Fig, Desert King, Bare Root

Desert King Fig (Ficus carica)

Desert King produces green-yellow figs with strawberry-colored flesh and is especially useful for its early breba crop. Its fruiting pattern is different from the common figs that crop mainly on new summer growth.

Key Characteristics

Sweet fruit beneath green skin

The ripe figs can remain green to yellow-green outside while the interior turns richly colored and sweet. Check for softness rather than waiting for the skin to turn brown.

Protect last year’s wood

The dependable unpollinated crop forms on overwintered stems. Heavy winter pruning or cold that kills those stems can remove most of the coming harvest.

Understand its second-crop limitation

Desert King is a San Pedro-type fig: its later main crop generally requires specialized fig-wasp pollination. Planting another edible fig does not supply that pollination, so most gardeners should plan around the breba harvest.

Fruiting and Pollination

The early breba crop sets without pollination or another tree. The later main crop generally needs specialized fig-wasp pollination; another edible fig cultivar does not solve that requirement.

Rootstock and Mature Size

Plan for approximately 10–20 feet at maturity, depending on site and pruning. Figs can also be managed as multistem shrubs or grown in large containers where winter protection is needed.

Product Details

• Sun: Full sun to light partial shade; full sun is best for fruiting.
• Soil: medium to medium-dry, well-drained soil; avoid standing water.
• Mature height: Approximately 10–20 feet; see rootstock and pruning guidance above.
• Bloom: Tiny flowers are enclosed inside the developing fig and are not showy.
• Fruit: Green-yellow figs with sweet strawberry-colored flesh.
• Uses: Fresh eating, preserves, drying, and desserts.
• Ripening: July–August for the breba crop
• Chill hours: Low chill, generally 300 hours or less; summer warmth and winter stem survival are more important for harvest planning.
• Pollination: No partner needed for breba; the later main crop has a specialized pollination requirement.
• USDA hardiness: Zones 7–9.

General Fig Growing Guidance

A good start

Choose well-drained soil and enough room for the mature tree. Water consistently while roots establish, mulch with space around the trunk, and keep vigorous grass and other competitors away from the young root zone.

Fertility and fruit-tree guilds

Use a soil test to guide lime and fertilizer rather than feeding heavily by default. Our Tree Planting Kit fertilizer blend is an optional planting supplement; keep concentrated fertilizer away from bare roots and avoid excess nitrogen.

Interested in permaculture and stacking functions around your fruit trees? Explore our fruit-tree guild guide for ideas on combining plants for flowers, ground cover, and mulch while giving your tree room to grow.

Practical pest and disease care

Figs need summer warmth as well as winter survival to ripen fruit. Keep watering steady as fruit swells, pick only when fully ripe, and protect ripening fruit from birds and insects. In colder regions, protect stems or move containers to a sheltered dormant location; root survival alone does not guarantee a crop.