Cold Hardy Figs - Figs for zone 6

Chicago Hardy produces large crops of medium to small nearly black to brown or violet, pear shaped to turbinate figs with amber to strawberry flesh with a rich sweet flavor. Very similar to Brown Turkey. The eye is small minimizing spoilage. Hardy Chicago was found growing in the Chicago, Illinois area although it may have originated in Sicily, Italy. It has exceptional cold hardiness and is known to fruit in the same season even if frozen to the ground. Item# 9546.

This is a large to very large purple fig with good flavor. An heirloom fig that was brought to the US from Italy via Dr. Sam Monticello's grandmother. The soon to be Mrs. Decarlo was a 16 years old bride and on her way to meet her new husband. She wrapped the cuttings in newspaper to get them here as she traveled to the new world aboard ship. Dr. Monticello, a Lake Charles Master Gardener and retired physician, says that they have been grown in this area from the time his grandmother arrived here as well as in Kansas where part of their family migrated to. 

An impressively cold hardy fig producing medium-sized amber, brown to near burgundy colored fruit with rich sweet amber flesh. Letizia Fig is sometimes compared to Chicago Hardy with which it shares exceptional hardiness into zone 6 but the fruit may be slightly smaller. It is also known to produce a breba or early crop along with the typical main fruit crop. This is an heirloom Italian fig that was brought from the Marche region of Italy in the early 1900's by the family of Steve and Peg Castorani and was named in honor of Steve's mother Letizia. Steve's family has grown and fruited this plant in Hockessin, Delaware since about 1965 and Steve brought cuttings to their North Creek Nursery near Landenberg, Pennsylvania where it apparently has done well in a semi-protected 'hot garden'. Burpee suggested that they name it and propagate and it quickly sold out. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a well-drained, average moist, fertile soil for optimum vigor and fruit production. Protect young trees for the first few years especially in zones 8A and colder while they become established. Item# 12727

Violette De Bordeaux, the dark purple form of Bordeaux, produces medium sized purple fruit with dark purplish-red flesh. The tree is dwarf and compact making it suitable for containers and is one the more cold hardy varieties tolerating zone 6 winters. Violette De Bordeaux is considered to be the same as Negronne according to Dr. Ira Condit's Figs: A Monograph. Item# 11127