Hardy Chicago Fig Fruit Ficus carica

LATIN NAME: Ficus carica

COMMON NAME: Hardy Chicago Fig

The hardy Chicago fig is the proof that figs do not need a Mediterranean summer. The broad, deciduous shrub or small tree carries the large, deeply lobed, rough-textured leaves and the small, pear-shaped fruits that ripen through the warm season, sweet and full-flavoured even in the cool short summers. The plant is one of the toughest of the figs, standing the cold far better than most, and it is a fine, generous fruit plant of the small garden. It is a plant of the deep, rich, well-drained ground.

Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology

The hardy Chicago fig has an unusual story in the plant science, studied for the small, pear-shaped fruits that ripen in the cool short summers and the tough ways of the plant. The way the plant stands the cold far better than most figs has been studied steadily, and it keeps showing up in the work on the hardy fruits, the cold-tolerant crops and the members of the mulberry family. The large, deeply lobed leaves and the broad, shrubby habit have also made it a fine garden plant, and the hardy Chicago fig is a regular subject of the studies of the figs for the cooler gardens.

Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications

The hardy Chicago fig is a tough, generous tree of the small garden. The small, pear-shaped fruits ripen through the warm season, sweet and full-flavoured even where the summers are short and cool, and the plant stands the winter cold far better than most figs. The large, deeply lobed leaves give the plant a bold, handsome presence, and the fruits are a fine, easy treat of the late summer, eaten fresh or dried. It has been written about in the horticultural papers for the cold-hardy ways and the sweet, early fruits, and it is a fine, long-lived plant of the deep, rich, well-drained garden.

The hardy Chicago fig is one of the toughest of the figs, standing the cold far better than most, and the small, pear-shaped fruits ripen through the warm season even where the summers are short and cool. The large, deeply lobed leaves give the plant a bold, handsome presence in the small garden.

To grow the hardy Chicago fig from seed, sow the tiny seeds over the surface of a pot of moist, free-draining soil and press them in lightly, keep the pot in a bright, sheltered spot and water gently. The seedlings thread up within a few weeks and grow on steadily. With the sun, the shelter and the deep, rich, well-drained ground, the sweet, pear-shaped fruits will come in a few seasons.

Common name：Common fig ＂Fruit＂

The green ischia fig tree produces medium-sized pale, light green, thin-skinned figs with strawberry colored flesh. The tree is great for areas with short summers and for those along the East Coast. It’s perfect for even the home gardener because of its small size. It’s color will blend with the foliage so the figs are resistant to attacks by birds. They also do well in cold weather. The fruit of Green Ischia ripens in late July to early August. It is cultivated for both fresh and dried eating.

Figs grow nicely and will bear fruit when grown in containers where they can be artfully pruned to create a living sculpture to decorate decks or patios. This is convenient for two reasons: cold climate growers can move their figs indoors in the winter and the plants can be removed from the patio when the fruit begins to (over)ripen.