Black Mission Fig – Desert Horizon Nursery

Black Mission Fig

Ficus carica 'Mission'
Categories:
Fruit Trees  ·  
Deciduous Fruit
Light
Full sun
Water
Deeply irrigate the root zone, allowing the upper few inches of soil to dry between waterings. Water more frequently during summer heat and fruit development; reduce substantially in winter. Established trees tolerate some drought, but fruit quality suffers.
Size
15-30 ft tall × 15-30 ft wide
Habit
Upright tree – multi-trunk
Toxicity
Toxic if Ingested; Sap Irritant
Description
A productive fruit tree with large, lobed leaves and sweet, purple-black figs with strawberry-red flesh; well suited to Phoenix with adequate irrigation.
Bloom Time
Spring (flowers enclosed within the fruit)
Deciduous / Evergreen
Deciduous
Special Features
Heat Tolerant
Growth Rate
Moderate to fast
Growth Habit
Upright tree – multi-trunk
Mature Size
15-30 ft tall × 15-30 ft wide
Flower Color
None (flowers enclosed in fruit)
Foliage Color
Medium green
Landscape Use
Container / Patio, Edible / Orchard
Garden Style
Edible Garden
Soil
Alkaline Tolerant, Sandy / Rocky, Well-Drained
Companion Plants
Grape, Jujube, Pomegranate
Toxic if Ingested; Sap Irritant
Sap is a skin/eye irritant; foliage toxic to pets if ingested
Care Instructions

Light: Full sun, ideally 6–8 hours daily; young trees benefit from light afternoon shade during extreme Phoenix heat.

Water: Deeply irrigate the root zone, allowing the upper few inches of soil to dry between waterings. Water more frequently during summer heat and fruit development; reduce substantially in winter. Established trees tolerate some drought, but fruit quality suffers.

Soil: Well-drained loam preferred; tolerates sandy, clay, and moderately alkaline soils if drainage is adequate. Mulch the root zone, keeping mulch away from the trunk.

Mature size: 20–30 feet tall and wide if unpruned; can be maintained around 10–15 feet with regular pruning.

Bloom: Tiny flowers develop inside enclosed fig structures rather than appearing as visible blossoms. Often produces an early-summer crop on previous-year wood and a larger summer-to-fall crop on new growth.

Evergreen / deciduous: Deciduous.

Growth rate: Moderate to fast with adequate water and nutrients.