Fruit Tree Chilling Requirement Black Jack Fig Black Mission Fig Celestial Fig Chicago Hardy Fig Conadria Fig Desert King Fig Excel Fig Flanders Fig Improved Brown Turkey Fig Ischia Green Fig Janice Seed-Less Kadota Fig Kadota Fig Lattarula Fig Osborne Prolific Fig Panache Fig Peter's Honey Fig Purple Smyrna Fig Texas Blue Giant Fig Texas. Oct 28, 2016 The Black Jack Fig tree produces large fruits, similar both in size and appearance to the California Brown Turkey fig. The skin of the fruit is purplish-brown with a pink center. The fruit is sweet and juicy. The Black Jack Fig thrives in zones 7-10 and has a 100-hour chill requirement. This semi-dwarf Fig is well-suited for small city gardens where space is limited. If used as an accent tree, keep away from pavement so fallen fruit won't cause staining. Also makes a fine leafy background when allowed to grow into a large shrub. This Fig will bear fruit in most climates. Semi-dwarf trees like “Black Jack” fig trees (Ficus carica “Black Jack”), in USDA plant hardiness zones 7 through 9, reach up to 15 feet, but they produce well when kept at 6 feet tall. I started to hope for success. I started to dream of figs in the fall. I started to dig holes to plant more fig trees. My apricot tree is still beautiful. But sometimes the problem child gives us the greatest satisfaction. Photo of black jack fig tree by Flickr user psd; image of.
Written by Megan; Updated October 11, 2019![Black Black](/uploads/1/2/5/2/125243041/880927833.jpg)
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The fig 'Black Mission' (Ficus carica), also known as also known as 'Brown Turkey', makes a wonderful addition to many landscape designs. The Black Mission fig tree produces tasty black velvet figs with pink inner flesh and tiny, crunchy seeds. It grows anywhere from 10 to 30 feet tall. Most fig varieties grow well in a Mediterranean climate with damp, mild winters and hot, dry summers. In the United States, the Black Mission fig grows best in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 11.
Fall is the recommended planting time to transplant a new tree from a container into the ground. This is ideal Black Mission fig season. Choose a sunny location that receives protection from frost during the winter months.
Black Mission Fig Nutrition
In its nutrition content, Black Mission fig includes a high percentage of fiber, vitamin B6 and pantothenic acid (vitamin B5). The figs are a good source of potassium, a mineral that may help lower blood pressure. Nutritionally, it also includes minerals such as zinc, manganese, copper and magnesium. Vitamins in Black Mission fig include vitamins C, niacin and B6.
How to Plant a Black Mission Fig Tree
- To plant your Black Mission fig outdoors, dig a hole the same size as its container and twice as large around in diameter. Figs do well in rich, moist, well-drained soil. Break up the soil at the bottom of the hole with the tip of your spade to soften it and help the roots penetrate easily.
- Keeping the tree in its pot, lay it next to the hole on its side. Grasp the base of the tree with one hand and the pot with the other to remove the root ball from the pot. If it’s stuck firmly in the pot, you may have to roll the pot or pound it slightly on the sides of the container.
- Lift the root ball and place it in the center of the hole, with the foliage pointing directly upward, and not leaning at one angle or another. Position the tree directly perpendicular to the level of the ground around it unless you’re planting it on a hillside. Make sure that the trunk is neither deeper nor shallower in the soil than it was while still inside the nursery pot.
- Water the soil directly around the fig tree just after planting it, making sure to gently water the leaves as you do so. Use a soaker attachment on the hose and allow the water to permeate and saturate the new hole gently.
Caring for a Black Mission Fig Tree
- Spread a 1- to 2-inch thick layer of mulch around the base of the tree, beginning just around the trunk outward to approximately the diameter of the branching portion of the tree. The layer of mulch around the tree protects the roots and helps retain moisture.
- Water young trees frequently. Older trees might not need to be watered as often. Aim for 1–1 1/2 inches of water per week from irrigation or rainfall. Watering once every 10 days to two weeks is sufficient. If it needs to be watered, the leaves of the tree will turn yellow or drop off, but don’t wait until it shows these signs.
- In late summer, after you’ve harvested the figs off the tree, it’s a good idea to prune it back to encourage further production of flowers and fruit and to keep the tree more manageable. One pruning in late summer should be enough to encourage production.
- You should harvest the fruit twice, once in spring and the second time in summer or early fall.
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About the Author
Megan is a published writer and gardening enthusiast. She is certified in Tropical Agriculture Development, and enjoys learning about ecology.
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Megan. 'How to Plant & Care for a Black Mission Fig Tree.' Home Guides | SF Gate, http://homeguides.sfgate.com/plant-care-black-mission-fig-tree-49972.html. 11 October 2019.
Megan. (2019, October 11). How to Plant & Care for a Black Mission Fig Tree. Home Guides | SF Gate. Retrieved from http://homeguides.sfgate.com/plant-care-black-mission-fig-tree-49972.html
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Dwarf fig trees (Ficus carica) grow best in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 11, even though figs will produce fruit in colder climates if grown with winter protection. Fig trees are considered borderline temperate fruit trees because they have a low chilling time of less than 300 hours of temperatures below 45 degrees Fahrenheit in order to bear fruit. Dwarf fig trees grow well in containers and in areas with limited space.
Where Do Dwarf Fig Trees Come From?
Fig trees originate from western Asia where hot, dry summers and cool, mild winters occur. By 5,000 B.C., this fruit tree was distributed throughout the Mediterranean area by traders. The fruit is common in the Middle East as well. Some wild varieties tend to grow slowly and stay short naturally. Plant hybridizers have taken advantage of this tendency and developed dwarf forms that still produce full-sized figs.
How Large Will My Dwarf Fig Get?
Fig trees grow to a variety of heights depending on the type. Many dwarf fig trees reach up to 10 feet tall and wide like the “Celestial” fig tree (Ficus carica “Celestial”). This dwarf fig grows well in USDA zones 7 through 11, producing small sweet figs, which ripen in the middle of June. Semi-dwarf trees like “Black Jack” fig trees (Ficus carica “Black Jack”), in USDA plant hardiness zones 7 through 9, reach up to 15 feet, but they produce well when kept at 6 feet tall by annual pruning. Standard trees like “Brown Turkey” fig trees (Ficus carica “Brown Turkey”) grow to 25 feet tall and wide in USDA zones 7 through 9.
Do I Need to Prune My Dwarf Fig Tree?
Dwarf fig trees require pruning only when they are young and need shaping. Take only a little of the growth off a few of the branches each year until the tree is the desired shape. Heavy pruning contributes to fruit loss since figs develop on last year’s growth. If heavy pruning is needed, cut only half the branches the first summer and trim the other half of the branches the next summer. Always whitewash the tree if severely pruned. This prevents damage from exposure from the hot summer sun. After the first crop of figs of the year, remove dead and broken branches.
When Do I Pick Figs From My Dwarf Fig Tree?
Several varieties of dwarf fig trees produce two crops of figs a year. The spring crop matures anywhere from late spring to mid-summer. The second, or main crop, ripens in the late summer or early fall. Look for fruits that are beginning to bend at the neck and whose skin is slightly soft to the touch. Many varieties change color and develop cracks in the skin when ripe. Do not pick the figs when they are still immature. Figs do not ripen after picking like tomatoes do. Fresh figs keep only two to three days in the refrigerator, while dried figs store up to eight months.
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About the Author
Karen Carter spent three years as a technology specialist in the public school system and her writing has appeared in the 'Willapa Harbor Herald' and the 'Rogue College Byline.' She has an Associate of Arts from Rogue Community College with a certificate in computer information systems.
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Black Mission Fig Tree Dwarf
Carter, Karen. 'Questions About Dwarf Fig Trees.' Home Guides | SF Gate, http://homeguides.sfgate.com/questions-dwarf-fig-trees-57225.html. Accessed 09 January 2020.
Carter, Karen. (n.d.). Questions About Dwarf Fig Trees. Home Guides | SF Gate. Retrieved from http://homeguides.sfgate.com/questions-dwarf-fig-trees-57225.html
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Carter, Karen. 'Questions About Dwarf Fig Trees' accessed January 09, 2020. http://homeguides.sfgate.com/questions-dwarf-fig-trees-57225.html
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