Is the fig tree hardy? The best varieties and locations in winter

table of contents

Term "frost hardy"
Location in winter
sorts
Winter hardiness down to -20 ° Celsius

The one originally from Asia Fig tree is usually only partially hardy in the local latitudes. But here, too, there are robust species that can tolerate more frost than others. And the location is also important, because in a region with a mild climate, a fig tree can survive the winter outside. The age of the fig must always be taken into account, because until the age of ten Ficus carica is not quite as winter-proof as in the older years.

Term "frost hardy"

Term "frost hardy" for figs

The first thing that is affected is twigs and branches when there is a very frosty and cold winter. Depending on their winter hardiness, the branches and especially the young shoots freeze off between temperatures of -10 ° to -15 ° Celsius. But that is not tragic, because the roots are spared from this frost. The dead and frozen branches and shoots must of course be removed, but Ficus carica usually sprouts from below.

But the harvest of the tasty fruits is then lost for the year. If a winter is very frosty and the fig is unprotected in the open, all branches can be damaged. It is therefore better to also protect the figs outdoors in winter, so that a regular harvest is guaranteed.

Location in winter

For the winter there are different locations where a fig tree can hibernate well. Since it is a deciduous tree, the apartment is not so well suited as winter quarters. Because Ficus carica is definitely not an eye-catcher in the winter months.

In addition, the tree can grow up to three meters high in the bucket and therefore requires a lot of space, which is usually not available in the apartment. If you have a winter garden, you can also overwinter the tree here, it does not necessarily have to be heated. It is only important that no cold penetrates into the winter quarters and that the room remains frost-free. The following locations are also ideal for winter.

a cellar that can also be dark
a garage that is frost-free
an entrance area in a house
older, hardy trees even outdoors without winter protection
older and young, partially hardy trees with winter protection

If a fig remains in the bucket in a corner of a house, even a balcony or terrace in a corner over the winter, then, especially if it is still young, it has to be wrapped with plant fleece and the tub protected will. For this purpose, brushwood mats can be used for the coating, mulch or brushwood is spread on the ground. The pot itself should be placed on a piece of wood or styrofoam. The figs that were cultivated in a garden bed directly on a house wall can also be protected in this way in winter.

sorts

Ficus carica has many different species that cannot all be named here. Above all, however, the more winterproof a fig is classified, the smaller and less sweet its fruits are. Figs that are not frost hardy, on the other hand, offer the larger and sweeter fruits.

Before cultivation, it should be considered whether there is winter quarters for a fig that is not winter-hardy. Therefore, a small list of hardy and partially hardy figs has been compiled to give a brief overview of the trees and their tasty fruits.

Winter hardiness down to -20 ° Celsius

Who lives in very cold regions in the local latitudes, in which it is very frosty and cold every winter can, ideally opt for a fig tree that is very hardy down to -20 ° Celsius. But it is also true for these trees that they are only winter-proof from a certain age and require winter protection or winter quarters for the first ten years or so. Above all, these include the following popular varieties.

Bornholm fig

very hardy
no great harvest of the tasty fruits to be expected
very early fruit ripening in early summer
can also be put outdoors
Winter protection is still recommended

Brogiotto Bianco

medium-sized, rounded fruits
green shell
delicious, sweet aroma
since coming from the Mediterranean, protect in winter

Brown Turkey

very hardy
good compromise for very cold
tasty and sweet fruits
suitable for a bucket

Ronde de Bordeuax

Autumn fig
Harvest in September and October
very sweet, blue fruits
becomes very high, better suited for the field
needs absolute winter protection here at a young age

Early Dark

the harvest takes place in August and September
very high yielding variety
large, tasty and elongated fruits
purple color
suitable for pots due to its medium size

Twotimer

Fig tree bears fruit twice a year
elongated fruits
first harvest in August
second harvest a little later
can be grown outdoors
conditionally hardy to -12 ° Celsius

Those who live in areas that are not quite as frosty can also fall back on the partially hardy species of the fig, which should be able to withstand temperatures of down to -12 Celsius. Above all, this includes the following fig tree species, all of which also bear tasty fruit.