black mission fig in SC

I bought a small black mission fig at a big box store, and I'm concerned that it may not be a good choice for SC. Can this fig thrive here in the southeast? BTW, can't find my receipt...

we only sold Brown Turkey figs at my previous job but I found the link below which says it is suited for SC....

http://www.tytyga.com/product/Mission+Black+Fig+Tree

Thanks, neighbor! I'm going to go ahead and plant it today. I just wonder why everybody seems to grow brown turkeys here in SC....

not sure but I can't wait to see how your's turns out!!! It was sooooo awesome to run into you yesterday!!! It really made my day!

It was great talking with you, too. Safe travels down to Fl :-)

I did a lot of research before choosing my fig trees donnacreation, and the Brown Turkey and one called "Celeste" came out head and shoulders above other varieties recommended for the low country. This was 20 years ago...don't know what the highly recommended varieties are for the low country today. Both my trees flourished, had figs on them the second year they were planted, I've had NO insect/disease problem on them, never pruned them...the most carefree trees I've ever planted. I even enjoy huge harvests of 50-60 figs/yr per tree. The squirrels, birds, racoons and other assorted wildlife get the other estimated 500-600 per tree. So I had smashing success with Brown Turkey (and Celeste). Those were the first fig trees I had ever tried to grow. That may be why Brown Turkey keeps getting recommended...it's immune to the level of skill/knowledge of the planter. At least mine was!

I also read that celeste was a good choice for SC - cold hardy to zone 7a. I planted one last month, along with the black mission. I'm always a little concerned when I find things at big box stores that I've never seen growing in SC. If the mission fig requires a spray regimen, I'm going to get rid of it As a child I remember climbing my great aunt's brown turkey fig tree - a massive specimen. My friends and I would gorge on them until our lips were irritated and chapped. Good times and a miracle that none of us ever fell.

I've found over the years donnacreation that it's ALWAYS wise to look at "big box" offerings very carefully! They continue to offer species (Lilacs, Peonies, Hostas, etc.), that really don't thrive here. Some varieties of all three of these WILL survive down here, but survive is all they do (except Hostas...the right varieties really THRIVE here, and I've heard that some Peonies will also...but it's slim pickings, and NOT the ones featured at the Big Box stores! I prefer to rely on the experts at places like Plants Delight, who've actually done the required (and documented) homework on these plants... I suspect it also works out financially wise too, although I've never done the analysis.

I agree, Stono. You can add raspberries to the list of big box store offerings that shouldn't be marketed here. There are some very good (and beautiful) area nurseries that grow zone appropriate plants at prices that are often cheaper than the big box retailers. Since I have a ground vole problem of biblical proportions, I do buy plants from big box retailers that I'm certain will thrive in my backyard so I can return them if/when they're destroyed. I've bought many beautiful and hard to find plants grown at Carolina Nurseries - just got a choisya sundance and chinese evergreen dogwood from them.