White Marseilles Fig
White Marseilles Fig
History: One of Thomas Jefferson's favourites, the origin of this fig is a mystery; one old account claims it was planted during the rule of Henry the Eighth by Cardinal Pole, while another claims it was planted at the Archbishop of Canterbury's palace at Lambeth. Regardless, this fig has certainly stood the test of time, and with good reason!
Why We Grow It: White Marseilles produces small, green-white figs with excellent aromatic flavour and a firm yet melting texture. Delicious! This variety grows well in a container too.
Note on Sizing: This year we are offering three year fig plants that are 80cm+ above the roots! Some plants may start bearing fruit the same year you receive them.
Photo courtesy of figdatabase.com
Growing in a pot:
Growing in a pot:
For most reliable cropping, we recommend keeping figs in large pots and moving them inside during the winter months. Figs require only 100 hours of chill time (at 1-4C), then are ready to begin growing again! This means after your figs fruit in the fall (bring them inside your house if the fruit hasn't ripened), and once it's cold enough outside, you can leave your figs in a garage/shed hovering between 1 to 4 degrees Celsius for a week (typically ~Dec). Prune them now if needed. Then bring back into the warmth to start them growing again. Once it's warm enough to set your figs outside again, be sure to harden the plant off, as the tender green leaves won't handle freezing or strong direct sun after being inside.
Fruit Specs
Fruit Specs
Skin Colour: Green
Recommended Use: Fresh eating, preserves, dried; leaves make an interesting seasoning dried (optionally toasted) and powdered, and can be used in tea and canning too
Fruit Size: Small
Storage: Best enjoyed within 2-3 days.
Harvest: July - August
Growing Specs
Growing Specs
Canadian Hardiness Zone: 5-6 if given sufficient winter protection
Soil Preference: Sandy loam and loam, plenty or organic material. Prefers well-drained soils.
Flowering Time:
Bloom Colour:
Pollination Requirements: Self-pollinating
Sun/Shade Requirements:
Full sun (approx. 8-10 hours of sun daily)
General Growth Habits:
Compact growth habit, ideal for containers. Prone to split if over watered near harvest. Small breba crop.
Shipping vs. Pick Up
Shipping vs. Pick Up
CLICK HERE to see how shipping compares to pick up.
Shipping: Every year we ship thousands of trees across Canada (except BC due to CFIA regulations). We carefully bag roots in damp sawdust, then box them and send them out via courrier. CLICK HERE to see our shipping policy.
Pick-up: We also have thousands of trees picked up from our nursery each year. The pick-up options is free, though you must wait until you have been emailed a confirmation that your order is ready to pick up, which will have further information such as hours, locations, etc. We really appreciate if you can make an appointment to pick up, then we can be as organized as possible during our busy season.