Introduced from France, 'Marseille' is a deciduous shrub or small tree that was brought over to the US by Thomas Jefferson and is rumored to have been his favorite fig. This fig does well in the warm winters of the south, it will need protection in colder climates. Plant it in full sun to partial shade in acidic to neutral, well-drained, moist soils. This fig has a vigorous shoot growth rate and fruit production. It will grow 10 to 12 feet tall and 8 to 10 feet wide. It produces on new wood so can be pruned back to maintain its shape in early spring. Its unassuming green-yellow colored fruit keeps the birds from noticing the fruit before you do. It can be grown in a container, planted in a mixed border, courtyard, children's, cottage, or patio garden, or espaliered along a fence. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: It is generally free of insect pests and diseases. VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Edibles, Bulbs, and Houseplants," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens. More information on Ficus carica .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Fills a similar nicheFicus carica 'Brown Turkey'Lantana camaraLantana camara 'Miss Huff'
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
6-feet-12 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 10 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in. | Width: 8 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Multi-stemmed; Rounded; Spreading
Texture
Coarse
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Palmatifid
Leaf margin
Entire; Lobed
Leaf feel
Leathery; Rough; Smooth; Soft
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, 3-6 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
The leathery green leaves palmately veined are large and thick. They are dark green and fuzzy on top and lighter green on the bottom. It is usually three to five sinuses lobed.
Flower color
Green
Flower form
Insignificant
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
The flowers are unisexual (self-fertile) and minute appearing in the summer. Borne in leaf axils within a hollow receptacle that enlarges to form the fruit.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Gold/Yellow; Green; White
Fruit value
Edible
Fruit size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Fruit detail
Round to pear-shaped, short-necked, green-yellow to almost white with a center of rose seedy flesh. Prolific producer with fruit ripening in late July and sometimes a second crop during a hot summer.
Bark color
Light Gray
Bark detail
Silver gray smooth bark becomes more bumpy with age.
Stem color
Brown/Copper
Stem detail
New leaves bud out in early spring.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Wildlife value
Insects, wasps and birds eat the fruit
Attracts
Songbirds
Play value
Edible fruit; Wildlife Food Source
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Fruit
Harvest time
Summer
Edibility
The medium-sized, round to oblate fruit has greenish-yellow to white skin with rose-colored flesh. It is small sweet and rich. Fair quality and works well fresh, dried or stewed.
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Patio; Small Space; Vertical Spaces
Landscape theme
Children's Garden; Cottage Garden; Edible Garden
Design feature
Border
Garden tags
#deciduous #upright form #heat tolerant #mixed borders #drought tolerant #small tree #espalier #fast growing #hardy #edible fruits #problem for dogs #problem for horses #problem for cats #container plant #contact dermatitis #non-showy flowers #patio
Problems & Resistance
Problems
Contact Dermatitis; Problem for Cats; Problem for Dogs; Problem for Horses