Must be a democrat :)

I had one and i discarded it for the same reason
.in four years it grew very well but only produced a couple of fruits and droped another six.
I pinchedit,i thin it i pruned it and no results.
It will grow only tons of branches but no fruits.
Last Fall i discrded it.Good Ridance.!!!

My Alma (purchased at Fanick's Nursery in San Antonio, which also carried Blue Giant) took a few years to get going. I planted it in-ground. It died to the ground in 2003 and 2004. Since then it has survived the winters, producing a few fruit in 2005, more in 2006 and 50 or more this year. The figs are very good, sweet with a delicate, candy-like flavor. As Ray Given and others note, it is very "weedy". The suckers have to be periodically trimmed to keep the tree productive. Some trees do well in particular climates. Reportedly, the fruit buds are cold-sensitive on Alma, which might partially account for its lack of productivity in cooler zones.

After I posted this morning, I went out and counted the number of figs on the Alma bush - just over 100 figs - enough to have more than a taste this year!

I am hoping my Alma eventually kicks in and starts producing. It is in its 5th year without a fig crop. I got some brebas this spring which dropped before they were ripe. I did get a fig or two at some point and they were so tasty that I am motivated to give it several more years.

Scott

I'm in Mississippi. My Alma came from Paradise Nursery in 2004 as a bare root small plant. Last year it produced and ripened 2 figs (very tasty), and this year it has produced right at 30 figs. I look forward to a better tasting this year. My Alma is in a pot, and after pruning this year it produced way too much new growth. I had to trim some and probably should have trimmed more. I think I would have more fruit now if I had.