Desert King Additional Information

A San Pedro type fig originally introduced in 1930 in California. The fruit is large pyriform with deep green skin. The flesh is strawberry red. Sweet, delicious fresh or dried. Need[s] to be pollinated, 'Caprified ' to have good fruit set. [D]oes well in cool areas, even growing in coastal British Columbia. Commercially available in the USA but no known sources in Australia. (Australia) (021)

San Pedro type. Hardy, best adapted to cool areas such as the Pacific Northwest. (026) (026a)

Hardy, good for temperate climates such as the Pacific Northwest; crops once a year, in late July or early August; the fruit is green-skinned and pink-fleshed. (036)

Figs, although generally disease resistant, many varieties of fig need more heat than provided in western Washington. Desert King, Brown Turkey, Lattarula, Neveralla, Peter's Honey (or Italian Honey) are [some] early varieties that will ripen reliably. (038)

White fig (green-skinned) with strawberry colored flesh. Very productive and reliable. Ironically, excellent variety for the coast or other cool areas. Good for drying. Ripens one crop in late July. (057)

Dark green skinned fig with pink flesh. Matures in cool climates and can produce from root suckers when frozen back. Excellent quality, fresh or dried, (063)

Desert King is primo for the Portland area, as it is the most reliable breba producer. (937)

As of October 2008, I am happy to report some of the following results: To date the most productive variety is "Desert King" which comes as no surprise as it is known to be the best producer of Breba crop figs of any variety (per Ira Condit, 1955 Hilgardia where it is known as "King"). [Puget Sound] (092)

The 'Desert King' is really the fig of choice for San Francisco," says C. Todd Kennedy, fruit registrar with the Rare Fruit Growers and co-owner of the Arboreum Co., a nursery in Philo (Mendocino County) specializing in rare heirloom fruit. Fairly sweet fruit is produced by the tree, which in climates like San Francisco's could benefit from being situated along a fence (where it will not encroach on a neighbor) for its protection, or at another spot where a heat trap is created. Desert King' and the other cool-weather figs start to form fruit the year before, then enter autumn with a "breba" crop: marble-size fruit that overwinters, giving them a big head start for the following season's crop, Dolan explains. (1111)

Desert King
Additional Information
A San Pedro type fig originally introduced in 1930 in California. The fruit is large pyriform with deep green skin. The flesh is strawberry red. Sweet, delicious fresh or dried. Need[s] to be pollinated, 'Caprified ' to have good fruit set. [D]oes well in cool areas, even growing in coastal British Columbia. Commercially available in the USA but no known sources in Australia. (Australia) (021) San Pedro type. Hardy, best adapted to cool areas such as the Pacific Northwest. (026) (026a) Hardy, good for temperate climates such as the Pacific Northwest; crops once a year, in late July or early August; the fruit is green-skinned and pink-fleshed. (036) Figs, although generally disease resistant, many varieties of fig need more heat than provided in western Washington. Desert King, Brown Turkey, Lattarula, Neveralla, Peter's Honey (or Italian Honey) are [some] early varieties that will ripen reliably. (038) White fig (green-skinned) with strawberry colored flesh. Very productive and reliable. Ironically, excellent variety for the coast or other cool areas. Good for drying. Ripens one crop in late July. (057) Dark green skinned fig with pink flesh. Matures in cool climates and can produce from root suckers when frozen back. Excellent quality, fresh or dried, (063) Desert King is primo for the Portland area, as it is the most reliable breba producer. (937) As of October 2008, I am happy to report some of the following results: To date the most productive variety is "Desert King" which comes as no surprise as it is known to be the best producer of Breba crop figs of any variety (per Ira Condit, 1955 Hilgardia where it is known as "King"). [Puget Sound] (092) The 'Desert King' is really the fig of choice for San Francisco," says C. Todd Kennedy, fruit registrar with the Rare Fruit Growers and co-owner of the Arboreum Co., a nursery in Philo (Mendocino County) specializing in rare heirloom fruit. Fairly sweet fruit is produced by the tree, which in climates like San Francisco's could benefit from being situated along a fence (where it will not encroach on a neighbor) for its protection, or at another spot where a heat trap is created. Desert King' and the other cool-weather figs start to form fruit the year before, then enter autumn with a "breba" crop: marble-size fruit that overwinters, giving them a big head start for the following season's crop, Dolan explains. (1111)