Description
Our favorite hardy fig! Most cold hardy fig generally available. Excellent quality, medium-large, velvety soft, dark purple figs have very sweet, rich, thick strawberry pink pulp and very thin edible skin. Just delicious! Fast growing and very, very productive! We’ve been growing Chicago Hardy successfully in KY since the early 2000s and it thrives in our unheated high tunnel trial. Survivability in KY has been 100% but fruit yields when grown outdoors in Kentucky have been low. However, Chicago Hardy fig thrives in warmer locations (zones 7b and up).
Discovered in Chicago, Illinois by Fred Borne, growing in an urban location in the 1970s. Very cold hardy. When left unprotected in colder winter areas (zones 5 and 6), this fig will almost always die back to the ground, only to sprout back from the roots in spring and produce figs that ripen in late summer! Unlike most other figs it does not need 1-Year old or older growth to fruit. This is very rare and useful for people wanting to grow figs in KY, IN, IL, OH, NY, etc. In warmer areas such as MS, GA, LA, (or in colder areas under protection in the winter), it thrives and does exceptionally well, even in the extreme humidity and heat of the Gulf. One Gulf Mississippi grower told us it’s one of his best figs of all (Carriere, MS). Without winter protection in zones 6-7 it usually will die back to the ground, or very close to the ground.
Chicago Hardy figs are medium-small, prolific, and have excellent, rich, sweet flavor. Leaves are smaller, more squarish and not deeply lobed. This fig is an excellent starter fig or addition to any urban landscape, edible landscaping. permaculture, orchard or fig collection. Disease resistant. Mt. Etna type cold hardy fig. Highly recommended!
NATURALLY GROWN – no synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, fungicides, neo-nictinoids, or other pesticides or toxic ag chemicals used at our nursery
Site requirements: Full sun location. Figs will grow in a range of soil types provided the planting location is well drained. Protected locations, such as on the South, East or West side of a building is ideal.
Size at maturity: 8-15′, depending on location, climate and care.
Pollination: This fig requires no pollination in order to set fruit. Fruits are seedless.
Resistant to: Cold winter temps. Also resistant to fungus, rots, and fig rust on leaves. Figs are known for remarkable disease and insect resistance. Ants can get interested in figs and heavy rains can make the current ripe figs rot, so keep well-picked. Figs continue to put on new fruit constantly until frost.
Hardiness: USDA zones 7-10. Winter protection in zone 6-7 recommended.
Plant size: CHOOSE SIZE. Bare-Root shipped February-April. May-October shipped potted in special tree pots.
OUR NURSERY IS AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN 100% FIG BUD MITE FREE.
“…Thank you for the fig plants. They looked great, strongly rooted and ready to grow, which they’re doing now.”
-Lee Reich Ph.D- Famous author on growing fruit, renowned fruit grower, and organic gardener