This fig tree and several others were covered with ice a couple months ago in the southern winter event. All have recovered and are flushing with new growth. I think the ice insulated them from the cold air. Varieties affected were Celeste, Brunswick white Marseille and green ischia. The water dripping from the roof flash froze on them.

I don't know that ice is a very good insulator as much as you have a pretty tough fig there. May very well have protected it from winds though....

How low did temps get?

We get our share of ice storms here. Our area lost half of it's canopy during an ice storm a few years ago due to breakage....On a larger tree its tremendously heavy as you could imagine...

I think mid teens. Local peach growers will sometimes turn on sprinklers and coat trees with ice to insulate for a dreaded late spring frost. I've known them to hire helicopters to hover over the orchard to keep the air mixed as well. Unfortunately, we have a freeze, upper 20's coming next week and all my trees have blushed and plums have bloomed.

With a possibly significant Nor'Easter projected for Tuesday/Wednesday of this coming week and temperatures forecast to hit low single digits in my area, it isn't looking good for swelling tree buds... Am hoping we don't loose a whole growing season on my apples, pears and other fruit tree's. Thank goodness, my chestnuts are all late risers and never get affected by crazy early spring weather... It's snowing right now and we are at the front end of dropping temps which have been in the low 60's and high 50's last few days. I know it is a huge pain but I feel much better about my figs shuffling pots than if I had the majority of them on ground and subject to Mother Nauture's whimsy...