St. Anthony Fig Ficus carica 'Marseille'
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Ficus carica 'White Genoa'
- Phonetic Spelling
- FY-kus KAIR-ih-kuh
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Introduced from France, 'Marseille' is a deciduous shrub or small tree that was brought over to the US by Thomas Jefferson and is rumored to have been his favorite fig. This fig does well in the warm winters of the south, it will need protection in colder climates.
Plant it in full sun to partial shade in acidic to neutral, well-drained, moist soils. This fig has a vigorous shoot growth rate and fruit production. It produces on new wood so can be pruned back to maintain its shape in early spring. Its unassuming green-yellow colored fruit keeps the birds from noticing the fruit before you do.
It can be grown in a container, planted in a mixed border, courtyard, children's, cottage, or patio garden, or espaliered along a fence.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: It is generally free of insect pests and diseases.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Edibles, Bulbs, and Houseplants" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Ficus
- Species:
- carica
- Family:
- Moraceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Layering
- Stem Cutting
- Wildlife Value:
- Insects, wasps and birds eat the fruit
- Play Value:
- Edible fruit
- Wildlife Food Source
- Edibility:
- The medium-sized, round to oblate fruit has greenish-yellow to white skin with rose-colored flesh. It is small sweet and rich. Fair quality and works well fresh, dried or stewed.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 10 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 8 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Rounded
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Coarse
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- White
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- Round to pear-shaped, short-necked, green-yellow to almost white with a center of rose seedy flesh. Prolific producer with fruit ripening in late July and sometimes a second crop during a hot summer.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- The flowers are unisexual (self-fertile) and minute appearing in the summer. Borne in leaf axils within a hollow receptacle that enlarges to form the fruit.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Leathery
- Rough
- Smooth
- Soft
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Palmatifid
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The leathery green leaves palmately veined are large and thick. They are dark green and fuzzy on top and lighter green on the bottom. It is usually three to five sinuses lobed.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Smooth
- Bark Description:
- Silver gray smooth bark becomes more bumpy with age.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Bud Terminal:
- Only 1 terminal bud, larger than side buds
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Description:
- New leaves bud out in early spring.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Patio
- Small Space
- Vertical Spaces
- Landscape Theme:
- Children's Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Edible Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Attracts:
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Heat
- Salt
- Problems:
- Contact Dermatitis
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
