Fig Trees For Northeast Florida
Never Tried A Fresh Fig? Me neither, Until…
I remember the first time I tasted a fig straight from the tree, I was amazed. I’m not really a fan of the fig newton cookie even though they were a favorite of my moms and we had lots of them in our home growing up. I tended to leave those alone, and like so many others, that was my only experience with the fruit of a fig tree.
I would never have tasted it if it wasn’t forced on me by a landscape customer I was visiting out at the Beach in Jacksonville. Ok I wasn’t forced, I just didn’t want to be rude and not eat it. She had a gorgeous fig tree growing happily in her back yard, and me… being me, I was of course admiring her perfect specimen of a fig tree when she reached right over the balcony and picked a fresh fig right off of her tree for me. Boy was I surprised when I tasted that fresh fig! It was deliciously sweet with just a hint of a unique flavor that is just all of their own. There’s nothing like it. I’ve been a fan of fresh figs ever since, although I still will not eat those cookies!
Fig Trees as Ornamental Specimen Plantings
Fig trees make an excellent landscape plant for the Northeast Florida, Jacksonville, St. Augustine and surrounding area landscapes. Their big bold foliage adds an instant tropical feel and the smooth tan bark and unique branching structure add interest during the winter when the leaves have all gone. I love to decorate mine with little white twinkling Christmas lights in the winter. It makes such a beautiful winter garden accent, the more trunks you wrap the prettier it will be.
‘The Southern Living Garden Book’, one of my all time favorite go to guides for our Northeast Florida landscape says this about the fig trees ornamental value…” Winter framework, tropical – looking foliage, strong trunk and branch pattern make fig a top notch ornamental tree, especially near a patio where it can be illuminated from underneath.”
Fig Trees in the Edible landscape
But aside from a fig trees use as a landscape specimen, these easy care fruit trees are a great place to start if your interested in turning your garden into an edible landscape. They require very little in the way of pruning through the years and when planted into well draining soils little to no spraying is required.
Here is what Organic Gardening in their article “Fig Trees: A Growing Guide ” has to say about the fig tree as an edible landscape plant… ” If you’d like to try growing an unusual fruit crop that’s delicious and nearly trouble free, consider figs.”
With a little help on where and how to plant your fig tree for Northeast Florida and how to care for them in our hot and humid climate zone these trees will make a great plant. So if you’r looking for great fresh fruit right from your own “garden’s harvest ” consider starting with a fig tree. One bite picked straight from the tree and you’ll be back looking for more varieties to plant, guaranteed!
Types of Fig Trees in Northeast Florida
An explanation of the four types of Fig Trees, which one of those four grows in Florida and why they are the ones that can be planted here in our Northeast Florida landscape.
Links directly to the information pages of all of the Fig Tree Varieties we sell here at S & J Nursery
Brown Turkey Fig Trees For Northeast Florida
Celeste Fig Trees For Northeast Florida
Ischia / Green or White Ischia Fig Trees for Northeast Florida
LSU Purple Fig Trees for Northeast Florida
Care of Common Fig Trees for Northeast Florida
S & J Nursery guide Care of the Common Fig includes information on pruning, water, fertilizing and growing tips for common fig trees in the Jacksonville Florida and St. Augustine Florida area.