i purchased a chicago hardy 5 months ago.the tiny twig i  received has thrived  in my kitchen and has produced 4 figs without ever being outdoors.

i cannot move it outdoors due to a 3 year drought with accompaning sandstorms. no non native tree could survive these sandstorms.

i have found that i really enjoy having a little tree in my kitchen and would like to add more. figs are really cute house plants.

can anyone suggest another variety that could grow and produce fruit in 6 hours of direct sun?

if necessary, i'll get  another chicago, but a different variety would be fun.

thank you for any ideas,

susie

fig tree should be able to be grown indoor. but the fruit quiality won't be as good. lot of sun and hot weather is needed for optimal taste.

thank you pete, but i was hoping for specific varieties that can grow in my kitchen,

sue

I've got a MVSB that is producing fruits in my room! The quality isn't very good though, but very pretty!

Hello Sue. Google Petite Negri

thanks, figsnme, but i googled mvsb with no results, outside of some school.
thanks newnandawg. petite negri looks like a contender as its shade tolerance is listed as fair, like chicago.
i haven't seen any varieties listed as good shade tolerance. 

Susie, I kinda doubt you will find one that actually likes the shade. As
far as I know they all like lots and lots of sun. Good luck.

Susie the fig that FigsnMe is referring to is Marseille Black VS (MBVS). Like others had said the taste won't be as good if grown in the house.
You could keep it in a pot outside and keep it watered. Then you will get more figs and the taste will improve dramaticly. Figs like it hot and when they are about to ripen the flavor will improve if kept on the dry side.

well, 6 hours of sun is the best i can do. outdoors, the sandstorms are unbelievable. visability can be less than 4 car lengths and the sand really hurts when it hits your skin. no way that a plastic greenhouse would survive.

i have no way of knowing what a good fig tastes like, as they haven't been available anyplace i've lived. the 4 my little tree gave me were nothing special, but they were the size of large grapes.

still, they are very cute houseplants.

What is your zone?  Sandstorms?  You must be in the desert somewhere.  Figs have good root systems, and are native to the Mediterranean.  Israel gows figs, and they have a lot of blowing sand.  I bet a fig could dig in and grow outside.
Suzi

well, suzi, i live in eastern new mexico, officially classsified as simi arid grass land. but 3 years of no rain has  killed all non native plant life. today, it's desert, tho winter temps can hit zero.

since people have mostly plowed up the native plants, in vast areas there is nothing to hold the sand down. if the drought had hit a few years earlier, i certainly wouldn't have moved here. it used to be green pastures and cattle and horses. quite pretty.

i appriciate all these nice replies,

susie

i suggest container culture. you can get over 100 figs off 3 yr old tree in 10 gal tub. figs love hot and dry. of course you will have to water them... sometimes 2-3 times a day. since winter is cold, keeping them in container will help you to move it indoor in winter.

if you are strictly looking for "look" more than figs, there are varieties that has some wonderful leaves such as Jolly Tiger, or Ice Crystal. but they are rare and expensive.

there are also varieties that are small in size like VdB.

sigh. i surrender. figs are going to be like jasmines. i couldn't stop at one, now i'm obsessed with having one of every cultivar known to man.

obviosly, i need both indoor and outdoor figs. i really can't have that many, as i only have 2 acres of sand to work with.

lemme tell you, it's great meeting such nice people.

susie

Could you make a fence or something out of wood that could help divert the sand in sandstorms?  It doesn't have to bee so tall that it blocks out the sun light, something like a wind break, maybe this could help keep some sand out?

DARN GOOD IDEA, CHIVAS. I'LL LOOK INTO SNOW FENCING.

THANX,

SUE

Welcome to the forum.  There are at least 2 others in NM near ABQ.  They probably don't have the sand storms as bad as you do, though.  Violette de Bordeaux is fairly easy to get and very tolerant of less than ideal conditions.  Its figs are great, too.

susieqz,
Welcome to the forum community.

Blackjack is a smaller, slow growing plant. I had one growing indoors all winter in an east facing window. Violet de Bordeaux (VDB) may be another good choice...

Chivas' idea is a good one, in NYC many fig trees are quite productive in their "micro climates" sandwiched between buildings and fences. You may be able to create your own micro climate with nothing more than a fence. I'm in a colder zone than NYC and plan on creating a few micro climates for some of the more tender in ground varieties.

We don't have sand but we do have cold...here is a picture of a fig tree (unknown-Alexlight) in its micro climate with lots of breba that survived the winter.

 thanks all. it finally occured to me to just contact our sponser and just have him send me whatever variety he has that would fit my needs best.

did you know that the contact button that should allow me to message him doesn't work?

sue

LUV YOU PEOPLE!