Desert King Fig Tree

Desert King is a named common fig selection of *Ficus carica*, grown for a large early breba crop carried on the previous season’s wood. The green-skinned fruit ripens in summer, and a mature tree can become broad and multi-stemmed, so allow room for its canopy ([Monrovia](https://www.monrovia.com/desert-king-fig.html), [WSU Extension Master Gardener](https://wpcdn.web.wsu.edu/extension/uploads/sites/57/2024/10/The-Fig-Tree-A-Horticultural-Challenge.pdf)). ## Siting and fruiting Choose a sunny site and water deeply when the soil dries. Water regularly during the first growing season while roots establish, then reduce watering frequency. Desert King is valued for its early breba crop in climates where summer heat may be limited; a second fall crop may form in warmer regions. Fruit forms on mature wood, so winter care affects the following season’s harvest. ## Maintenance Prune lightly in late winter and avoid removing much of the previous year’s growth, which carries the early crop. Monrovia lists a mature size of 15–25 feet tall and wide; the tree can be kept smaller with careful pruning, but space should be planned for its natural spread.