Focus Carica „Mission“ Winter Hardiness

[Bonsaiformeatheads]

Hello there,

I have recently started air layering a bigger branch off an edible fig tree (ficus carica “mission”) in my parents garden as they are looking to remove it this or the following year.

As it is right now it is frost hardy (garden tree, duh) - and has been growing vigorously for more than a decade. Information I could find was pretty contradictory when it came to the winter hardiness of these trees. Sometimes claiming they always need protection, others saying they should come indoors during winter.
Does anybody keep them in a similar climate to me (7b, sw Germany) outdoors? Do they need a dormancy period?

For clarity: my parents neighbours have a similarly big and vigorous tree - the ficus carica (no specific cultivar as far as I can tell) that is also completely frost hardy and pushes lots of new growth and fruit every spring. They behave comparable to our apple, pear and prunus trees - completely deciduous.

What’s your approach?

 

[rockm]

Ficus carica makes meh bonsai. Leaves tend to be too large branches gangly. Doesn’t change much. The cultivar you have is semi winter hardy here in the states bad winters (with temps below 20 f - -6 C) can kill them back sometimes to the ground. Without the protection of the ground roots ina container are more vulnerable to low temps. Storage in a sheltered spot like garage or mulched on the ground would probably be ok.

 

[Bonsaiformeatheads]

Thanks a lot for the quick reply!

I already figured it wouldn’t make the best bonsai but I like the gray bark and it’s good practice for a noob like me - getting my hands dirty and whatnot.

I guess I’ll try getting it through winter mulched in a box on my balcony - if it dies I’ll probably get to have another go before they decide to remove it.