Early Ripening Fig Trees for Sale
Thousands of fig varieties exist, each with different ripening times. If your season is short or your summers are mild, start with these early ripeners.
Early Ripening Fig Trees for Short Seasons
Ripening time is mostly genetic, so choosing an early variety is the easiest way to get ripe figs before frost. I grow near Philadelphia with about 180 frost-free days. If you have about that many or fewer, early varieties should make up most of your trees.
How I Define "Early"
Here, the first main crop figs ripen around August 1 without any head start. Pea-sized figs that show up around May 25 ripen about 70 days later.
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Early: about 65–75 days from fruit set to ripe
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Mid-season: about 75–85 days
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Late: 90–150 days
Heat speeds ripening, and figs ripen best when temperatures average around 78°F. In places with mild summers, like the Pacific Northwest or the UK, even early figs can take 90–100 days.
My Philadelphia-Area Fig Calendar
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Last frost: about May 1
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Brebas: from about July 1
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Early main crop: about August 1
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Mid-season: about August 15
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Late: about September 1, and very late about September 15
The main crop needs roughly 150 frost-free days. A breba crop needs about 120, and every breba producer is early by default. My fig tree timeline covers the whole year, and how to ripen figs earlier shows how to get a head start.
Where I'd Start
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Ronde de Bordeaux, Pastiliere and Celeste: three of the benchmarks other early figs are measured against.
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Campaniere: very early, with exceptional eating quality.
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Verdolino: a very early fig with a short hang time, made for humid, cold areas.
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Little Ruby: a true dwarf that's one of my favorites for its reliably short hang time.
For the full list and more tips, read my guide to early fig varieties, or browse my notes on each variety in my fig variety directory.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a fig variety early ripening?
Its genetics. Early varieties ripen about 65–75 days after the small figs set, mid-season varieties take about 75–85 days, and late varieties need 90–150 days. Near Philadelphia, the first early main crop figs ripen around August 1.
How many frost-free days does a fig tree need?
The main crop needs roughly 150 frost-free days, and a breba crop needs about 120. If you have about 180 frost-free days or less, I'd call that a short season and choose early varieties.
When do figs ripen in the Philadelphia area?
With a last frost around May 1, brebas start around July 1, early main crop figs around August 1, mid-season around August 15, late around September 1, and very late around September 15.
Do early figs ripen early everywhere?
No. Heat speeds ripening, and figs ripen best when temperatures average around 78°F. In mild-summer climates like the Pacific Northwest or the UK, even early figs can take 90–100 days instead of 65–75.
Are breba figs early?
Yes. Every breba producer is early by default, because the breba crop ripens 30–45 days before the main crop.
Which early fig tree should I start with?
Ronde de Bordeaux, Pastiliere and Celeste are benchmarks that other early figs are measured against. Campaniere and Verdolino are excellent very early choices, too.
Every variety on this page (Early Ripening Fig Trees): Aaron’s Unk · Allix · Barbillone · Becane · Black Celeste · Black Mission · Blava (Flor) · Brianzolo Rosso · Brooklyn White · Campaniere · Castel Trosino (Mario’s #48) · Castello · Celeste · Chios Yellow · Constans · Constantine d’Algerie · Corio Provence · Dall’Oso · Dalmatie / Stella · Dattero · Dauphine · De Tres Esplets · Demos Unk · Desert King · English Brown Turkey / Olympian · Fico San Pietro Nero · Fignomenal · Filacciano Bianco / Norman’s Yellow · Florea / Michurinska 10 · Golden Rainbow / Yellow Long Neck / Long Yellow · Green Michurinska · Grise de St. Jean · Hardy Chicago · Hative d’Argenteuil · Hunt · ICON (Improved Celeste O’Rourke Not) · Improved Celeste · Iranian Candy · Iride · Izmir Beyaz Incir · Kadota / Dottato / Peter’s Honey · La Magdeleine · Little Ruby · Longue d’Aout · LSU Champagne · LSU Hollier · LSU O’Rourke · LSU Purple · LSU Tiger · Marseillaise · Montalcino Rosso · Moro de Caneva / Figo Moro da Caneva · Moscatel Preto · Nerucciolo d’Elba · Nin ZS · Noire de Bellone / Barnissotte · Osborne Prolific / Godfather · Paradiso (Siro) · Pastiliere · Pel de Bou · Pernette Noire · Rancho Asoleado · Rome Unk · Ronde de Bordeaux · Rosa Esmeralda · Rosso di Goni · Salam Piacentino · San Biagio · San Pietro Bianca di Carmignano · Smith / Texas BA-1 · Sorrento · Squeglia (Mario’s #9) · St. Martin · Sucrette / Cul Noir · Sultane · Teramo · Torbole / Verte e Arte / Fico Lungo di Portogallo · Tre Volte Nero · UCD Mini · Unk Blackberry · Unk Pastiliere · Vagabond · Val Camonica Long Green / Verdino Valsessia · Verdal Negra · Verdino del Nord / Figoin · Verdolino · Violette de Bordeaux · White Marseilles · White Triana