I recently saw a bunch of fig plants being sold at a local nursery. They had tiny leaves, none more than 1 1/2" long and most less than an inch. The plants sprawled along the ground like a vine with no branches growing upright.

I asked the staff if they got dark or light figs. They had no idea and went to the owner who said, "It's a Brown Turkey." So, does anyone know of a dwarf-leaved, creeping variant? If it's something good, I'll go get one. Thanks.

John

It's called Creeping Fig.  Google it. Note without the wasp it doesn't produce fruit and can ruin your masonry by climbing.  Invasive to a degree.

Ps, I am still laughing my ass off.  These jackasses at nurseries think everything is a freaking Brown Turkey.  It just goes to show you.... Never trust a nursery when it comes to figs.

Jason...

John was smart enough to ask.  What about the poor schmuck that buys the plant thinking it will become something that it will never be!

But, I think I remember reading about a hybrid between F. carica crossed  with F. pumila.  Its supposed to creep, and make long vines.  Maybe it is a Brown Turkey crossed with pumila.  Then you can hang yourself from the vines while eating crappy figs!

Frank

Imagine the poor guy who gets suckered into buying this thing?  6 years from now his house will be covered by it and wondering when the figs will be coming

Believe it or not, I do indeed know what a fruiting fig looks like. Before we all laugh ourselves silly, I will let you know that I did Google it. It is not what was shown as "Creeping Fig." I actually knew about that non-fruiting houseplant.

These plants were definitely fruiting figs, complete with the leaves we all see on our plants. I was told it gets a brown fruit. I thought perhaps it could be somewhat like the Weeping Black. That said, any other guesses?

P.S. - I knew that mentioning BT was like bait for Jason's venom. Say Brown Turkey and duck!

You can say Brown Turkey to me and I wll say, please take a pic of what they are selling. If it is the real thing, a ficus carica I am interested. I might ask you to purchase one for me!

U P D A T E .....

I knew I saw this plant listed somewhere.

This hybrid can be found listed in the WOODLANDERS INC. catalog, in the 'Rare Native and Exotic Plants' section.  It is called: "CLIMBING FIG" and is a cross between F. carica X F. pumila.  Figs from this hybrid are listed as edible...with one plant being named.

Frank

Aww c'mon guys, I hope you know I wasn't stabbing or biting here.  Don't mistake my unusual brevity for anger.  Frank, you're right about him asking (both here and at the nursery)

I may have to just buy one and get a photo. It doesn't have leaves like the Climbing Figs I looked up either. They look like the normal 3-5 lobed fig leaves on my trees. I just found it weird that the leaves were so small and that it was prostrate. They labelled it as "Dwarf Fig" for the sale. It cascaded over the edges of the pots in some.

And I know you were not biting (much). I know your passion with regard to BT, so it is often fun to set it up for you to knock down. :)

I really do want to find out what this strange fig is though. Might be a great find for $10.

A few years ago, I did see one F.carica; really, really weeping
down over its pot edges. This was while I was visiting a small local fig nursery.
I asked what it was; his answer: It is just a BT(!) and I do not
know why it is behaving so different from its (normal) mother tree (a possible mutation?).

I did buy some figs from him; but I kept thinking about his weeping BT fig.

After a while, I called him to request him making me a little one for me to buy.
His answer was: Too late! A guy from CT came here and made me a
$$$ offer that I could not refuse...

The next chapter to this fig mystery is yet to be written.  I can't find any photos of this plant.


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Now I have a request....Where can I buy a small plant of Ficus auriculata?  Caldwell Nursery has it listed, but they don't ship.

Thanks,
Frank

You can google it for more information and possible leads perhaps.
Also if your curious here a tid bit about it in this thead  .
http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/Another-Figs-World-Ficus-auriculata-Ficus-roxburghii-Elephant-ear-fig-tree-5737757

A search for "weeping" here or at GW FF will turn up pictures of fig with clear weeping nature.  May be what you are describing?

It's called the Ruth Bancroft

http://plantlust.com/plants/ficus-carica-x-pumila-ruth-bancroft/

Cistus Nursery had it back in 2006

Thanks, Martin...

Look for my PM.

Frank

I went back and bought one (photos pending). A few leaves were 2 1/2 inches, but no larger. As stated before, most were smaller. And they are densely placed up and down the horizontally-growing branches. It would make a great bonsai if it doesn't produce good fruit.

I spoke with the owner of the business. I commented that I thought this one was interesting, as I had not seen anything quite like it and let him know I had several varieties at home. He gave me a pacifying look like "Sure, you do." I doubt he knows there are more than one variety of fig, kind of like China might not exist because he has never been there.

He's a nice guy, but judging from previous conversations, I don't think he is the sharpest tack. I asked him if it was a dark or light fig. He said, "It's plum-colored" and called it "a Southern fig." OK, there are all colors of plums, so I asked again. He said it was purplish-brown. I'll have to see.

Here are some shots. It's a gallon pot. Sorry for the hazy view. It's super humid here today.

What a weirdo (tree and the dude). That is curious indeed (tree).  Looks like an awesome find.

No tag on it to tell you what it is definitely?

No tags. No idea of point of origin. Just about 6 or so pots sitting near the gate, priced to move. Looks alone made me bite.

It is a tissue culture plant, leaves look right for a BT. The one I got from Florida Hill Nursery last year looks pretty much identical as a year old plant.

how much was if if I may ask?

It was a tiny plant with one inch square or roots and I think it was around $5. I saw some for sale for $10 that were a little smaller than yours in half gallon pots.
 I am guessing about the leaves really, I ordered 3 BTs and one looks like that, while the other 2 have Brunswick leaves and red terminal buds, obviously the botched my order. All 3 grew in that spreading habit all last year. Complete with tons of shoots forming on the lateral branches.