'Brown Turkey' Fig Trees

• Variety: Brown Turkey, the most reliable Fig for growing outdoors in Britain
• Latin name: Ficus carica 'Brown Turkey'
• Sold as: Pot-grown, in 9cm (P9), 3 litre and 7 litre pots
• Fruit: Up to 10cm long, green at first and purplish when ripe
• Pollination: Self-fertile. Figs set fruit here without pollination
• Picking: August and September
• Mature size: 2.5 to 4m tall and wide, less with its roots restricted
• Time to full size: 10 to 20 years
• Position: Full sun, sheltered. Best trained on a warm wall
• Soil: Well-drained, chalk included
• Pots: Good in a large pot, and better for it
• Hardiness: H4, hardy to about -10°C
• RHS AGM: Yes (1993)
• Delivered: Pot-grown, all year when in stock. Collection from Castle Cary also available

Brown Turkey is the Fig for a British garden: a large, deciduous shrub with bold, lobed leaves and fruit up to 10cm long that ripens from green to purplish in August and September. It is self-fertile, it is the only Fig with the RHS Award of Garden Merit, and it crops best on a warm wall or in a large pot.

'Brown Turkey' Fig Trees

Brown Turkey fig trees are the best figs for growing outside in the UK. It crops heavily every year, almost without fail, in a nice sunny spot.

If you don't have space for a full size fig tree, never fear, Little Miss Figgy is here.
Browse our full range of fruit trees.

All varieties of Ficus carica are fully self-fertile, so you only need one Brown Turkey to keep a family happy.

Growing Brown Turkey Figs

Figs need special attention to crop well. If you think it needs more than you can give, then a medlar or quince might be a better choice for something exotic.

If you plant a fig tree into the ground without taking precautions, you will quickly realise just how big fruiting figs can grow. In the wild they can be very large trees indeed. So, here is what you do:

The principle is similar to Bonsai, where a small container restricts the size of the tree. In the case of figs, restricting the food supply limits the size of the tree while allowing fruit to form naturally. So, if planting in the garden, preparation is all important. Dig a hole no more than 60cm long x 60cm wide x 75 cm deep. Line the walls with material that roots cannot penetrate. Paving slabs are often used, or the thick plastic damp proof membrane used by builders when casting concrete floors. Put a layer of at least 20-25cm rubble or hardcore in the bottom of the hole and then fill with ordinary garden soil. Plant the fig in this.

If you want to put your fig in a container, choose one of a similar size to the hole outlined above and make sure it's sturdy.

As long as you follow the rules above, figs can be grown freestanding as a low bush or larger standard tree, but they're more generally grown trained in a fan shape against a wall or fence.

Brown Turkey is tremendously vigorous and requires pruning every year. Figs crop on last year's wood, which means they should be treated like summer fruiting raspberries. Any wood that has fruited is cut out and older structural branches can be removed without fear of hurting the plant. In spring, it's a good idea to cut out crossing branches and suckers. Depending on growth, sometime in the summer cut back new growths to 5-6 leaves to encourage fruit formation the following year. Before winter sets in remove any large fruits that have not ripened. However, leave the little marble sized figlets for the following year. Always leave 5cm (2in) long stubs when removing any branches.

How to Harvest figs in the UK

Planting Companions

For a pale, honeyed Fig beside this dark one, plant White Marseilles against the same warm wall. Aprimira Miracot wants the same sun and shelter, and will also live in a pot. When the crop comes, our Fig jam recipe was written for Brown Turkey. See all our exotic and wild fruit trees.

Why Buy Your Fig Tree from Ashridge?

Ashridge has sold plants since 1949 and is a Which? Best Plant Supplier 2025. Your Brown Turkey Fig comes pot-grown, in a choice of three pot sizes, so you can plant it in any month. A potted plant delivered leafless between November and March is guaranteed for 12 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you grow Figs outdoors in the UK?

Yes. Brown Turkey is rated H4, hardy to about -10°C. The fruit is the tender part, so in a cold garden give it a warm wall, or a pot you can move under cover.

Do you need two Fig trees?

No. Figs set fruit here without pollination, so one Brown Turkey crops alone.

When do Figs ripen?

In August and into September, from the small Figs that sat on the tree through winter. The RHS says there is usually one crop a year, and sometimes two in a hot summer or under glass.

Can you grow Brown Turkey in a pot?

Yes, and it fruits better for it: a Fig with its roots confined makes fewer leaves and more fruit. Start with a pot about 45cm across and repot every couple of years.

How big does it grow?

The RHS gives it 2.5 to 4 metres tall and wide in 10 to 20 years. With the roots restricted, against a wall or in a pot, you decide the size.

How do you protect a Fig in winter?

Cover the branch tips with fleece or straw, because the pea-sized Figs there are next summer's crop. Move a potted tree into a shed or cold greenhouse.

When are the trees delivered?

All year. The trees are pot-grown, so they can be delivered and planted in any month when you find them in stock.