All About the Texas Everbearing Fig

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A Brief History

Everbearing fig trees were first cultivated in Provence, France, before being brought to Texas.

This French fig was so popular that it ended up being planted all over Texas. When traveling around Texas, you may hear the name “brown turkey fig,” which is just another name for this variety of fruit.

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Characteristics of the Texas Everbearing Fig

This medium-sized fig is bell-shaped with deep purple skin and amber-colored flesh. These figs have a mildly sweet flavor, which can be used in many kinds of recipes.

The Texas Everbearing Fig tree has a bushy habit and typically grows 10 feet by 10 feet high. But it can be pruned back if you want it smaller, making it an excellent tree for landscaping.

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Eating the Texas Everbearing Fig

Taste

This fig is deliciously sweet and perfect for dessert dishes.

Uses

All fig varieties are known for their sweet dessert flavor, so you’ll mostly see them in desserts, jams, jellies, cookies, and cakes.

Another popular use of figs is fig leaf tea, which is delicious and offers many health benefits.

Recipes

With so many different fig uses, the Texas Everbearing fig is perfect for eating fresh or using in your favorite sweet recipes.

One classic recipe may be the easiest of them all – broiled figs. Halve the fig, drizzle with your favorite honey, and place under the broiler for a few minutes until bubbly and golden brown. Remove from the broiler and top with cream cheese or Greek yogurt. Simple, tasty, and healthy.

But figs work in savory dishes, too. Try this phenomenal fig pizza. You’ll see it’s dangerously delicious!

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Excellent Health Benefits of the Texas Everbearing Fig

Even though they’re sweet, figs do offer health benefits.

They’re rich in antioxidants and an excellent source of calcium and potassium. This aids in improved bone density and is a dairy-free way to get calcium.

Figs are also excellent for adding fiber to your daily diet. It’s why figs are proven to promote a healthy digestive system without fiber supplements.

Texas Everbearing figs also lower triglycerides and help with your overall cholesterol.

A few small scientific studies have shown that fig leaf tea can reduce glucose levels by drinking once a day.

Check out our blog all about the wonderful health benefits of figs.

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Growing the Texas Everbearing Fig at Home

This tree requires less maintenance than other garden favorites. These figs are recommended for USDA Hardiness Zones 7 through 10, and with the right care, they’ll produce many tasty figs in the coming years.

Acclimation

This is key before planting your Texas Everbearing fig tree. Because they’re greenhouse grown, your tree needs to be acclimated to the climate outdoors before planting into the ground.

The process is simple.

1. Leave the tree in its container in a closed-off shaded area outdoors for two days, bringing it back indoors at night.
2. After two days, leave the tree in the morning sun for two hours before returning to the closed-off shaded area. Keep increasing the time spent in the sun by an hour or two daily.
3. After a week to 10 days, your tree should be acclimated and ready for planting as long as temps do not drop below 50 degrees.

During the acclimation period, keep the tree watered. Following these steps will make your fig tree hardy enough for most weather conditions.

Where to Plant

The best place to plant the Texas Everbearing fig is in a sunny location with well-drained soil.

If you plan on planting multiple fig trees, they need a minimum of 15 feet between them.

Pruning

Remove dead, weak, or diseased branches so they don’t harm the rest of the tree.

Once the Texas Everbearing fig tree is matured, thin off blooms to stimulate tree growth and keep the fig size larger.

Pests and Diseases

Pests

Unfortunately, any type of fruit is susceptible to various pests. Birds, squirrels, and deer love to snack on figs.

Insects are also attracted to these sweet figs. There are many ways to eliminate these types of pests, chemical or organic.

Diseases

Fig rust is a common disease that can plague all varieties of figs. This causes yellow-orange spotting on the leaves and leads to them completely falling off.

Fig trees may also supper from scale, a disease affecting younger branches with a yellow scaley buildup. Learn how to identify and fight these fig diseases easily before they ruin the tree.

Harvesting

The Texas Everbearing fig tree starts producing fruit 1 to 2 years after planting. Expect harvests each year around June through August.

Figs won’t ripen after picking, so use patience before harvesting!

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Winterization of the Texas Everbearing Fig Tree

Fig trees are very frost sensitive, and If you live in USDA hardiness zones 1 to 7, you’ll need to winterize your fig tree to protect it from the harsh winters.

Once fall sets in and all the leaves on the tree have fallen, do the following:

1. Tie all branches together in a bundle tightly using heavy-duty twine.
2. Protect the branches by wrapping them in burlap.
3. Cover the entire branch structure with a plastic film of waterproofing material to protect it from moisture freezing on the branches.
4. Once spring returns and temperatures are above 50 degrees, unwrap, and watch your fig tree flourish.

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Wrapping up the Texas Everbearing Fig Tree

This fabulous fig tree brings more than just beauty into your outdoor space. With generous amounts of figs, you’ll have healthy, guilt-free desserts and snacks all summer long.

Looking for more fig information? Visit the Fig Trees page on our website. You can read about many different varieties and see which fig is best for you and your space!