How many chill hours does Brown Turkey need?

Brown Turkey needs 100 chill hours.

What hardiness zones suit Brown Turkey?

Brown Turkey grows in USDA zones 7–9.

Brown Turkey is self-fertile, though a pollination partner can improve cropping.

Fig variety

Also known as Improved Brown Turkey, Texas Everbearing

The short answer

Brown Turkey requires 100 chill hours^[1] and grows in USDA zones 7–9^[1]. It is self-fertile^[2].

Brown Turkey growing facts
Chill requirement	100 chill hours^[1] (nursery figure)
Hardiness	USDA zones 7–9^[1] (nursery figure)
Pollination	Self-fertile^[2]
Harvest window	August–November^[1]
Years to bearing	Not published
Appearance	Medium, bronze-skinned; larger than Celeste with an open eye^[2]

Brown Turkey figSpecies illustration — no historical watercolor exists for this cultivar

Common fig — parthenocarpic; sets fruit without pollination or a pollinizer.^[2]
Main crop ripens after Celeste; may also produce a small early breba crop.^[3]
Open (not tightly closed) eye makes fruit more prone to splitting and souring than closed-eye figs.^[3]
Bears figs on current-season growth, so it can still crop after being frozen back.^[2]

When the work happens for a fig in USDA zone 8, anchored to typical frost dates.

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How many chill hours does Brown Turkey need?: Brown Turkey needs 100 chill hours.
What hardiness zones suit Brown Turkey?: Brown Turkey grows in USDA zones 7–9.
Is Brown Turkey self-pollinating?: Brown Turkey is self-fertile, though a pollination partner can improve cropping.

[1] Dave Wilson Nursery. Improved Brown Turkey Fig — DWN Variety Finder — accessed July 2026
[2] University of Georgia Extension (CAES). Home Garden Figs (Circular 945) — accessed July 2026
[3] LSU AgCenter. When Picking a Fig Variety, You Have Choices (M. Ferguson) — accessed July 2026