Fig, Cuyahoga

Ficus carica 'Cuyahoga'

Kent, Ohio’s +100yr old heirloom hardy fig! This is the family fig of Venice Café founder, Josephine Riccardi, and is one of the best tasting figs with a sweet jammy flavor. Figs may be grown in protected locations in Ohio (e.g., against south-facing walls, on mounds, warmer microclimates of the yard, etc…) and in USDA Zones 5-7, but plants will usually show significant die back during cold winters, if not protected. Stems that die back will resprout in late spring and will produce fruit in mid-late summer. Tree stems are hardy to 10 degrees Fahrenheit and the roots are hardy to 20 degrees below zero. When winter temperatures fall below 15°F, consider additional protection for outdoor plants (e.g., burlap, sheets or frames). In containers, plants need to be watered regularly during the growing season but reduce watering in fall. Containers must be brought indoors in winter and may be overwintered in cool, dark garages or basements. Productive and easy to grow, bearing delicious medium-size figs. Fruits are purplish-brown with a good sweet flavor, ripening from August until frost. Large green leaves create a tropical feel in the garden or landscape. Plants can grow 10 to 15 ft. tall and 9 to 12 ft. wide in a single season. Deer resistant.