Hello fellow Fig-Friends!

First off, I am new to this forum and altogether in the fig business. But I just love these things :) So, hello world!

Now to my issue:
I searched trough quite a few topics in this forum and also on the figs4fun varieties database but cannot seem to find a definitive info on how hardy the "Black Mission" fig really is.

I am planning to plant 2 fig trees close to my parents house in Germany, it is the south-western part of Germany and Google tells me it should be either 7a or 7b. 
I would like to plant the mission, since I would like to have some bigger (in fruit size) varieties, that are also faster growing. Another variety that meets conditions is "Desert King" with it's heavy breba crop.

I also have a Dalmatie potted and a Sultane and Michurinska-10 (Flroea) in ground already. Additionally I have some cuttings from Brunswick (Magnolia) which are already rooted and could also be used but I keep on reading that the fruits will rot if too much rain. One Brown Turkey is also potted at my Grandmothers house.

So is the Mission hardy enough or do I choose a different variety?

Thank you for your help!
Max

What does hardy mean to you?

To me hardy means that the fig variety ripens figs during the time allowed by my growing period (zone 6) and that the fig leaves can withstand a light frost and continue to ripen figs afterwards. 
This last point is not usually discussed it is important for in ground fig ripening since here in early October we tend to get a few patchy frosts and after that it gets nice until November or later.  So my cool climate in ground keeper figs (Dalmatie, Ciccio Nero, fico bianco, Bolzano Nero) are still ripening their last figs now while many of the other fig varieties lost their leaves and went to sleep.

Hey pino,

hardiness means that it will survive the winter (maybe because planted right at a house-wall and maybe somehow protected from the cold) grow fairly fast and produce at least a decent early breba crop when planted in ground.

That's why I choose Desert King as one of my desired candidates. 

From what I know the Mission Fig will produce a good breba crop quite early but I will most likely not be able to harvest a fully ripened main crop (which would be fine, since I have some smaller varieties which should do fine.)

Thanks for your help!
Max

Hi,
Welcome to the forum.
Did you find a source for "Black mission" in Europe ?
I never see that strain offered, neither do I see the "Desert King".
From memory, "Black Mission" is a long season fig.

There is one Source, search for Hortensis(.de).
However, he doesn't have the Black Mission anymore, so I would ask a friend of mine to bring it from the States to Germany next August.

You are from France I am guessing? We could order some cuttings together and share the shipping...

Max

It is later season. The Brebas are ripening in mid to end of July in my cool summer, and the main comes in through August and September depending on the year and quantity of each crop it can push to October. It does continue to ripen indoors under lights. This is in pot, so in ground it would push back further.

Black Mission is mid season in Southern California