fruit tree
Violette de Bordeaux fig
Violette de Bordeaux fig is a fruit tree noted for small dark fruit with intense berry flavor and compact tree. It grows in USDA zones 7a-10b, prefers full sun and loam and sandy soils, and it usually ripens in late summer.
Fit and caveats
Violette de Bordeaux is best presented as a high-flavor specialty fig rather than a first recommendation for every ZIP. It makes sense when the gardener can provide heat, drainage, and winter protection if needed.
Best fit
- Container growers who want a compact, dark, high-flavor fig.
- Warm, sunny sites with enough season to ripen fruit well.
- Gardeners who already understand fig winter protection and pruning.
Use caution
- Extension support in this pass is stronger for general fig culture than for this cultivar specifically.
- In short seasons, flavor reputation does not matter if fruit does not ripen before chill.
- Container plants need consistent water during fruit sizing.
Regional notes
- In colder zones, grow it where winter protection is realistic.
- In humid regions, keep the canopy open and harvest ripe fruit promptly.
- Treat it as a second fig after a proven local cultivar, not the only fig in a new planting.
Comparison note: Compared with Chicago Hardy, Violette de Bordeaux is more about eating quality and compact form than cold recovery. Compared with Brown Turkey, it is a specialty choice rather than the broad extension-backed default.
Photos
Primary photo is a cultivar-specific Violette de Bordeaux fig reference from Wikimedia Commons. Fruit color, crop timing, and growth habit can still vary by season, pruning, nursery stock, and site.
Photo sources: Photo by David J. Stang / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Harvest and uses
- Harvest window
- ripens in late summer
- Yield return
- 20-60 lb/plant/year
- First harvest
- 1-3 yrs
- Best for
- Fruit, Curb appeal & color
- Notable traits
- small dark fruit with intense berry flavor, compact tree
Spacing, yield, and timing
How far apart should you plant Violette de Bordeaux fig?
Plant Violette de Bordeaux fig at 8-15 ft apart. Adjust this starting point for trellises, hedges, rootstock, containers, pruning style, or local extension guidance.
How much does Violette de Bordeaux fig produce?
Violette de Bordeaux fig yield is modeled as 20-60 lb/plant/year. Treat that as a planning range, because weather, soil, watering, pruning, pests, and local pressure can change the real result.
How long does Violette de Bordeaux fig take to produce?
Violette de Bordeaux fig usually reaches first useful harvest or display in 1-3 yrs under suitable conditions.
How do you grow Violette de Bordeaux fig?
Grow Violette de Bordeaux fig in USDA zones 7a-10b with full light, loam, sandy soil, and low water. Use 8-15 ft apart for layout planning. Match the plant to drainage, heat, chill, and pest pressure before scaling up.
Can Violette de Bordeaux fig grow in a container?
Violette de Bordeaux fig can start with a container of about 25+ gal (good). Larger containers usually buffer heat and moisture swings better than the minimum.
- 10-year return
- 160-480 lb/10 yrs
- Full output
- 3-5 yrs
- Planting depth
- Keep the root flare at soil level; graft unions stay above grade.
- Productive life
- 15-30 yrs
- Difficulty
- 2/5
- Reliability
- 4/5
- Data quality
- Low profile, Low yield confidence
Yield varies most with climate, soil, rootstock, pruning, pest pressure, and wildlife.
Estimated Pound Return
Low yield confidence- Year 1
- 4-12 lb First-year estimate from the sourced curve.
- Year 5
- 20-60 lb
- Year 10
- 20-60 lb
- 10-year total
- 160-480 lb/10 yrs
Shaded band shows the sourced low-to-high pound-yield range. The line tracks the midpoint for quick comparison.
Method: direct pound yield from crop metric source. Annual crops assume one comparable planting per year; perennial crops ramp from first bearing to full production.
Planting, care, and risk checks
Checklist
8 itemsAffiliate links may earn a commission.
- View
Right-size container with drainage
Containers / Before plantingUse a container large enough for mature roots, with open drainage holes to prevent root rot.
- View
Expanding container potting mix
Containers / Before plantingUse a lighter container medium instead of dense garden soil in pots and grow bags.
- View
Bird netting
Protection / Before ripeningProtect ripening berries, grapes, cherries, figs, and other bird-attractive fruit.
- View
Tree trunk guard
Protection / After plantingProtect young trunks from mower damage, sunscald, rabbits, and rubbing injury.
- View
Frost blanket
Protection / Cold nightsExtend the season or protect tender plants during cold snaps.
- View
Fruit tree and berry fertilizer
Nutrition / After establishmentSupport fruiting wood, bloom, and recovery after establishment once soil needs are known.
- View
Soil test kit or lab mailer
Site prep / Before plantingCheck pH and baseline nutrients before adding amendments, especially for fruiting crops, native beds, and acid-loving plants.
- View
Digging spade or shovel
Tools / Planting dayOpen planting holes, loosen compacted soil, and shape beds for larger transplants.
Planting strategy
- Planting depth: Keep the root flare at soil level; graft unions stay above grade.
- Container minimum: 25+ gal (good). Use 25+ gal for mature container figs and plan winter protection in cold zones.
- Start with one plant when testing fit in a new bed or container.
- Plant more than one when harvest volume or pollination is the main goal.
Risk factors
- Deer pressure: Not rated. No deer-resistance category is assigned yet; treat browsing risk as local and variable.
- Black walnut: Mixed or uncertain. Use as a black walnut / juglone planning cue; tolerance varies by cultivar, soil, and distance from the tree.
- Match the site first: full light, loam, sandy soil, and low water.
- Use 8-15 ft apart as the first spacing model; adjust for hedges, trellises, containers, or local guidance.
- Plan around mature size: 6-15 ft H x 6-15 ft W.
- For harvest planning, treat "ripens in late summer" and 20-60 lb/plant/year as planning ranges, not guarantees.
- Quantitative data quality is low for this record; verify before buying or planting at scale.
Related planning guides
Variety comparisons
Compare Violette de Bordeaux fig with related varieties by spacing, yield or output, first production, and site fit.
Comparable plants
Sources and methodology
This guide combines hardiness range, light, soil, water, harvest timing, traits, supplier links, plant relationships, and quantitative planning metrics. Pairings are screened for practical garden fit.
Quantitative values use extension and botanical-reference ranges where available. For less-studied cultivars, similar crops fill gaps conservatively. Ranges are intentionally broad so the profile stays useful without pretending to be exact.
Planning sources: NC State Extension Gardener Plant ToolboxMissouri Botanical Garden Plant FinderUniversity of Maryland Extension - Planting a Tree or ShrubUniversity of Maryland Extension - Starting a Home Fruit GardenUniversity of Maryland Extension - Types of Containers for Growing Vegetables
Editorial sources: UF/IFAS Extension: The FigNC State Extension: Fig Culture in North CarolinaClemson Cooperative Extension: Figs, How to Grow and Care for Figs in South CarolinaVirginia Cooperative Extension: Backyard Figs in Virginia
Supplier search: Raintree Nursery. Search links are not paid placements unless explicitly marked; affiliate listings may earn a commission. Last reviewed: 2026-05-31.