Black Mission Fig

The Black Mission Fig is a timeless and high-performing fig variety, known for its dark purple skin, deep red flesh, and rich, honeyed flavor. Originally brought to the Americas by Spanish missionaries in the 1700s, this cultivar has stood the test of time for a reason: it’s incredibly productive, adaptable, and delicious.

Whether you’re selling fresh figs, drying them, or adding fruit trees to a warm-climate landscape, Black Mission is a reliable favorite with broad appeal.

🌿 Tree Growth

• Medium-sized deciduous tree, reaching 10–25 ft depending on pruning

• Compact growth makes it perfect for backyards, orchards, or containers

• Responds well to pruning; ideal for espalier, low branching, or patio use

• Begins fruiting 1–2 years after planting

• Prefers full sun and moderately fertile, well-drained soil

🍓 Fruit Description

• Medium to large figs with dark purple-black skin and deep ruby-red pulp

• Flavor is rich, sweet, and jammy with notes of honey, berry, and molasses

• Eaten fresh, dried, or cooked — also a favorite for charcuterie, jams, and desserts

• Yields two crops per year in warm zones: early breba crop and a main crop in late summer

• Soft, thin skin with minimal cracking when harvested at peak ripeness

❄️ Cold Tolerance

• USDA Zones 7b–11

• Cold-hardy when dormant; can handle short freezes into the low 20s°F

• In colder zones, treat as a dieback shrub or overwinter in containers

📅 Harvest Season

• Breba crop: Early summer (on old wood)

• Main crop: Late summer to early fall (on new growth)

• Best flavor when allowed to ripen fully on the tree

💼 Ideal For

• Backyard growers, home orchards, and edible landscapes

• Farmer’s markets, fresh fruit resellers, fig lovers

• Urban farms and container growing in zone 8 and up

• Gourmet kitchens, farm-to-table chefs, and small-batch preserve makers

🔒 Zill High Performance Notes

Our Black Mission fig trees are field-grown and well-rooted, selected for strong lateral branching, fast establishment, and early production. We offer vigorous starts that adapt well to pruning and quickly deliver fruit in a wide range of climates.