Best Early Season Figs
(Because Waiting Is Not One of My Personality Traits)
Let’s be honest…
Patience is a wonderful virtue.
I don’t have it.
If I plant a fig tree today, I’m already wondering where tomorrow’s harvest is.
That’s why I have a soft spot for early-season figs.
They wake up, get to work, and start producing fruit while some other varieties are still stretching and hitting the snooze button.
If you live in a region with a shorter growing season—or you’re simply impatient like me—these are the figs you want in your orchard.
What Is an Early Season Fig?
An early-season fig is simply a variety that ripens its fruit sooner than most others.
Why does that matter?
Because earlier harvests mean:
- More reliable crops in cooler climates
- Less risk of early fall frosts ruining your harvest
- Fresh figs sooner
- More time for additional fruit to ripen
Basically…
You get dessert before everyone else.
Winning.
Ronde de Bordeaux
If early-season figs had a gold medal…
Ronde de Bordeaux would probably already be wearing it.
This little powerhouse has earned a reputation for ripening remarkably early while producing outstanding berry-flavored fruit.
Why I Love It
- One of the earliest ripening varieties
- Incredible flavor
- Compact tree
- Excellent for shorter growing seasons
- Great container variety
If your summers aren’t especially long…
Start here.
Your future self will be eating figs while your neighbors are still waiting.
Hardy Chicago
Chicago Hardy doesn’t waste time.
It grows quickly, fruits on new wood, and often ripens early enough to beat the first fall frosts in many colder regions.
It’s one of the reasons this variety has become legendary among gardeners in northern climates.
Reliable is attractive.
Violette de Bordeaux
Another compact superstar.
Violette de Bordeaux produces rich, berry-flavored figs relatively early and fits beautifully into small gardens or containers.
Tiny tree.
Huge flavor.
Excellent timing.
I appreciate efficiency.
Celeste
Celeste has been making gardeners happy for generations.
Part of that success comes from its tendency to ripen relatively early while producing consistently sweet fruit.
It’s dependable.
Easy to grow.
And it usually doesn’t keep you waiting any longer than necessary.
Unlike my online plant orders.
Improved Celeste
Take everything people love about Celeste…
Then make it even better.
Improved Celeste often delivers larger fruit while maintaining the dependable, relatively early harvests that made the original famous.
More figs?
Don’t mind if I do.
LSU Purple
The LSU breeding program deserves a standing ovation.
LSU Purple grows vigorously and often produces an early, dependable crop that’s especially valuable in regions with unpredictable weather.
It’s one of those trees that simply gets on with the job.
Smith
Smith isn’t always the absolute earliest fig…
But it consistently ripens early enough to become a favorite in many parts of the South.
Its rich berry flavor makes the wait completely worthwhile.
Good things come to those who…
Actually plant good varieties.
Florea
If you’ve never heard of Florea, let me introduce you to one of the speediest figs around.
This variety is famous for ripening exceptionally early, making it an outstanding choice for gardeners with very short growing seasons.
Sometimes being first really matters.
Desert King
Desert King deserves a special mention because it often produces an excellent breba crop—fruit that develops on last year’s wood.
That means many gardeners enjoy delicious figs long before their main crop varieties are even thinking about ripening.
It’s basically the overachiever of the orchard.
Malta Black
Malta Black combines excellent flavor with relatively early ripening, making it a favorite among collectors who don’t enjoy waiting until the very end of summer.
Neither do I.
Life’s too short.
Eat the figs.
Why Early Matters
If you garden where autumn arrives early, timing becomes everything.
A late-ripening variety can be loaded with fruit…
Only to have frost show up like an uninvited party guest.
Early-season figs avoid much of that drama.
They finish the job before the weather starts making poor decisions.
Give Them Plenty of Sunshine
Even early varieties perform best with six to eight hours of direct sunlight every day.
More sunshine means stronger growth and faster ripening.
Your fig isn’t lazy.
It just runs on solar power.
Don’t Overfeed
Too much nitrogen encourages lots of beautiful leaves.
Know what leaves don’t taste like?
Figs.
Use balanced fertilization during active growth, then let the tree focus on ripening fruit instead of trying to become the world’s tallest shrub.
Harvest at the Right Time
Just because a fig ripens early doesn’t mean you should pick it early.
Wait until it’s:
- Soft
- Slightly drooping
- Fully swollen
- Easy to remove
- Producing little or no white latex
Patience…
I know.
I’m asking a lot.
But your taste buds will thank you.
My Early Season Dream Team
If I wanted fresh figs as soon as humanly possible, I’d plant:
- Ronde de Bordeaux
- Hardy Chicago
- Violette de Bordeaux
- Celeste
- Improved Celeste
- LSU Purple
- Florea
- Desert King
That collection gives you an incredible head start on fig season while offering a wide range of flavors and growing habits.
Final Thoughts from a Fig That Thinks Summer Should Start Earlier
Some gardeners enjoy waiting.
I enjoy eating figs.
Early-season varieties help you beat the weather, extend your harvest, and satisfy that little voice in your head that says,
“I wonder if they’re ripe yet…”
Now go plant one.
Then another.
Because the only thing better than an early harvest…
Is having enough figs that you stop counting.
I haven’t reached that point yet.
But I’m trying.