Fig, Brown Turkey


S & J Nursery’s Brown Turkey

Fig Trees For Northeast Florida Gardens


 

 Brown Turkey Fig Trees / Ficus Carica Origins:Brown Turkey Fig Trees S & J Nursery fruit unripe

All varieties of Fig tree are native to Mediterranean climates where the air is hot and dry. The Brown Turkey fig tree is a selection of the classification known as the ‘Common Fig’. It’s the old fashion fig tree your grandmother grew, it’s still around being cultivated today and for good reason. It is cold hardy, heat and humidity tolerant and considered to be ever-bearing!

All common figs do well in our North East Florida’s hot and humid climate, and Brown Turkey fig trees are no exception to the rule. These figs have been known to tolerate temperatures down to 10 degrees when fully dormant and void of leaves and new growth has halted for the winter (like it does pretty much everywhere else but Florida!)

Sun Exposure for the Brown Turkey Fig :

Plant Common fig tree varieties in a full sun location for best results.

Foliage and Bark of the Brown Turkey Fig Trees:

Brown Turkey fig trees have leaves typical of the common fig cultivar’s. They are large, up to 10 inches across, light green, and deeply lobed. That big bold foliage adds an instant tropical effect to the landscape and really makes a nice specimen in the garden.

Foliage of the Brown Turkey fig tree ficus carica is deciduous and will fall off of the tree once temperatures drop for the winter season here in Northeast Florida in the Jacksonville and St. Augustine area.  

The bark of the Brown Turkey fig tree is a pretty gray color and smooth to the touch on all but the oldest of trees where the bark can become a bit more gnarly and textured. Figs have a strong trunk and branch pattern adding to their ornamental value. Very pretty when uplit by landscape lighting from beneath.

Soil Preference for the Brown Turkey Fig Tree:

Common Figs are tolerant of a wide range of soil, conditions and components providing they are planted into well draining soils. Despite it’s ability to tolerate poor soils, it is best to amend the soil with generous amounts of garden compost when planting into North Florida’s sandy soils to help the tree fight off nematode infestations, hold water from irrigating, and provide a rich source of nutrients to give your new S & J Nursery container grown fig tree the best start possible.

Size of the Brown Turkey Fig Tree When Mature:

The mature size on a Brown Turkey fig tree can range from 10 – 25 feet depending on how it has been pruned when young.

Pruning and Growth Habits of Brown Turkey Fig Trees for the Northeast Florida Landscape:

Figs are a moderate to fast growing fruit tree. They require no pruning to bear fruit but are often pruned to an open center to increase the amount of air flow and sunlight into the center of the tree. Check out the following link that opens a new window for more information…

Pruning And Growth Habit of the Common Fig In Northeast Florida

S & J Nursery’s guide to pruning and growth habits of the Common Fig in Northeast Florida landscapes, pruning figs in the Jacksonville/ St. Augustine area edible landcapes

 Blooms and Fruit of the Brown Turkey Fig Tree:

Flowers of the Common Fig trees are green and very small. They are born on the branches at the leaf axils ( where the leaves come off of the branches) they are inconspicuous and not showy at all until the fruits begin to form.

Brown Turkey fig trees are self pollinating meaning you can plant one tree and it will produce fruit without the presence of a second tree to serve as the pollinator.

Brown Turkey Fig trees are considered ever-bearing because the trees can produce a small crop of fruit called ‘breba’ crop in early spring and ripen in late spring or early summer, then the main crop will form and ripen in late summer and fall. You can reasonably expect the main crop of fruit on these trees to be ripening from July to September.

Brown Turkey fruit is a dark purplish brown color and has a moderately closed eye. Excellent when eaten fresh off the tree but makes great preserves as well if you manage to not eat them all!

Water and Fertilizer Requirements of the Brown Turkey Fig:

Properly watering and fertilizing your newly planted fig trees can help not only keep them healthy but keep them producing those great tasting figs!

How to Water and Fertilize Your Fig Tree to Maximize Health and Fruit Production

S & J Nursery’s How to Water and Fertilize Your Fig Tree for the Common Fig, Help for growing figs in the Northeast Florida Jacksonville and St. Augustine area landcape.

 Wildlife attracted to Brown Turkey Figs:

As we all know, fresh figs are a special kind of delicacy, but we are certainly not the only ones to have found that out. They are loved by local birds, squirrels, gophers, racoons,rabbits and even ants! I take my Mom’s old fashioned organic gardening advice on this problem and plant two so that I have enough to share!

Harvesting your Fresh Figs:

 Figs will slip right off the tree when handled if ripe. Harvest them when the fruit has changed to it’s mature color and begins to droop. Figs don’t continue to ripen once removed from the tree, so it’s best to harvest when ripe for the sweetest flavor possible.