fig tree-positive id- winterproofing?

I'm hijacking this active fig thread.

I have a fig tree which was about 8 or 9 years old when it was smashed to death by a 90 year old hemlock in spring 2011. But I think it was just 'mostly dead' as miracle max would say. Can I get a confirmation that this is in fact the fig? I first thought the japanese anemone which got smashed along with all the rest was the fig coming back Should I be thinking about tenting it in greenhouse plastic for the fall to encourage it to come back?

Landon
Looks like a fig to me .
They are quite tough once they get started they can sucker all over the place dependant on the type

David

I'm not sure that's a fig - the leaves look a bit too jagged.

Does it bleed milky white sap? Figs do. Also, figs have very distinctive smooth wood, with the new growth being quite green with rounded buds at the end. Without getting closer, I can't tell the species for sure.

Looks 'figgy' to me.
As David says, figs have quite distinctive new growth/buds; could you post a picture?

Well two people saying its 'fig like' is good enough for me since its growing more or less exactley where a fig tree was smashed and I can't think of anything else it could be (I was born on the property that I'm living on - I know about a complete a site history as anyone out there) but to flog a dead horse here are some more pics. I couldn't get a good one of the buds and I'm not sure I understand 'round' I mean they certainly aren't spherical. All of the growth is vibrant green - Haven't tried scoring the bark as I don't want to stress out the plant if its finally making a comeback.

So on to the real question. What should I do to Winter proof it? Mulch and greenhouse plastic?

That is nearly definately a fig!
I'm lucky that I've never needed to learn about winter-proofing, but there'll be loads of experts here

Yes that is a fig tree
I live in Boston zone 6/7 and I eat figs of my trees with zero protection, sure I only get one vs two crops like others but I dont have to winter-proof them or do any extra work other than harvesting.

It it has come back this far, you probably don't have to protect it all that much, as it was living in the open already. I'm assuming you didn't have to protect the original tree.

Landon, where you are, I don't think you can overheat it. Put it in front of a south facing black wall and mulch it deep. Figs like it hot. Las Vegas hot. When I lived in Las Vegas, my neighbor had a fig tree that gave buckets and buckets of figs when the temperatures were over 100. We've had a "cool" summer here in Georgia and my fig trees are telling me that with their poor output this year. We've had like half the usual number of 90+ days, with twice as much rain to make up for it.

It's probably too late for you to get even fruit buds forming with what's left of the season, so let it go dormant and be prepared to pull out all the stops to warm it up next spring. Maybe even figure out how to put it in a greenhouse so it can have some tropical type heat.