We have discovered some of the best and rarest figs around! Most of our heirloom figs are propagated from dormant cuttings and grown on their own roots in 4″x4″x12″ containers or 1 gallon pots available for local pickup or shipped. They are between 1′-3′ tall. When available we do have some 3 and 5 Gallon pots THAT CAN NOT BE SHIPPED and must be picked up! Figs thrive and transplant to your site much better when they are grown in containers, rather than bareroot. It is essential to transplant figs when they are dormant. Figs are self-fertile and do not require a cross pollinator variety. The best figs are grown in the hottest locations. Give them plenty of sun! Figs do not require regular pruning, only occasionally to shape the tree. Figs have the lowest chilling requirements of all fruits and nuts, allowing them to be grown in very mild winter areas, as well as colder sites. Figs are one of the most drought tolerant of all fruit and nut trees. Irrigation is essential for the first 3-5 years, and then they can be dry farmed, however larger crops will be found on irrigated trees. The names of the figs are our best educated guess or named according to the location where we found them. All are recovered from 100+ year old trees that consistently produce the best figs we could find. Enjoy!
The following is a list of many of the Heirloom Figs we have re-discovered throughout the Gold Country region.
Brown Turkey Fig
Classic Brown Turkey Fig. It originated in France is is considered the most common fig. Large, dependable, delicious, classic Fig Flavor.
Found in Auburn California.
Donna’s Fig
This medium sized, extremely tasty, purple to dark purple fruit has yummy dark strawberry flesh. Great fresh, dries into one of the best dried figs. Leafs out late and misses most spring frosts, with a productive annual crop beginning in August through September at 3000′. Hardy, relatively small tree produces numerous shoots and can be trained as a large bush or small tree.
The grandmother trees is on the English Ranch in North Columbia, Nevada County, CA. North Columbia, elevation 3000′, was a bustling Gold Rush town on the San Juan Ridge, originally known as Columbia, Columbia Hill, or The Hill because of its proximity to Columbia Hill. Site of one of the biggest hydraulic gold mines, it started as a miners camp around 1851. When a Post Office was established in 1860, the word “North” was added in order to differentiate the settlement from Columbia, another gold rush town in Tuolumne County, CA
Fat Fig
No one knows what this fig is and THE MOTHER TREE WAS CUT DOWN!!!!!! 🙁 It is amazing and we may be the only organization offering this variety. and now that the mother has been chopped down, who knows. very sad.
This is the fattest fig we have found. Although yet an unidentified variety, it is an amazing fig that produces prolifically. It has heavy ribbing and a little Star of David at the calyx. When ripe the skin attains purple, blue and green colors. Gorgeous, delicious, strawberry flesh. Ripens in August at 2700′. A Gem! We may be the only group offering it.
The grandmother tree is a very old untended large and very productive specimen thriving in downtown Grass Valley, Nevada County, CA. at 2700′, a Gold Rush era, thriving, mining town which had many famous surface and hardrock mines including Empire Mine, now a state historic park. Empire was one of the richest hard rock mines in history. You can visit the museum today, an actual mine shaft, many Gillet trees, a rose garden -with some Gillet varieties, rock and glass greenhouse, stamp mill and an amazing house built by William Bourn, original owner of the mine. Bourn also built Filoli, a wonderful historic estate in San Mateo County, CA with many plants supplied by Felix Gillet of Barren Hill Nursery.
French Paillard Fig
This vigorous tree produces two crops per year. The first crop is small, in late June-July. The main crop in September-October is prolific. The fruit is violet-brown in the sun to greenish violet in the shade. The rich flesh is red, very juicy and of very good quality.
The mother tree is vigorously growing and producing on an 1890’s homestead at 2500’ on American Hill in Nevada City, about 1 mile from Gillet’s Barren Hill Nursery.
Grosse Marseillaise Fig
An heirloom variety from Marseille, France first described in 1700.
Marseillaise, though small, is reported to be one of the best figs for drying in Provence. It has probably been introduced into California; if so, records are lacking as to its distribution. The tree bears one main crop, maturing in September. The fruit has uniformly greenish yellow skin with succulent, sweet strawberry pulp. Great for drying and fresh use.
The mother tree is a very healthy 110+ year young specimen growing at 2800’ in a mixed Gillet homestead orchard in Camptonville, Yuba County, a vibrant mining town of the mid 1800’s, still populated with many Gillet trees. Camptonville was also the home of Lester Pelton, who in 1870 invented the Pelton wheel. Lester changed the course of human evolution by inventing the device for making hydroelectric power. Camptonville is a fascinating old mining camp, with many Gillet trees. We will be introducing more from this area in coming years.
Japanese Fig
This small to medium sized fig is light purple and packs dense, sweet, strawberry jam flesh with crunchy seeds. The mildly vigorous tree consistently produces every year. It’s first crop ripens in July and the second in September. Although, we haven’t positively identified this variety we’ve seen it advertised as ‘Japanese Figs’ but haven’t figured out why! It sure is a gem! Slow grower, dwarfish. smaller plant
The grandmother tree grows in beautiful Penn Valley just down the road from the famous Bridgeport Covered Bridge. The Covered Bridge measures 230′ long which makes it one of the longest single span wooden bridges left in America. It was built in 1862 and was part of the Virginia Turnpike Company Toll Road which made crossing the sometimes torrential river accessible for those servicing the mines and miners in the area.
Mission Fig
The World Famous Mission Fig is said to have been first planted in 1768 by Franciscan Missionaries in San Diego, and then all along the California coast. The popular giant deep purple figs have strawberry flavor and brownish flesh. Their sweet jam and figgy flavor is the main fig in ‘Fig Newtons’ The trees are very productive and drought tolerant once established. You can get two crops in warm climates.
The grandmother tree in Auburn is well over 100 years old. Auburn was one of the first foothill mining camps, and even after the miners moved on to more interesting gold fields, Auburn became a bustling town on the Gold Rush Trail. Its location, close to Sacramento and the corridor to Lake Tahoe made it a popular place to stay. There are many historic fruit and nut orchards in the Auburn and surrounding areas.
Golden Ram Fig
This prolific and excellent fig has green-white skin with luscious amber flesh, producing a medium size crop in late July followed by a huge crop in September to October at 2700′ elevation. The fruit is large, outstanding fresh and dried. The mother tree is huge, and receives no human care. This is a great fig!
The grandmother tree is on the old Ram Ranch, established in the mid 1800s, but no longer in existence. The tree is huge. Located outside of Camptonville, CA overlooking the North Fork of the Yuba River at 2700′, this large grandmother tree, with outspreading limbs was planted next to the old ranch house where it undoubtedly provided food for the family and ranch hands. The surrounding hillsides were covered in winegrape vines, providing an abundant supply of raw material for the on-ranch winery and still, and ultimately saloons along the Sierra Nevada. During Prohibition, the still was destroyed by the Feds and most of the vineyards were ripped out. This wise old tree, a hundred plus years later still remains, continuing to produce an abundance of wonderful food.
Saint Jean Fig
This very vigorous tree produces violet grey figs with strawberry pulp. Superb quality, with an excellent lingering flavor. This variety produces 2 crops yearly, a light crop in June and the major crop in late September through October. Mother tree produces at the hottest location of our current fig offerings.
The mother tree is a huge specimen, vigorously growing and producing on the original 1860’s homestead at Bridgeport at 750’ elevation in the South Yuba River State Park, near Penn Valley, Nevada County. This is the warmest location of all of our fig offerings.
Struckman’s Rock Fig
The delicious, dark red, berry flavored pulp has a thick jammy texture that is complemented with a pleasant slightly tangy background note. The skin can be medium thick. Produces only one crop which ripens throughout September at about 1400′ elevation.
This Monumental Fig Tree grows from a large pile of rocks on what used to be a very productive ranch in Indian Springs. In the later 1800s and early 1900’s, the ranch was owned and operated by the Struckmans, who raised and pastured 1400 acres of sheep, cattle and raised pigs and 30,000 turkeys a year! They irrigated at least 200 acres for pasture.
Violetta de Bordeaux Fig
Considered by some to be the finest fig, This Natural Dwarfing tree creates an abundance of Deep Purple Figs with deliciously sweet, rich, red strawberry/berry flavor pulp. Perfect acid/sweet balance. Medium Size.
France 1600’s
White Adriatic Fig
These pale green to pale yellow, medium to large size figs are also known as “white figs” for their light color. They have an unsurpassed, rich strawberry pulp with excellent flavor. Peels easily when ripe. Produces two crops yearly. Light first crop in late June through July, main crop in late September through October at the mother tree.
The mother tree is vigorously growing and producing on an 1890’s homestead at 2500’ on American Hill in Nevada City, about 1 mile from Gillet’s Barren Hill Nursery.