Alma Fig

Alma is one of the few named fig cultivars with fully documented modern parentage: it was developed by Texas A&M University’s Agricultural Experiment Service as a deliberate cross of the female selection Allison (also known as Vernino, a 100% Ficus carica variety) with the Hamma caprifig, a North African male with mixed F. carica and F. palmata ancestry. That cross makes Alma approximately 25% F. palmata — a documented genetic distinction from the majority of common figs in cultivation. Texas A&M introduced Alma in 1975, targeting a commercially viable processing fig suited to the heat and humidity of East Texas. The regional processing industry the program envisioned did not materialize, but the variety found a sustained home in Gulf Coast and mid-South home orchards. Its closed ostiole — a tight terminal eye that limits entry of souring organisms and beetles — was likely a secondary benefit of the particular parentage combination rather than a stated breeding objective, yet it became the trait most valued by growers in humid-summer conditions.

Alma performs best when you give it a warm, well-drained site with full sun “ at least 8 hours of direct sun daily (8–10 preferred for best fruiting) drives the sugar accumulation that defines its flavor. Figs set roots aggressively and will decline quickly in waterlogged soil; raised beds or sloped ground with fast-draining loam or sandy loam suits this species far better than a low-lying clay pocket. Soil pH between 6.0 and 7.5 keeps nutrients available; outside that range, iron and manganese tie up and foliage goes chlorotic.

In marginal warm-climate areas, growers can establish Alma against a south-facing wall or structure to absorb radiated heat and buffer hard late freezes, since roots typically survive even when stems freeze to the ground. Container culture is practical “ a 25-gallon or larger pot allows you to overwinter indoors in colder climates. Irrigation during fruit swell (mid-summer through harvest) directly influences fruit size and sweetness; consistent moisture prevents premature split and maximizes the 1.5–2 inch diameter Alma is known for.

USDA Hardiness Zone: 7-10
AHS Heat Zone: 6-11
Chill Hours: 200-400
Sun Requirements: Full Sun (8+ hours daily for best fruiting)
Soil pH: 6.0-7.5
Soil Type: Well-drained loam with organic matter; tolerates sandy and rocky soils if nematode-free
Soil Drainage: Well-drained
Water Requirements: Medium (1-1.5 inches per week during fruit development; established trees tolerate brief drought)
Drought Tolerance: High
Heat Tolerance: High
Plant Spacing: 10-20 ft apart
Container Suitability: Yes

Alma is a large, vigorous fig that reaches 15–30 feet tall and equally wide at maturity in the ground, making it one of the more expansive varieties in the common-type fig group. That vigor is useful: strong annual shoot growth renews fruiting wood, and the plant recovers quickly from winter dieback or hard pruning. The canopy is broad and dense, with the large, deeply lobed foliage typical of Ficus carica casting substantial summer shade.

For most home orchards, annual late-winter pruning keeps the plant at a manageable 8–12 feet and maximizes access to the main crop, which forms on current-season wood. Spacing plants 10–20 feet apart — on the wider end for ground culture, closer for a hedge or espalier — gives roots room without competition. The species' fleshy, lateral root system spreads wide and can lift shallow hardscaping, so site placement matters. In containers, root restriction naturally dwarfs the canopy without sacrificing fruit production.

Mature Height: 15-30 ft tall
Mature Spread: 15-30 ft wide
Growth Habit: Multi-stemmed shrub to small tree; rounded, spreading
Growth Rate: Moderate
Foliage Type: Deciduous
Food Forest Layer: Sub-canopy
Permaculture Role: Edible fruit producer; wildlife food (birds, mammals); deciduous shade in summer; suckers freely (manage for layering propagation)
Leaf Color: Green
Fall Foliage Color: Yellow
Thorns?: No
Attracts Wildlife: Birds and small mammals (ripe fruit); bees and wasps visit ripe split fruit for sugars
Life Span: 50-100 years

Alma is a common-type parthenocarpic fig, which means it sets a full main crop on current-season wood without any external pollination. No pollinator tree is needed in the landscape, no companion fig is required, and the Blastophaga fig wasp — necessary for Smyrna-type figs — plays no role in fruit development here. The fruit develops from unfertilized ovaries, a trait breeders specifically selected for in Texas A&M's improvement program.

This self-sufficiency makes Alma straightforward to site: a single plant in a container or a corner of the garden will fruit reliably year after year on its own. Flowering in figs is internal — the flower structure (syconium) is enclosed within what becomes the fruit — so there is nothing visible to time or coordinate with neighboring plants. Your sole job is to provide the warmth, drainage, and consistent moisture that pushes strong shoot growth each spring, since fruit load is directly tied to the vigor of that new wood.

Pollination Requirements: Self-fertile (parthenocarpic common-type fig) — sets fruit without pollination; no pollinizer or fig wasp needed.
Pollination Mechanism: Parthenocarpic (common-type cultivars set fruit without pollination)
Flower Color: Not applicable — tiny flowers enclosed inside the syconium, not externally visible
Ploidy: Diploid (2n=2x=26)

Alma produces 1.5–2 inch greenish-brown fruit with a tight closed eye — the ostiole at the fruit's base stays compressed at maturity rather than opening wide. That closure is not merely cosmetic: it physically limits the entry of souring yeasts, bacteria, and beetles that exploit the open cavities of many other Southern figs. Inside, the flesh is smooth and succulent, with a flavor profile described consistently as very sweet, making Alma an outstanding fresh-eating fig straight from the tree.

Harvest runs from mid-August through mid-September in a temperate climate, with fruit softening and deepening in color as it fully ripens. Pick when the neck droops slightly and the skin feels yielding to gentle pressure. For fresh use, Alma is best at room temperature the day of harvest; refrigeration dulls its sweetness. The very sweet flesh also dehydrates cleanly into concentrated fig chips or dries naturally on trays, and it makes excellent preserves. Container-grown plants ripen on the same calendar as in-ground specimens when kept consistently watered through summer.

Ripening Season: Late
Harvest Window: Mid Aug - Mid Sep
Fruit Size: 1.5-2 inch
Flavor: Very sweet
Fruit Color: Greenish brown
Fruit Texture: Smooth, succulent flesh
Bearing Habit: Main crop only (no breba); bears on current season's growth
Years to Bear: 1-3 years
Storage Life: 5-7 days refrigerated; 1-2 days at room temperature
Culinary Uses: Fresh; Preserves

Root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne spp.) — rated Susceptible — is Alma's most serious vulnerability, forming root galls that impair water and nutrient uptake. Before planting, choose a site with no nematode history, incorporate two to three inches of aged compost to build biological competition, and lay a deep hardwood-chip mulch to support beneficial nematode populations. Avoid soil disturbance near the root zone once established.

Fig rust (Cerotelium fici) and fig leaf blight (Pellicularia koleroga) both rate Moderately Susceptible. Prune for canopy airflow and rake fallen leaves promptly to reduce humidity — the primary driver of both pathogens in humid climates.

Fig mosaic virus (FMV) rates Moderately Resistant; Alma tolerates it without significant yield loss. Fig souring (yeast/bacterial complex) and dried-fruit beetle (Carpophilus hemipterus) both rate Moderately Susceptible — Alma's closed eye limits the entry points open-eye varieties leave exposed, a measurable structural advantage. African fig fly (Zaprionus indianus) and spotted wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) are both Moderately Susceptible; harvest every two to three days as fruit ripens and remove dropped fruit daily. Granulate ambrosia beetle (Xylosandrus crassiusculus) is moderately susceptible and targets stressed wood — consistent irrigation and avoiding spring pruning wounds reduce pressure.

Root-Knot Nematode: Susceptible
Fig Rust: Moderately Susceptible
Fig Leaf Blight: Moderately Susceptible
Fig Mosaic Virus: Moderately Resistant
Fig Souring: Moderately Susceptible
Dried Fruit Beetle: Moderately Susceptible
Granulate Ambrosia Beetle: Moderately Susceptible
African Fig Fly: Moderately Susceptible
Spotted Wing Drosophila: Moderately Susceptible

• Nematode Site Prep: Before planting, work two to three inches of finished compost into the bed to support beneficial nematode competition — Root-Knot Nematode is a significant threat and is nearly impossible to eradicate once established.
• Closed-Eye Harvest Window: Alma's tight ostiole is its natural defense against souring and dried-fruit beetles, but timing still matters — harvest every two to three days once fruit begins to soften; overripe figs split and souring accelerates quickly.
• Airflow Pruning: Open the canopy with annual late-winter cuts to remove crossing and inward-facing branches; improved airflow directly reduces fig rust and leaf blight pressure in humid summer conditions.
• Fly Trap Monitoring: Hang yellow sticky traps at fruit height from mid-July onward to catch early African fig fly and spotted wing drosophila pressure before populations build to damaging levels.
• Container Option for Cold Edges: Alma is reliably hardy in zones 7–10 in the ground; at the cold edge of its range, grow in a 25-gallon or larger container so you can move the plant to an unheated garage or basement when temperatures drop below 15°F.

Our 365-Day Plant Guarantee: We ensure that our plants are delivered to you alive and healthy. If your plant does not survive its first year, you're eligible for store credit under these conditions:

1. Your location falls within the appropriate USDA hardiness zone for the plant variety (refer to our hardiness zone map).
2. You maintain the roots' moisture and plant within three days of delivery, following the instructions in our Planting Guide.

If you're concerned about your plant's health, please consult our guide, How to Tell if Your Tree is Dead or Dormant. Remember, our plants are shipped in a dormant state and may leaf out at different times based on their species. To check for plant vital