The first of my three fig trees was this White Triana. Originating in Tuscany, this is a robust variety capable of growing 25 feet tall — which won’t quite be happening here, as I keep mine in a container. That said, I did just up-size it to a much larger home, prior to bringing it out of its winter dormancy.
I have never been quite sure of how winter hardy this variety is, so I treat it like a more tender variety. It typically lives on our back deck. Each fall, I leave it outside through November, when the gradual cooling and onset of frosts bring it into dormancy. It them goes into our (detached) garage for a spell. By late December or early January, when we seem prone to the coldest of our winters, it gets promoted to the basement. This is typically a dark environment with temperatures in the mid-50s, which is about perfect for keeping it dormant as long as necessary.
By late January I am normally getting antsy, so it comes upstairs into the dining room. This exposure to heat and light, like clockwork, wakes it up within one week. This photo was taken about 2-3 weeks after I brought it upstairs… As you can see it is a chirpy little thing, enthusiastically awakening after its winter nap.
