Ficus

(Fig Tree) Carica Brown Turkey

Ficus carica Brown Turkey is a deciduous fig with big leathery leaves of 15-25 cm, deeply lobed and rough to the touch, on a wide branching frame. It carries no visible flowers, because the tiny flowers sit inside the fruit; what you see instead are pear shaped figs that ripen from green to brownish purple with soft pink flesh, usually in August and September. In open ground it settles at 2-3 m in height and 2-3 m in width, staying nearer 1.5-2 m if you keep it in a large container. Treat it as a solitary: allow 1-2 plants per m2 of border, or one plant per pot of at least 40 cm across. A warm sunny wall is the classic position, where the stored heat helps the crop ripen, and it does equally well on a sheltered terrace or in a courtyard. The bold foliage gives an instant Mediterranean look and casts useful shade over a seat.

Give it full sun and as much shelter as you can, ideally against a south or west facing wall. Plant in well drained soil, even poor or stony ground, and keep the root run restricted with paving or a buried barrier, because a fig that roots freely makes leaf instead of fruit. Water in dry spells, especially while the fruit is swelling, and check a container grown plant often; a pot dries out several times faster than open ground and drought causes fruit drop. Prune in early spring, in March, before the buds move: take out frost damaged, crossing and crowded branches and shorten a few of the oldest stems to keep the crown open, leaving the young shoot tips where next summer's figs form. Brown Turkey is one of the hardiest figs and comes through a normal winter outdoors, though a mulch over the roots and a fleece screen in severe frost protects young plants. The milky sap can irritate the skin, so wear gloves when you prune.

Your order will be hand picked and packed in our strong and sustainable packaging as soon as possible, after which it will be delivered straight from our greenhouse to your door by your chosen carrier. You can follow the journey of your plants via the tracking link you receive in your mail. If you have any questions regarding your order and its shipment, you can get in contact with our support team.

We expect every order to arrive in tip-top shape. We take intensive care of the plants in our greenhouse and use special and as sustainable as possible protective packaging to ship our plants. We also wrote an extensive blog about how to unpack and prepare your plants for growth after shipping. However there are rare occasions where our plants don’t meet their full potential. That’s why all plants are guaranteed for 30 days after arrival, if still in its original nursery pot.