In 2002, my wife and I were fortunate enough to buy a vacation house in Salvo (Zone 8) on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Next to the deck was a sad little one-foot tall Celeste fig tree under black plastic mulch but still overrun with grass and weeds. I have cleaned up around it, fertilized it, mulched it and nursed it. It is now about 10-12 feet tall and as far across and for the past several years it has rewarded me with good crops of thoroughly enjoyable figs :) In late August, Hurricane Irene hammered Salvo with saltwater sound flooding which reached five feet high at our house. When able to access the property two weeks later, the tree was covered with dried up and blackened leaves. Sadly, I began to think of what type of fig to replace it with. I made it back to the house this past weekend and the tree was covered with beautiful, hand-sized leaves. The tree came through the storm like a trooper.
I just wanted to let everyone know how tough fig trees can be!
Eric
NC, Zone 7