My mother bought a DK at the end of last summer and then went to Germany for a month.  When she got back, it had dropped all its leaves and looked completely dead.  It wasn't dormant leaf drop, it was bone dry.  She watered it to no avail, and it has been in her basement ever since, in a pile of stuff to be tossed out.
Anyways, I talked to her today, and she told me that she noticed today it has about a 6 inch long pale green shoot coming out of the top!

Any opinions?  Is it some sort of zombie undead fig tree?  Will it make it to the spring?  Sorry I don;'t have any pics, but anyone have any sort of similar experience?  Is there any hope?

She should water it and put it under lights or in a south window.  Some figs are incredibly drought resistant.  But it's probably putting out its last gasp here.

It sounds like it will put it in south facing window and moisten leaves etc it should live

The fig lives another day!

I agree, mist leaves, water and get into light asap. south faceing window for best wintertime sun light. or even a walmart speacial. (shop light and grow bulbs about 25 bucks)  also walmart sell a 2 foot under cabnet grow light for about 15. right not i have about 200 cuttings rooted and growing under these basic lights wonderfully. if you have a litt $$ to invest go with t-5 from home depot, but the wal mart lights will work just to sustain life until spring.

you guys cought a lucky break, dont waste it.

I have found fig trees to be very resilient.  Had what I thought was a failed air layer, and tossed it aside to be trashed at a later date.  Went back several weeks later to find green leaves shooting out all over. Go figure.

After all that time being dessicated, do think the roots are still viable? Are they still able to draw water up to the new growth at the top?

I honestly don't think it would have new growth if the roots weren't working at this point.

That must be why it's called "Desert" King.

Dave, I've posted on here before about that same thing. Had a fig that I thought had died and put the pot against a garage and just forgot about the whole summer. It never received water from me. It's only moisture was from rain but even then it only got wet when it really stormed because where it was situated. Anyhow after months it started to grow now I need to get it identified since I took the name tag off it. My old neighbor always use to say, if a plant dies always give it a year or so, just because the top dies it doesn't mean that it's dead. I've found that true a few times.