Overview

Discover the joy of growing your own fruit with the exceptional Olympian Fig Tree live plant. Renowned for its remarkable cold tolerance and abundant harvests, this variety is a fantastic addition to any garden, especially in cooler climates. The Olympian Fig Tree, first introduced in 2014, is celebrated for its ability to produce two generous crops of very large, visually striking green and purple striped fruit. Beneath its tender skin, you’ll find sweet, vibrant violet flesh that is truly a delight. Whether you’re an experienced gardener or just starting out, this fig tree offers a rewarding experience, yielding delicious fruit that can be enjoyed fresh, canned, or dried. Known for its award-winning characteristics, this particular variety was discovered thriving in Washington State, demonstrating its resilience and adaptability to various growing conditions. It’s an ideal choice for anyone looking to cultivate a productive and beautiful purple fig fruit tree.

This robust cold hardy fig tree is designed for success, even in areas where other fig varieties might struggle. It’s a true testament to nature’s resilience, offering bountiful harvests of sweet fruit year after year. Prepare to enjoy the unique flavor and texture of home-grown figs with this outstanding plant.

Key Benefits

The Olympian Fig Tree offers a multitude of benefits for both the discerning gardener and the fruit enthusiast. Its unique characteristics make it a standout choice:

• Exceptional Cold Hardiness: One of the most significant advantages of this variety is its impressive cold tolerance, making it suitable for a wider range of climates where other fig trees might not survive. It can withstand temperatures down to zero degrees once established, ensuring a reliable harvest.
• Dual Cropping: Enjoy two distinct harvests each year! The Olympian Fig Tree produces a breba crop (first crop) that can ripen as early as May, followed by a second, larger main crop later in the season. This extended fruiting period maximizes your yield.
• Large, Sweet Fruit: The figs produced by this tree are not only large but also exceptionally sweet with a tender purple skin and rich red to violet flesh. They are perfect for fresh eating, providing a delightful burst of flavor.
• Versatile Culinary Use: Beyond fresh consumption, the abundant harvest can be used for canning, making jams, drying, or incorporating into various culinary dishes, offering endless possibilities for your kitchen.
• Award-Winning Variety: This fig tree has garnered awards for its superior qualities, including its flavor, productivity, and resilience, assuring you of a top-tier gardening experience.
• Adaptable Growth: While ideally suited for cool, maritime climates, its adaptability allows it to thrive in various settings, growing into a substantial and attractive tree. Learning fig tree care for this variety is straightforward and rewarding.
• Resilient Nature: Even if exposed to extreme cold and freezing to the ground, the established plant often returns in the spring to bear fruit the following summer, showcasing its incredible hardiness. This makes it an excellent choice for those learning how to grow fig trees in challenging environments.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your Olympian Fig Tree live plant is relatively straightforward, especially given its hardy nature. For optimal growth and fruit production, understanding its basic needs is crucial. This tree thrives in full sun, meaning it needs at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day to produce the sweetest and most abundant fruit. While it is known for its cold hardiness, providing some protection during extreme winter conditions, especially for young plants, can be beneficial. It’s hardy down to USDA Zone 6 once established, potentially even lower if mulched heavily or grown in a protected location. Its breba crop can withstand temperatures into the teens.

When it comes to watering, consistent moisture is key, especially during fruiting periods. However, ensure the soil is well-draining to prevent root rot. Figs prefer a slightly acidic to neutral soil pH. A rich, loamy, well-draining soil is ideal. Fertilize in early spring with a balanced slow-release fertilizer, and again in mid-summer if growth appears slow. Pruning should be done in late winter or early spring to remove dead or crossing branches and to maintain an open structure for better air circulation and sunlight penetration. Keep an eye out for common fig pests like fig rust or spider mites, though the Olympian is generally a robust variety. Proper fig tree care will ensure years of delicious harvests from your purple fig fruit tree.

Size & Details

This Olympian Fig Tree live plant is typically supplied as a healthy specimen, approximately 1-2 feet tall at the time of shipment, and comes planted in a 5-gallon nursery pot. This size provides a robust start for your garden, allowing for quicker establishment and earlier fruiting. The tree has a moderate to fast growth rate and can reach a mature height and width of up to 10 feet by 10 feet, creating a beautiful and productive specimen in your landscape. It is shipped as a well-rooted, actively growing plant, ready for transplanting into your garden or a larger container. Expect the first breba crop to ripen as early as May, with the main crop following later in the season. This award-winning variety is known for its significant yields and consistent performance, making it a valuable addition for anyone looking to grow fig trees.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this Olympian Fig Tree get? A: The Olympian Fig Tree live plant can grow up to 10 feet tall and 10 feet wide at maturity, forming a substantial bush or small tree depending on how it’s pruned. Its size makes it suitable for both garden planting and large container growing.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: The Olympian Fig Tree is primarily an outdoor plant, especially due to its size and fruiting requirements. However, in very cold climates outside its hardiness zone, it can be grown in large containers and brought indoors during winter.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: For the best fruit production, this purple fig fruit tree requires full sun, which means at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. Adequate sunlight is crucial for fruit sweetness and overall plant health.
• Q: Is this fig tree easy to care for? A: Yes, the Olympian Fig Tree is considered relatively easy to care for, especially given its cold-hardy nature. Basic fig tree care involves proper watering, occasional fertilization, and annual pruning.
• Q: What condition will it arrive in? A: Your Olympian Fig Tree live plant will arrive as a healthy, actively growing specimen in a 5-gallon nursery pot, carefully packaged to ensure its safe journey. It will be ready for immediate planting or transplanting.
• Q: How long until it produces fruit? A: Fig trees can produce fruit quickly. Given that this is a 1-2 ft tall plant in a 5-gallon pot, you may see some fruit as early as the first or second year after planting, with significant harvests beginning in subsequent years. The breba crop ripens early, often in May.
• Q: What is the USDA hardiness zone for this fig tree? A: The Olympian Fig Tree is a truly cold hardy fig tree, established plants are hardy down to USDA Zone 6, and can even withstand temperatures to zero degrees once well-established. It will often return from the ground if frozen back.
• Q: Can I use the fruit for drying? A: Absolutely! The large, sweet fruit of the Olympian Fig Tree is excellent for drying, as well as for fresh eating, canning, and making preserves. Its flavor holds up well through various preservation methods.
• Q: Does it produce more than one crop per year? A: Yes, one of the great benefits of this variety is that it reliably produces two crops per year: an early breba crop and a main crop later in the season. This means more delicious figs for you to enjoy.
• Q: What kind of soil does it prefer? A: This fig tree prefers a rich, well-draining soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH. Good drainage is essential to prevent root issues, so amending heavy clay soils with organic matter is recommended.