I bought a "Chicago Hardy" in the spring of 2009. Although I've seen references to it dying to the ground in a cold winter and regrowing from its roots, after a very cold winter here in 6b/7a it wasn't even frostbitten.

This is a fast growing tree - from the 2' stick I purchased (2009) I now have a 10'+ tree (2011). I got a few figs off of it last summer, but this summer the amount more than doubled. The fruit is lightly sweet and can be picked when it is slightly (or very) soft - usually, the softer, the sweeter.

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I posted a picture of mine completely covered with 2 layers of bird-netting. When you are a Southern girl like I am and you love figs as much as I do, you don't want to share a single fig with critters. I guess I'm greedy. I live in Pleasant Grove, Utah and this past winter was it's first year so I made a pyramid out of 9 bales of straw and then fill the inside with loose straw. It worked perfectly!

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Here are some notes about overwintering this tree:

Fig Tree Care In Winter – Fig Tree Winter Protection And Storage

Allow the tree to lose its leaves. It will do this in the fall at the same time as other trees lose their leaves. While it is possible to bring your fig indoors to keep it alive all winter, it is not advisable to do so. The tree will want to go into dormancy and will look unhealthy all winter long. Once all of the leaves have fallen off the fig tree, place the tree in a cool, dry place. Often, people will place the tree in an attached garage, a basement or even closets indoors. Water your dormant fig tree once a month. Figs need very little water while dormant and overwatering during dormancy can actually kill the tree. In the early spring, you will see leaves begin to develop again. When the nighttime temperature stays consistently above 35 degrees F. (1 C.), you can place the fig tree back outside.

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