ficus carica (fruiting fig)

[fignewton]

fig

reason i want that fig that bad is that my mom had one. it was 60 yrs old and the fig died last year.so i am really trying find one so i can keep memory alive. so thats why i help finding i good pre bonsa or a really thick cutting.so plz help.

 

[Neli]

I am in Africa...????

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Ah, so would you want more of just like a houseplant? As you can see, the leaves are rather large, and while they may reduce, it will take time, and lots of it. I suspect it would also take a fair amount of light as well. It'd be a lot of work in cold, cold Massachusetts....

 

[fignewton]

fig

i have a basement that would keep them dorment during the winter months.i dont care about the time as long as i have fun and get sense of peace out of it

 

[fignewton]

ficus

i had a nice ficus green island that also died when my mom passed.wish i get something again but talks and i am low on it . so it would be fruiting fig or the ficus green island. thats why i need a very thick cutting of the fig.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

for what it is worth - Ficus carica 'Chicago Hardy' has been wintered outdoors in the ground, in the Chicago area, for decades - hence the name. Legend has it the cultivar was selected in Italy and gifted to a local Chicago based member of shall we say a "social club" that authorities did not feel were really social, more like "the Outfit". The boss was known for his love of fresh figs. Any rate the legend goes on that this "boss" distributed many cuttings of this variety in the Chicago area, and eventually it was named "Chicago Hardy" after it spread to the non-Italian gardeners. This was in the 1960's or 1950's, maybe earlier. Chicago in the 1950's was zone 5a at best. Now, the latest zone maps puts us in 5b, with some pockets near Lake Michigan at 6a. Chicago Hardy will kill to the ground in winter, but sprouts from the roots, and grows fast enough to bear fruit before frost. A dilegent fig farmer in Chicago would bend down and bury several branches, so they would survive the winter, uncover the branches in spring and the tree is ready to grow. In a pot, it would be best to treat it as a zone 7 or 8 subtropical. There are some F carica varieties that are more 'dwarf' than others. For fruit in MA one should select one that will ripen fruit in cooler weather (Desert King is out). One cultivar that is rated as being more dwarf (still big in bonsai terms) is VIOLETTE DU BORDEAUX FIG (aka Negronne). Fruit quality is excellent and it ripens even if your summer is only in the 60's or 70's.

Burnt Ridge has both Violette du Bordeaux and Chicago Hardy for about $ 8.50 per year old rooted cutting. http://www.burntridgenursery.com/fruitingPlants/index_product.asp?dept=19&parent=7 Many other places carry them also.

 

[ColinFraser]

Sorry to revive this old thread, but I thought I saw in the chat-box that you were still looking for Ficus carica. I have access to a couple of bonsai and prebonsai specimens. Pm me if you're interested @fignewton