any extra fertilizer. In the height of summer I water once or twice a week.

Really love these plants. Am moving to a new home, still with a south facing porch, and will repot them in larger containers after they're done producing figs. Have to figure out how to overwinter them, and find some place that stays above freezing, but below 45.

This is only this plants first year and it is doubling! The thing is grownig like crazy filling in the tropical look and already giving us two figs. Wonderful fig - now to get somemore!

My small shrub bore fruit the first year I planted it! The first crop is borne in spring on last season's growth and is called the "breba" crop. Second crop is borne in fall on the new growth and is the main crop.

The Celeste fig's fruit is small to medium with light violet to violet brown skin. The flesh is reddish amber and very sweet (another name for Celeste is brown sugar fig)! Its great dried!

The tree has a tightly closed eye, protecting it from the dried fruit beetle a serious pest in the Southeast. It usually is small but very productive and hardy.

Like all figs remember...the more organic matter in the soil--the better! Mix manure or compost into planting site and then after planting mulch with compost or manure. I actually used composted pea vines for a mulch for mine. I feed mine with slow release 10-10-10. Figs prefer cool, wet winters and hot, dry summers so they are pretty drought tolerant in summer.

We have two in our backyard and they produce enormous amounts of fruit like clockwork every July for about 3 weeks. Are subject to whiteflies and other insects -- just can't seem to keep them away -- but as long as you stick to the fruit higher up, they don't seem to bother you (leave them the low fruit). You may have to fight the birds for the higher fruit!