Hello! We have had a full grown mature fig tree in our backyard (Southern California) for many years (10+). It produces figs every year but they are either hollow on the inside or dried out. We're not sure what is going on or how to get the tree to produce edible figs. Thank you!!

What variety is your fig?

Do you water it? The #1 reason for dry figs is insufficient irrigation, and the bummer part is that by the time they've developed, it's too late to correct for that growing season. In your climate they probably can't rely on rainfall alone. Could be something else...here is good overview of possible causes.

https://allaboutfigs.com/my-fi...

My thought also on the dry figs, they need more water or they are a caprifigs. And caprifigs are hollow inside.

Caprifigs are used as the pollinators for Smyrna figs (think dried figs) and often grow wild in California. Do you know what kind of fig you are growing? Was it a volunteer?

@Henderman @NMoasis @Lucy68

Thank you for your responses! I actually do not know the variety of fig tree as it was planted and already a mature tree when we moved to the property. I do know that it looses all its leaves during winter season and is currently bare with long curves spindles that shoot upward as branches (if this helps to identify it)

It's also planted next to a magnolia tree and my thought after reading the sent web link is that it could be stressed by the magnolia tree taking the majority of the water…or it could be a caprifig…

I'm not an expert, but I've been around them enough to know they suffer from lack of water. For starters, if your area is dry, try starting a regular irrigation schedule this spring. There might be a fig grower in your area who can ID it. It's worth some research.