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Growing Inspiration
Inspiration for future Agardeni growing environments.
edibleFamily: MoraceaeGenus: Ficus-Edible
Cultivar
Chicago Hardy Fig
Ficus 'Chicago Hardy'
Cultivar: Chicago Hardy
Ficus carica 'Chicago Hardy' is celebrated for its ability to produce sweet, amber-fleshed fruit even in cooler climates. This productive fig variety features a vigorous growth habit and large, lobed leaves that provide a classic Mediterranean aesthetic. It is highly valued by home gardeners for its adaptability to both in-ground landscapes and large containers.
Chicago Hardy is a popular, cold-tolerant fig known for producing reliable harvests of sweet, dark brown fruit. It is an excellent choice for home orchards or large patio containers.
Marketplace packs coming soon
Current nursery inventory and 18 / 36 / 72 pricing will appear here when available.
Cultivar Story
Start with Inspiration. Grow Your Aspiration.
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Marketplace Plant
A realistic representation of the starter plants offered in 18, 36, and 72 plant quantities.
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Aspirational Garden
Grow your aspirational plan into an inspirational garden.
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Plant Detail
A closer look at the fruit, flower, foliage, or mature defining characteristics of this cultivar.
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Repotting / Start Growing
Begin with a starter plant and establish it in a larger pot using quality potting soil with beneficials and fertilizer.
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Start · Plan · Grow
Start with real plants. Plan with current marketplace availability. Grow your aspirational garden.
Cultivar Video
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Cultivar Video Coming Soon
See this cultivar from starter plant to aspirational garden.
Plant Profile
Grow Chicago Hardy Fig with confidence
Key growing information first, with the complete reviewed cultivar profile available when you want it.
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Sun
Full sun for optimal fruit production.
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Water
Consistent moisture during the growing season; allow the top inch of soil to dry between waterings. Mature plants are moderately drought tolerant.
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Mature size
8-15 feet tall and wide
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Hardiness
5-10
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Growth habit
upright, spreading, multi-stemmed shrub or small tree
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Plant type
fruiting tree
View Plant Data
Care, size, flowering, climate, soil, health, and additional reviewed data.
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View Plant Data
Care, size, flowering, climate, soil, health, and additional reviewed data.
Good to know
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Growing note
In regions with severe winters, provide winter protection or move containers to an unheated garage or shed once the plant goes dormant. Dieback is common in cold zones, but the plant typically regrows from the roots.
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Climate note
Tolerates cold down to zone 5 with protection; enjoys hot summers for fruit ripening.
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Flower / fruit
Produces sweet, brownish-purple figs with strawberry-red flesh. Typically fruits on new wood, allowing for harvest even if tips die back in winter.
Growing & Care
Everyday care, growth, feeding, and pruning guidance.
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Growing & Care
Everyday care, growth, feeding, and pruning guidance.
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Sun / light
Full sun for optimal fruit production.
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Growth rate
moderate to fast
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Fertilizer
Apply a balanced fertilizer in early spring as growth begins. Avoid excessive nitrogen, which promotes foliage over fruit.
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Pruning
Prune in late winter or early spring while dormant to maintain shape and encourage new growth. Remove dead or crossing branches.
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Care notes
In regions with severe winters, provide winter protection or move containers to an unheated garage or shed once the plant goes dormant. Dieback is common in cold zones, but the plant typically regrows from the roots.
Size & Habit
How the plant grows and the space it needs at maturity.
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Size & Habit
How the plant grows and the space it needs at maturity.
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Mature size
8-15 feet tall and wide
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Growth habit
upright, spreading, multi-stemmed shrub or small tree
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Spacing
10-15 feet apart
Flower / Fruit
Flowering, fruiting, pollination, bloom, and harvest behavior.
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Flower / Fruit
Flowering, fruiting, pollination, bloom, and harvest behavior.
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Flowering / fruiting
Produces sweet, brownish-purple figs with strawberry-red flesh. Typically fruits on new wood, allowing for harvest even if tips die back in winter.
Climate & Hardiness
Cold, heat, chill, and regional growing considerations.
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Climate & Hardiness
Cold, heat, chill, and regional growing considerations.
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Hardiness zones
5-10
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Temperature
Tolerates cold down to zone 5 with protection; enjoys hot summers for fruit ripening.
Soil & Water
Moisture, drainage, soil, and pH preferences.
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Soil & Water
Moisture, drainage, soil, and pH preferences.
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Watering
Consistent moisture during the growing season; allow the top inch of soil to dry between waterings. Mature plants are moderately drought tolerant.
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Soil
Well-draining, fertile soil rich in organic matter.
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Soil pH
6.0-7.5
More Plant Data
19 additional reviewed fields from this Plant.id.
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More Plant Data
19 additional reviewed fields from this Plant.id.
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Container Growing
Ideal for containers. Use a large pot with excellent drainage and a high-quality potting mix. Keep the plant well-fed and watered during the active growing season.
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Family
Moraceae
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Foliage Look
Deeply lobed, matte green, leathery leaves with prominent veins.
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Foliage Rules
Large, rough-textured, deeply lobed foliage. Distinctive hand-like shape.
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Fruit Flower Look
Small, pear-shaped, brownish-purple fruits hanging from leaf axils.
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Fruit Flower Rules
Fruit should not appear on juvenile starter plugs. Mature fruit is globose to pear-shaped with deep violet to brown skin.
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Growth Habit Rules
Should appear as a shrub-like tree with multiple stems. Avoid depicting as a single-trunk forest tree.
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Mature Plant Look
A full, rounded shrub-like tree with dense, lush foliage and visible ripening figs.
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Mature Stage Morphology
Large, palmate leaves with 3 to 5 lobes. Woody, gnarled bark on established stems. Produces solitary fruit in leaf axils.
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Morphology Rules
Maintain the iconic Mediterranean fig leaf silhouette. Ensure woody stems show typical fig-like bark characteristics as the plant ages.
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Plant Faqs
Does Chicago Hardy require pollination? No, this variety is self-fertile. Can I grow this in a pot? Yes, it thrives in large containers in full sun. When should I prune my fig tree? Prune in late winter while the plant is dormant.
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Root Look
Healthy white to light brown fibrous root mass filling the plug volume.
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Soil Look
Dark, moist, nutrient-rich potting soil or dark loamy ground soil.
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Starter Stage
Small, green-leaved starter plug with active root growth in a tray cell.
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Starter Stage Morphology
Young, deeply lobed, bright green leaves on flexible, herbaceous green stems.
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Video Voiceover Script
Welcome to Agardeni, where inspiration for gardening helps us imagine how and where we will grow Chicago Hardy Fig. This is Chicago Hardy Fig, available as 18, 36, and 72 plant starter trays through the Agardeni Marketplace. Let Chicago Hardy Fig become part of your aspirational plan, helping you imagine the future growing space you want to create. This variety is prized for its sweet, brownish-purple fruit with deep red flesh that ripens reliably even in cooler regions. Establish your starter plug by moving it into a four-inch pot with quality potting mix, then later move it to a final container or in-ground location. Find your inspiration with Agardeni. Explore real plants and real availability. Start. Plan. Grow.
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Youtube Tags
Chicago Hardy Fig Ficus carica Fig Tree Edible Garden Container Gardening Fruit Trees Home Orchard Agardeni Growing Figs
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Youtube Video Summary
Chicago Hardy is one of the most reliable and cold-tolerant fig varieties for home gardeners. This productive plant offers sweet, delicious fruit and fits perfectly into both in-ground landscapes and containers.
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Youtube Video Title
Growing Chicago Hardy Fig: A Reliable Fruiting Favorite
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Future Buyer Brand Sellers
Possible future seller options for 2.5-inch, 4-inch, and 1-gallon finished plants.