Are Fig Trees Self Pollinating?

Last updated: February 21, 2026

Fig trees are one of the most rewarding fruit trees a home gardener can grow — but their pollination system is genuinely unique in the plant world. Whether your fig tree will produce fruit on its own depends entirely on which type of fig you have.

The simple answer: most figs sold for home gardens are self-pollinating and will fruit without any help from you or another tree. But there’s a more fascinating story behind the different types, and understanding it will help you choose the right variety and get the most fruit from your tree.

The Four Types of Fig Trees Explained

Botanists classify fig varieties into four distinct types based on their pollination biology:

1. Common Figs (Self-Fertile)

This is what most home gardeners grow. Common figs produce fruit through a process called parthenocarpy — the fruit develops without fertilization. The female flowers inside the fig fruit are short-styled and don’t need wasp or wind pollination to set fruit. These trees will reliably produce even if they’re the only fig tree for miles.

Popular common fig varieties include:

• Brown Turkey — hardy, prolific, beginner-friendly
• Celeste — small, sweet fruit; very cold-hardy
• Chicago Hardy — one of the most cold-tolerant varieties
• Black Mission — classic California fig, large and flavorful
• Kadota — yellow-green fruit, great for fresh eating and canning

2. Caprifigs (Males — No Edible Fruit)

Caprifigs are the wild fig of the Mediterranean. They produce pollen but don’t make edible fruit for humans. Their main purpose is to harbor the fig wasp (Blastophaga psenes) and provide pollen. Without caprifigs, varieties that require cross-pollination cannot set fruit.

3. Smyrna Figs (Require Wasp Pollination)

Smyrna figs produce excellent, nutty-flavored fruit — but only when cross-pollinated by pollen from a caprifig carried by a fig wasp. Without this, the fruit drops before ripening. The famous Calimyrna fig (California’s version of Smyrna) requires this process. Commercial California growers place caprifig branches near Smyrna trees to ensure pollination.

4. San Pedro Figs

These are intermediate — they produce a first crop (breba) on old wood without pollination, but need cross-pollination for the main summer crop on new wood. King is a well-known San Pedro variety.

Do You Need Two Fig Trees?

For the vast majority of home gardeners: no. If you’re growing Brown Turkey, Celeste, Chicago Hardy, Black Mission, or any other common fig variety, your tree will fruit beautifully on its own.

You would only need a pollination partner (a caprifig) if you’re specifically growing a Smyrna variety like Calimyrna. These are rarely sold at retail nurseries outside of California’s Central Valley for exactly this reason.

Bottom line: When buying from a local nursery, you’ll almost certainly be getting a common fig — self-fertile by default. If in doubt, ask the nursery staff. A label that says “self-fruitful” or “self-fertile” confirms you’re getting a common fig.

How Fig Trees Actually Produce Fruit

The fig fruit itself isn’t really a fruit in the traditional sense — it’s an inverted flower structure called a syconium. The tiny flowers are on the inside, and in common figs, they develop into seeds and flesh without being fertilized. This is why you can slice a fresh fig and see the seeds inside — but the tree didn’t need a bee or wasp to produce them.

For Smyrna and caprifig types, the fig wasp enters through a tiny hole at the base (the ostiole), pollinates the flowers inside, and lays eggs. The wasp completes its life cycle inside the caprifig; in Smyrna figs, the wasp enters and pollinates but cannot complete its life cycle because the flowers are the wrong type.

Best Self-Fertile Fig Varieties for Home Gardens

Here are the top self-pollinating fig trees for different growing regions:

For Cold Climates (Zones 5–7)

• Chicago Hardy — survives temperatures down to -10°F with root protection
• Celeste (Sugar Fig) — small purple-bronze fruit, excellent flavor, very cold-hardy
• Hardy Chicago — technically same as Chicago Hardy but sourced from different nurseries

For Hot, Humid Climates (Zones 8–10)

• Brown Turkey — large, consistent producer; handles humidity better than most
• Black Mission — California classic; thrives in hot, dry or warm-humid areas
• LSU Purple — developed by Louisiana State University specifically for humid Gulf Coast conditions

For Container Growing (Any Zone)

• Petite Negra (Violette de Bordeaux) — stays compact, fruits in containers, excellent flavor
• Little Miss Figgy — dwarf variety bred for pots, self-fertile, produces full-size fruit

If you’re looking for fig trees to grow in your region, check out our guides: fig trees for Florida, fig trees for Louisiana, and fig trees for Alabama.

How to Get the Most Fruit from Your Fig Tree

Even self-fertile figs need the right conditions to produce a full harvest:

Sunlight

Figs need at least 6–8 hours of direct sun per day. Less than that and you’ll get a small harvest even from a healthy tree. South-facing walls and fences are ideal — they absorb heat and provide extra warmth that figs love.

Soil and Watering

Figs prefer well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0–6.5. They’re drought-tolerant once established, but consistent moisture during fruit development (late summer) dramatically improves yields. Don’t overwater — root rot is the most common fig killer.

Pruning

Prune figs in late winter while dormant. Remove dead or crossing branches and open up the center for airflow. Most fruit on common figs grows on the previous year’s wood (the “main crop”) and on old wood in spring (the “breba crop”).

Fertilizing

Figs don’t need heavy feeding. Too much nitrogen leads to lush foliage and few fruits. A light application of balanced fertilizer (10-10-10) in spring is sufficient. Established trees in reasonable soil often need no fertilizer at all.

Winter Protection

In zones 6–7, wrap the base of the tree in burlap or mulch heavily after the first frost. In zones 5 and colder, container growing with winter storage in a garage or basement is the most reliable method.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my fig tree flowering but not producing fruit?

If you have a common fig and it’s not producing fruit, the most likely causes are: insufficient sunlight (less than 6 hours/day), over-fertilizing with nitrogen, immature tree age (figs typically need 2–3 years to begin fruiting), or extreme heat during pollination. Cold drafts and frost damage to new growth can also abort developing fruit.

Do supermarket figs have viable seeds?

Commercially grown common figs have seeds, but those seeds are usually not viable because they were never fertilized. If you want to grow figs from seed, you’d need seeds from properly wasp-pollinated Smyrna figs — a much more complex process. Most home gardeners propagate figs from cuttings, which is easier and produces a fruiting tree sooner.

How long does it take a fig tree to bear fruit?

A tree grown from a cutting typically begins fruiting in 1–2 years. A tree grown from seed may take 3–5 years or longer. Trees purchased from a nursery are usually old enough to fruit in their first or second season, given good growing conditions.

Can I grow a fig tree indoors?

Yes — common figs can be grown as container plants and brought indoors during winter. They need a period of dormancy (a cool, dark garage works) and bright light when actively growing. Dwarf varieties like Petite Negra and Little Miss Figgy are specifically suited to indoor/container cultivation.