Looks delicious. Where did you by your tree? I love figs and really would like to have some different var.

I got them from Encanto Farms out of San Diego. That's the place that runs the Figs for Fun forum. Only issue is that they sent me root knot nematodes on at least one of the plants. If I get any more it will be by trading cuttings.

Lots of people in short season areas grow figs and don't get ripe fruit until September. I've had fruit from this variety since early summer. This is the perfect fruit for a greenhouse.

This is my favorite fig too. I love it much more than 4 other varieties I grow or a dozen varieties my sister grows.
Sweetest and a lots of flavor.
Ola

I would I like to grow that fig. It is luscious looking! Is 'Brown Turkey' the only fig I can grow in my zone 7A? Mrs. G

Olga, do you grow yours in a greenhouse also? When does it ripen..

Mrs G:

There are plenty of figs you could grow. Check out the beautiful pictures on Trees of Joy, z6 Bethlehem PA. The main issue is that in your cooler climate the main crop doesn't come on until late summer. A greenhouse, or heated high tunnel, could add two months to your harvest season. I'm looking at a 4+ month main crop harvest of Strawberry Verte.

Here is a link that might be useful: PA figs

I'll be more specific about these figs and how much I like them. They are better than all of the following: my 26-32 brix sweet cherries, the 20-30 brix pluots that my customers love, and all my 25-32 brix grapes. They are as sweet and have a better flavor.

So what are the advantages of figs, esp for a greenhouse:
1. Very little chilling needed, 100 hrs
2. Easy to propagate
3. No rootstock needed
4. Self pollinating
5. Love heat
6. Very few pests
7. Easy to prune

There's probably more but that's enough to tell you how I feel about this crop and cultivar.

That fig looks awesome......mine turned out not to be a Green Ischia (Strawberry Verte) but instead a Italian Honey/ Latrulla. Green on the outside but white on the inside. It was good but man I hate mismarked plants.

Ive been wanting a fig. I read up alittle bit on this variety and it calls for zone 5 to 8. Do you think it could be grown in zone 9A/B? Said it better grown in short growing season areas. How true is that statement?

blueboy:

Man don't know where you read that but zone 9 is a lot better for figs than 5-6. Winter cold limits figs more than any other factor. Even zone 7 is marginal. I've had little luck outdoors and I'm 7b to 8a.

Your only issue might be humidity but figs are grown in the southeast. It does well in my greenhouse with a 300+ day growing season. I'd think you could find local info on figs adapted to your climate.

Fruitnut! Thanks so much for the website. I sent them a note about your fig and other figs that will grown in my zone. Thanks so much for the great site! Mrs. G

It's really nice to see folks on this board embracing figs. :)

The joy of figs predates written history and includes many biblical references and stories. I do not recommend wearing fig leaf underwear like Adam & Eve, as contact with leaves and latex can cause photosensitive reactions for some people. So be careful pruning and harvesting on bright sunny days. Wash up after working with or around your fig trees as well.

I want to add a few points to fruitnut's list of positives:
8. There are outstanding naturally dwarfing varieties
- This is not a trivial matter as most fig trees are long lived and grow very large. I've been very happy with Black Jack and VdB which are naturally dwarfing trees.
9. There are a wide range of flavor profiles
- Not all figs taste like the filling in a fig newton cookie. Also, you will do a great disservice to many figs if you "try to dry down" all of them. Some are best when "jammy" and on the dry side, some are "honeyed" and better eaten when juicy (Black Jack), and some are great either way (VdB).

I've got a strawberry verte fig and I'm open to trading cuttings. Send me an email if interested.

My SV fig is in the ground. I didn't give it any winter protection even during its first winter. It died back almost to the ground in its first winter, but recovered fast. Starting from year 2 it barely has any dieback.
Less dieback than Celeste, Hardy Chicago and other figs I grow. It is planted approx 10 feet from North wall of my house.
Olga

I just picked my only two figs from my new Ronde de Bordeaux fig tree, fruitnut. They were delectable. Very, very sweet, if possible, almost too sweet, but they were also extremely ripe. I should have probably picked them a couple of days ago. Definitely see why this is such a coveted fig cultivar. And, I believe this fig is hardy to zone 5:
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Some nefarious critter got to my 4 VdB figs, and I'm still waiting for my Peter's Honey to ripen up. I should also have a few Brown Turkey figs left, if the animals didn't eat those, too. No Panache this year, and I severely pruned the tree, which in now as tall as ever. Ugh.

Patty S.

Those RdB look awesome. Good to know that they live up to their reputation. The critters and family have torn through my figs already. It was a very good year.

No kidding, mrclint. See the hardware cloth sleeve in the background? That's the ONLY reason I got those two figs. It prevented the rabbits, ground squirrels or birds from getting to those two RdB figs. I was shocked they were still there this morning, in fact. Now, that being said, my Panache figs are frequently untouched. I am sure this is due to their color. The figs that get attacked and eaten are all my darker purple figs. So, based on fruitnut's critique, and the fact that Strawberry Verte is green, I have one on order from Bay Laurel. It's nice to be able to get your own fruit on occasion. I have the best-fed rodents in N. San Diego county :-( I will say, I am getting to eat my late apples, though. But again, they are not bright red.

Patty S.

Patty:

Bay Laurel doesn't sell SV so are you ordering Ischia Green instead? And if so why do you or anyone else think these are the same or similar? I think bamboo inferred they are the same or similar. Does anyone know of a source that classes figs into groups that are similar? Then I could get a few from each group.

I've found Strawberry Verte and Paradiso to be similar. The later is maybe bigger and may have a more open eye.

They are one in the same - Strawberry Verte, Green Ishsia, Verdone. I have checked several sites out there, and that's what I'm finding. I can't get onto www.figs4fun.com to check it out - their site seems to be down today. If I can get on their forum, I'll ask.

Patty S.

Okay, I stand corrected. That would not be Green Ishia, but Green Ischau fig. Oh boy.

Patty S.

Here is a link that might be useful: Almost Eden: Strawberry Fig

There are cases where different figs have the same name, and the same figs will have different names. Best to buy from a reputable dealer and remove at least a portion of the doubt.

Not one barb regarding my fig leaf underwear comment? Guess fruit talk is all business around here these days...

Hah, I missed that, mrclint. That could prove mighty uncomfortable! I always forget about not letting the sap touch the skin, or to wash your skin afterwards. And it would be nice to find a comprehensive fig resource as fruitnut has mentioned. I'm trying to get on the figs4fun forum to ask that question, but Encanto Farms' web sites are down right now.

Patty S.

Patty,

That RDB looks great:) I have one on the way soon.

The figs4fun forum is up......just the Encanto part is down. http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/

Steve,

The Green Ischia and the strawberry Verte are the same. That is the opinion of the experts anyway. That is the problem with figs...each variety has several names.

Hmm, I'm seeing that Green Ischau and Green Ischia are two different figs? So, are these all one in the same, Green Ischau, Green Ischia, Strawberrty, Strawberry Verte, Verdone, Adriatic? It seems from what I can find, these are actually two different varieites: Adriatic and Verdone (both known by many different names, but two different, although similar green figs). Gosh, this is as bad a pomegranates!

Patty S.

I'm thinking about ordering some plants from Edible Landscaping and they have both Strawberry Verte and Violette de Bordeaux.I've read good things about both.I'm probably only going to get one of them.
Does anyone grow both and what's your favorite of the two?Fruitnut,is the Violette de Bordeaux in your collection? Thanks,Brady

Brady:

I have Vista which is supposed to be much like VdB. It's a small dark fig that has been good at times. But I like SV much better. It's bigger, sweeter, dries down better, and most importantly tastes much better. YMMV

Fruitnut, how big is your tree?

Thanks,

Fruitnut, how big is your tree?

Thanks,

Brady, if you can't squeeze two trees, one thing to consider is VdB is a dark purple fig, whereas Strawberry Verte is green. You'll have less bird issues with a green fig. I got exactly one VdB fig this year, and the last, biggest ripe fig was just ripped of my tree about 2 days ago. Which is in a big pot, too, not in the ground.

Patty S.

My Strawberry Verte trees are all small. They are either young or in pots. I'm planting in the ground now. SV doesn't appear too vigorous and I think can be pruned heavily if needed. Mine have bore fruit heavily on new growth the first leaf after rooting.

One thing to consider is that I have a very long hot growing season. I've been harvesting SV since June. If you have a short cool growing season your results probably won't reflect mine.

The Verte aka Green Ischia, on Edible Landscaping looks very much like my SV. They say it is a small plant like VdB. Weather conditions probably influence fruit appearance and quality as much as anything.

Here is a link that might be useful: Verte aka Green Ischia

Okay thanks Patty.When I first started growing Blueberries,there was concern about birds getting to the fruit,because I read about the problem so much.I bought some protective netting as a preemptive measure.I now have over thirty plants and as far as I can tell,not a berry has been touched.It's probably because there are so many cats roaming.The netting is still in it's packaging.Now all I need to find is some neighbor-proof netting :).
What I'm looking for is taste.Years ago I grew a Brown Turkey Fig and although I liked it,it didn't turn me on like fruitnut is describing about the Strawberry Verte. Brady

Well, VdB is really quite good. One of the very best tasting figs out there is Ronde de Bordeaux if you can find it. I have a couple from cuttings. Just to preempt folks from asking - no, not able to share any cuttings, yet. It will still be a couple of years before I can do that. But, RdB is touted to be "the" fig. I had a few from my tree, and they were good, but my Panache is as good, so we'll have to see as the RdB matures. This year, the VdB was better, and my Brown Turkey, shockingly, is the best. Again, climate has a lot to do with it, so results will vary, now doubt, depending upon where you live.

Patty S.

Patty:

Not only climate but growing conditions. I had a Brown Turkey and it was always too watery and not sweet enough. But that just may be my growing conditions in a pot. I've had the same thing with many of the other figs like Black Jack, just too big and watery. Strawberry Verte is smaller, but still nice size, and has never given me this watery fruit. Part of that is that they dry down nicely on the plant. I like them best after they shrivel and sometimes turn brown. They can look awful but taste grand.

So true. My Brown Turkey is so incredibly neglected, I can't believe it is still growing. But, figs grow here like weeds (they actually ARE considered weeds, here.) So, most likely due to lack of water and other fuss, I have deliciously sweet, rich figs on a butt-ugly tree :-) Or, really, it's not much more than a bush. I need to move it, it is crammed under a big pepper tree and getting swallowed up by a ginormous 'Tuscan Blue' rosemary.

Patty S.

I was eating various figs today. I find the ripeness matters more than the variety, they need to be dead ripe. Still, I do notice after many figs that my Battaglia Green and VdB are a notch better. Battaglia Green is also called Sal's Strawberry Verte and is similar to Strawberry Verte. VdB is not consistently hardy for me unfortunately, I am going to replace it.

Scott

Okay,I now have both Strawberry Verte and Violette de Bordeaux.I bought the Strawberry Verte from Edible Landscaping and was at the Home Orchard Society's All About Fruit Show in Canby,Oregon last month and a member had one Violette de Bordeaux left.
I was keeping them in an unheated greenhouse for about a week and decided to try growing them indoors.They are now in an office at work and the leaves are beginning to fall.I'm thinking they probably need some chill hours,(about 100-200?)and then bring them back inside.
Will this work? Thanks,Brady

Brady,

I think your plan will work. Let them go dormant and get 100+ chill hours and you should be able to grow them inside all winter. I just received 26 different fig varieties about two weeks ago. They are currently in baggies rooting.

Okay thanks bamboo.

Bam, that's a lot of fig cuttings man! All different varieties? I've been reading up on figs a lot lately and I understand they are root nematoad sensitive. We have nematoads bad here in Houston soils but I still see plenty of figs planted in the ground around here. Are some varieties more tolerant than others or not? Would my best bet be growing them in pots?

Blueboy,

Yes all different. He sent 3 cuttings of each variety. It was a trade for some pomegranate liners.

I read the same thing about the nematodes and we have them here also. I have not had any trouble with my in ground figs yet but I keep them mulched. I already have the areas these figs will go mulched so it breaks down and is ready when the cuttings are months from now. A lot of people grow them in pots but that is a lot more work.

The new varieties are:

Panevino dark
Hardy Chicago
Giant Black German
White Triana
Takom Violet
Bronze Paradiso
Salem Dark
LSU Gold
Negrone
Excel
Panevino white
JH Adriatic
Sals el Gene
Sweet George
Black Mission
Morle Paradiso
Green Ischia
Ronde De Bordeaux
Genes paradiso
Violet De Bordeaux
Malta Black
Macool
Oregon Prolific
Lindhurst White
LSU Brandy
Kathleens Black

Already have:

Celeste
Latrulla
Black Mission
Pasquale
Celebrity

Anyway to get some cuttings of LSU champaign, Strawberry Verte and JH Ardroatic? Macmikeal (at) me (dot) com

You'll find cuttings of those varieties on ebay during dormant season

I have a tree with pale green figs. I can't figure out what variety it is and of course its taste. Please let me know it's name and how it tastes. Thank u. The pictures uploaded here are of the same tree.

Everyone raves about vdb. It taste like BlackBerry jam, thick and rich.

Brown turkey fig is my favorite. I love that juicy strawberry flavor. The sensual feeling when it breaks apart in my mouth. That beautiful pink inside.

Looking for dwarf fig that is juicy and not too sweet like brown turkey.