Pollinated seeds provide the characteristic nutty taste of dried figs. Figs require full sun all day to ripen palatable fruits. Trees become enormous, and will shade out anything growing beneath. Repeated pruning to control size causes loss of crop. The succulent trunk and branches are unusually sensitive to heat and sun damage, and should be whitewashed if particularly exposed.
Roots are greedy, traveling far beyond the tree canopy.
Figs are not a fruit tree for small places. The fine roots that invade garden beds, however, may be cut without loss to the tree. In coastal climates, grow in the warmest location, against a sunny wall or in a heat trap. For container grown plants, replace most of the soil in the tub every three years and keep the sides of the tub shaded to prevent overheating in sunlight. Young fig tees should be watered regularly until fully established.