I've spent a lot of time poking around in the dirt, but nothing quite beats the thrill of harvesting a ripe colonel littman's black cross fig right off the branch on a humid August afternoon. If you're a fig enthusiast, or even just someone who likes the idea of growing your own snacks, you've probably heard whispers about this specific variety in the various collector circles. It's not just another generic fruit tree you find at a big-box nursery; it's got a bit of a cult following, and honestly, it's earned it.
Most people start their fig journey with something like a Brown Turkey or a Chicago Hardy because they're easy to find. But once you get a taste for the more "gourmet" varieties, there's no turning back. That's usually when people start hunting for the colonel littman's black cross fig. It's one of those varieties that checks all the boxes: it's beautiful to look at, the flavor is top-tier, and it's surprisingly resilient if you treat it right.
The story behind the name
You might be wondering who Colonel Littman actually was. In the world of fig collecting, there are a few legendary figures who helped preserve and spread unique varieties, and the Colonel was definitely one of them. Based out of Florida, he had a massive collection and a real eye for quality. The "Black Cross" part of the name can be a little confusing for newcomers. It doesn't mean it's a literal cross-breed in the way some modern hybrids are; rather, it's part of a lineage of dark, high-quality figs that are often compared to the famous Black Madeira.
The big difference here is that while the original Black Madeira is notorious for being "fussy"—it grows slowly and can be a real pain to keep happy—the colonel littman's black cross fig is generally much more vigorous. It grows faster, handles humidity better, and doesn't seem to have as much of a "death wish" as some of the other ultra-premium varieties. For those of us who don't want to spend every waking hour worrying about our trees, that's a huge win.
What does it actually taste like?
Let's get down to the most important part: the flavor. If you're used to store-bought figs that are kind of dry and mildly sweet, this is going to be a total revelation. When you slice into a colonel littman's black cross fig, the first thing you notice is the color. The skin is a deep, dark purple—almost black—and the inside is a stunning, rich crimson. It looks like someone stuffed a spoonful of thick strawberry jam inside a fruit.
The taste is intense. It's got a very strong "berry" profile, which is what most fig collectors are looking for. It's not just sugary; it has a complex acidity that balances out the sweetness, making it taste more like a cooked preserve than a piece of raw fruit. The texture is syrupy and thick, especially if you let it hang on the tree until it starts to shrivel just a little bit. That's the secret, by the way—if you pick a fig too early, you're missing out on 80% of the experience. You want to wait until it's drooping on its neck and looks like it's about to give up on life. That's when the sugars are at their peak.
Tips for growing a healthy tree
You don't need a degree in botany to grow a colonel littman's black cross fig, but there are a few things that will make your life (and the tree's life) a lot easier. First off, these things love the sun. If you put it in a shady corner, it'll grow leaves, but you'll be disappointed when harvest time comes around. It needs at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight to really pump out those high-quality fruits.
Soil and drainage
Figs, in general, are pretty tough, but their one weakness is "wet feet." If you plant your colonel littman's black cross fig in a spot where water pools after a rainstorm, the roots are going to rot faster than you can say "harvest." If your soil is heavy clay, you're better off planting it in a raised bed or a large container.
A lot of collectors actually prefer growing these in pots. It gives you more control over the soil quality, and more importantly, it lets you move the tree if a freak frost is coming. A 10-to-15-gallon pot is usually plenty of space for a few years. Just make sure you use a well-draining potting mix—something with a lot of perlite or pine bark.
Dealing with the climate
Since this variety has its roots in Florida, it's actually pretty decent at handling humidity. This is a big deal because many high-end figs have an "open eye" (the little hole at the bottom of the fruit). When it's humid or rainy, moisture and bugs can get inside that hole and cause the fruit to sour or rot on the branch. The colonel littman's black cross fig tends to have a relatively tight eye, which acts as a natural defense mechanism against the elements.
Pruning for better fruit
It might feel a little mean to take a pair of shears to your tree, but pruning is essential if you want a good crop. Figs fruit on "new wood," meaning the branches that grow during the current season. By pruning the tree back in the late winter while it's dormant, you're encouraging it to send out a bunch of new, vigorous growth in the spring.
I usually go for a "bush" shape rather than a single-trunk tree. It keeps the fruit lower to the ground, which makes it way easier to pick. Plus, if you have a particularly brutal winter and the top of the tree dies back, a bush-shaped plant is more likely to send up new shoots from the roots.
The struggle with birds and pests
I'm going to be honest with you: you aren't the only one who thinks the colonel littman's black cross fig is delicious. Every bird, squirrel, and raccoon in a five-mile radius is going to be keeping an eye on your tree. There is nothing more heartbreaking than waiting weeks for a fig to ripen, only to walk out and find a single peck mark right in the middle of it.
Once the birds know the fruit is there, they won't stop. Many growers use organza bags—those little mesh bags you get at craft stores—to cover the individual fruits as they start to swell. It's a bit of a chore, but if you want to actually eat your harvest, it's worth the ten minutes of effort. It also helps keep those pesky dried fruit beetles away.
Why it's worth the effort
You might be thinking, "This sounds like a lot of work for some fruit." And yeah, maybe it is. But there's a reason people get "fig fever." There is a massive difference between the fruit you find at the grocery store and a colonel littman's black cross fig that you grew yourself. The store-bought ones are picked green so they don't mush during shipping, which means they never develop that deep, complex syrup.
When you grow your own, you're getting the real deal. You're getting that "honey drop" at the eye of the fig, the soft skin, and that flavor that honestly tastes more like a dessert than a piece of produce. Plus, there's something really satisfying about sharing a bowl of these with friends who have never had a real fig before. Their faces usually go from "Oh, thanks" to "Wait, what IS this?" after the first bite.
If you've got a sunny spot in your yard or even just a balcony with enough light, I can't recommend the colonel littman's black cross fig enough. It's a hardy, productive, and absolutely delicious variety that brings a little bit of that old Florida citrus-grove magic to your backyard. Just be prepared—once you start with one, you'll probably find yourself looking for more space to plant five more. It's a slippery slope, but at least it's a tasty one.