Emerald Strawberry is a California-originated fig with striking character: green skin that conceals a light strawberry-hued flesh, delivering both a main crop and a secondary breba crop of semi-elongated figs. Cold hardy through Zone 7, this medium-sized variety thrives in full sun and ripens mid-season with substantial yields. The flavor balances considerable sweetness with subtle honey and berry notes, making it a standout choice for cooler climates where fig growing was once thought impossible.
Full Sun
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7-10
?in H x ?in W
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Moderate
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Green skin with a blushing strawberry-colored interior distinguishes this variety from typical dark figs, and the flavor profile combines genuine berry undertones with honeyed sweetness that deepens when fully ripe. The combination of cold hardiness down to Zone 7 and dual-crop production (main crop plus breba) means extended harvests rather than a brief window. Rain resistance and natural resistance to fruit splitting solve two of the most frustrating fig-growing problems, while the closed eye reduces insect entry and extends shelf life.
As an edible fig, Emerald Strawberry serves fresh eating where the strawberry-tinted flesh and balanced sweetness shine in their simplest form. The dual-crop system extends the fresh fig season, and the variety's rain resistance makes it reliable for regions where summer moisture threatens quality. The closed eye and natural split resistance allow the fruit to be handled and stored without the bruising that plagues some delicate fig varieties.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Harvest Emerald Strawberry figs when they reach full medium size and the skin color deepens from green toward a more mature tone. The flesh should yield slightly to gentle pressure, signaling peak ripeness and maximum sugar concentration. Both the main crop (ripening mid-season) and the secondary breba crop will signal harvest readiness through color development and the characteristic soft give of ripe figs. The closed eye and natural resistance to splitting mean these figs can stay on the tree slightly longer than open-eyed varieties without quality loss.
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“Emerald Strawberry originated in California, where it was catalogued as DFIC 48 and UCR 143-36 by researchers studying cold-hardy fig genetics. The variety emerged from deliberate breeding work to expand fig cultivation into regions previously considered too cold, breaking the assumption that figs belonged only in Mediterranean and warm Southern climates. Its development reflects California's horticultural innovation tradition: identifying and perfecting varieties that push crop boundaries northward.”