Italian Honey Fig Tree

Italian Honey Fig Tree (Ficus carica 'Lattarula')

Italian Honey Fig Tree is a productive, compact fig with green to yellow skin and amber flesh noted for a rich, honey-sweet flavor. Naturally rounded plants suit small orchards and edible landscapes, often producing a breba crop followed by a main crop in warm seasons.

Distinctive Features

Parthenocarpic fruiting delivers reliable harvests without pollination, with thin skin, syrupy flesh, and mild seeds ideal for fresh eating and preserves. Strong vigor on a manageable framework responds well to training and container culture.

Growing Conditions

• Sun Exposure: Full sun for best sweetness and yield.
• Soil: Well drained loam or sandy loam; tolerate slightly acidic to neutral conditions.
• Water: Moderate; keep evenly moist during establishment and fruit set, then allow the top inch to dry between waterings.
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 7 to 10; grow in containers and overwinter protected in colder zones.
• Mature Size: Typically 10 to 15 ft tall and 10 to 15 ft wide; smaller with pruning or in containers.

Ideal Uses

• Focal Point: Handsome leaves and showy fruit make a striking edible specimen.
• Edible Landscapes: Integrates fruit production into ornamental plantings.
• Containers: Performs in large pots with regular feeding and water.
• Espalier: Trains flat against walls or fences to save space and boost ripening.
• Patio Tree: Provides shade and convenient harvest near outdoor living areas.

Low Maintenance Care

• Watering: Deeply water during active growth and dry spells; reduce after leaves drop.
• Pruning: Prune in late winter to maintain size, remove dead wood, and encourage new fruiting shoots; remove root suckers.
• Fertilizing: Feed lightly in spring with a balanced fertilizer; avoid excess nitrogen that dilutes flavor.
• Mulching: Apply a 2 to 3 inch mulch ring to conserve moisture and moderate soil temperature, keeping mulch off the trunk.
• Notes: In cooler zones, grow against a south-facing wall or protect with wraps; birds may require netting near harvest.

Why Choose Italian Honey Fig Tree?

• Exceptional Flavor: Honey-sweet, amber flesh for fresh eating and preserves.
• Reliable Cropping: Breba and main crops in suitable climates.
• Compact Habit: Easy to manage in small yards and containers.
• Low Input: Drought tolerant once established with minimal spraying.
• Versatile Training: Responds well to pruning, fan-training, and espalier.

Site in full sun with sharp drainage, prune in late winter to manage size, and water consistently during fruit swell to maximize sweetness and yield.