Here is a picture of my Black Jack fig. I actually started it from a scion I received from my friend about 3 years ago. This is the first year it really started to push out new growth and develop fruit, so I am excited. This is a smaller variety but can still get quite big. I plan to keep it small like hoovb so I can get to the fruit. Great book on how to do this is "Grow A Little Fruit Tree" by Ann Ralph or you could espalier it like I mentioned in your other post. Brown Turkey, Black Mission or Black Jack are all wonderful varieties that produce great tasting figs. I am in Livermore, if that helps :)

Black Jack. Maybe 15 years old.

nanelle_gw That is an impressive tree. Is that as big as it gets? I was thinking of putting in a Black Jack in small side yard.

Kerry in Sunset I am going to check out that book. It looks like you prune heavily? Or is that picture fro when it was younger?

hoovb That is a lush tree! Does it fruit twice like other figs? Do you also have to prune twice or just once? Does Brown Turkey taste significantly different from Black Mission/Black Jack? I just bought of these trees.

akaur007, I kept that one ( also had a Desert King), because it was supposed to stay small. I'm sure drought stunted it a bit, and I aggressively cut most branches I can't reach.

Picture was taken the same day I posted my response. My fig is still small b/c I started it from a cutting (meaning it had no roots, just buds which then turned into roots when I placed the buds below the soil line). I plan to prune mine so it stays about 6ft. Even though they are a smaller variety, Black Jack figs could get up to 15ft tall. Book recommends pruning twice a year. Light prune in winter, just to clean up any structural issues and again in late June which marks the midpoint in a fruit tree's annual growth cycle. This helps keep the tree small. Once you read the book, it will start to make more sense. Good luck!

Yes it fruits twice. I just prune it once in late winter when it is dormant. The fruit tastes really good. I'm not familiar with the taste of a home-grown Black Mission. Home grown always tastes better. If we have too many we make homemade fig bars. They are yummy.