Black Jack Fig

The figs traditionally grown in California were initially brought from the Middle East to the West Indies by Spanish & Portuguese missionaries. Franciscan missionaries brought it to Mexico & then to California - first mentioned at the Mission San Diego in 1769. It was then taken by the monks to the other Missions. The fig they disseminated is now known as the “Black Mission Fig” & 'Black Jack' is supposedly a seedling of 'Black Mission'. 'Black Mission' is BIG, but 'Black Jack' stays smaller & is better suited to pot culture where it can be kept to 6'. The figs are large & black with pink flesh. Very tasty, it produces well for me in Richmond.. The June crop is light (but oh, so tasty) & the main crop is in the Fall. Fig leaves are also very useful for wrapping foods for baking. Very good with salmon! SUNSET Zones 4-9, 12-24.

Large to very large dark purplish fruit with amber to strawberry colored flesh with good flavor is produced on a small spreading tree. Its smaller stature makes Black Jack a good choice for containers or in the ground. One limiting factor with Black Jack is that it is a Calmyrna fig and so it needs pollination by the wasps that are generally only found on the west coast and so it is not a good choice for the South or Southeastern portions of the US.Black Jack is a 'found' fig and is considered by many to be the same as California Brown Turkey. Fig trees do best where they get at least 8 hours of direct sun per day. Once well established they are fairly drought tolerant but extended dry periods can cause leaf and fruit drop as well as early dormancy. A deep organic mulch will help to alleviate extremes in moisture levels, reduce nematode issues, as well as to reduce competition from weeds.