Brown Turkey Fig

The 4th in the fruit tree series, Tucson Fruit Trees, examines the Brown Turkey Fig Tree.  Even though figs are really inverted flowers, I'm still going to call it fruit because it can be eaten straight off the tree. This is one of the most amazing trees to have in the southwest desert.  Not only is it tropical looking in our desert, it's also xeric in nature once established AND  can produce 2 crops a year!   It can grow from a height of 15 feet high to 30 feet high with the same amount regarding its' width.The tree enjoys the hot and dry climate here in Tucson and it's apparent as you can find these trees in many people's yards. It is medium growing.  However some people question whether or not you should plant this tree and here's why......
 It is a messy tree when the fruit falls.  If you don't eat figs or like figs, this tree can be a pain with its' fig litter on the ground....and if it falls on the sidewalk, you will also find that the fruit can stain the cement.

1.  It can become a massive tree and outgrows its' space quickly.
2. Birds LOVE this tree.  In the Amazon rainforest, a variety from this tree species attracts local fauna to come and eat its' fruit.  Monkeys, parrots, fruit bats, and many other animals travel miles to come and eat the figs from the tree. Sometimes it's the ONLY food source available.  This is how the tree propogates itself around various parts of the forest and therefore serves as one of the most important trees in the rainforest ecosystem.  Here in the desert southwest, birds, sometimes in the hundreds depending on the size of the tree, will gather in the tree and throw a bird party.  This can be rather annoying to our human counterparts if they are near the house and trying to sleep.  And let's not talk about the bird poo......
3. Finally, because this tree comes from the ficus family, roots can be invasive so do not plant near the foundation of your house or sidewalk.

Taken from my garden in its' first year!!!  Yes...that quick!

Here's why you should plant a fig.....

1. If you love birds, this tree attracts.
2. If you love fresh figs.
3. If you want shade in a sunny spot, and a sunny spot in winter....it's deciduous.
4. If you are creating a tropical garden in the desert.

These were delicious after putting them in the fridge. I do not like dried fig, but fresh off the tree is another story!!

I rate this tree with a 10 out of 10 score for gardener success, but it may receive a lower score by gardeners who regretted putting this tree into the ground in the first place. For me,  it did well in the summer and it produced fruit its' first year.  It has beautiful lush tropical leaves and the figs were delicious.  Currently it is a very sturdy looking plant (without the leaves) and I cannot wait until it begins to leaf out again in March!  This plant loves sun but give it space to grow.  It's cold hardy to about 5 degrees F and self fertile, producing a spring and sometimes winter crop depending on the winter temps.  It can grow to a height of 50 feet.  There's more to come in this fruit tree world including one that may shock you!!!  Until next time, happy gardening!!! 

The Return and FIGS!!!

Incredible.  Delectable. Amazing. Fig trees love Tucson and Arizona or so I was told. In the Amazon, they are special for their connection to the wildlife....huge gnarly trees that supply food for so many animals like monkeys and parrots. The tree is unique in that it gives off a sonar for animals to come and eat....so for the common guy like me that means...."Early bird gets the worm:)" Not only are the leaves very tropical looking but they produce a delicious fruit....a two for one kind of plant in the dry desert. So I tried planting a tree here and the tree is doing  very well.  Of my fruit trees, it is the only one that has produced a bit of love and joy.  I have never had a fresh fig in my life  until yesterday and the taste was.....incredible.  When I left for Wisconsin, they were all green.  When I returned they were a purple black:) I started to become suspicious when a visitor to our grounds asked if we had a fig tree.  It was a weird question so I went to go and see what he was talking about.....the telltale signs were there with the dark fruit:) I tried fig newtons and they are nasty tasting as are dry figs....BUT fresh figs are heaven on Earth.....they taste like plums with a nutty texture. I fell in love instantly and have a new appreciation for this wonderful fruit. Good choice for our landscape!!:)

On the return home....I expected death and destruction but discovered things actually grew and flourished!!!  This was a first and boy was I a happy camper.  Everyone helped out and the grounds looked great.....so a big thank you to my neighbors for helping out during vacation:)

Finally, fruit is still being produced by several trees on the ground.  The Bearrs lime has several fruits on the bush.  The red baron peach tree has 3 and the persimmons only 1 fruit.  So many fruit trees were planted in winter and while only around 6 months old, I am shocked that some are producing fruit this early. I have never had a persimmons so it will be interesting to see what that tastes like.  I loved the fig so I look forward to this new fruit in a couple months:)  Beautiful trees.

PS.  Monsoon hit central Tucson for the first time last night with a vengeance....how do I know?  Water leaked all over inside my house from my window....gotta love home ownership:)  Happy Gardening friends!!

These last two pics were taken from that storm by Tucson residents. Monsoon is really something to behold here.