Folks I am writing this to alert members and disabuse you of the shamefully incorrect advice being put out by kkk2210 aka Vinny from Bognor Regis in post No. 668.

He recommends readers to place "an order with MP. Atlest you'll get what you ordered within a certain time frame. If you look at MP's catalogue he almost got every single fig on this planet. There are at least 20 different figs in Mp list that looks like I-258 , genovese Nero AF/Rafeads or whatever. Most Importantly his cuttings only cost €5-€20 euros. So please email him for your cuttings and don't waste your money for some fabricated English named Fig trees. PS: I really don't think usda will come after you. Never seen any physical evidence other than people claiming it. I think the USDA drama is just to make sure you guys buy within the US and pay big $$ when you can get it for a lot cheaper from Europe."

Firstly, Mr Pons has already sold out most cuttings for this season, so taking this advice is utterly useless at the current time.
Second, Mr Pons has very restricted availability due to the fact that he is wholesaling many cuttings to Malaysia.  If, like most normal people, you are seeking his more popular items, such as Rimadas and Coll' de Dama Blanca-Negra, you will, if you are ordering early and timely, be restricted to one cutting per person at a cost of 25 euro per person, about $30, for a single cutting! So you had better be really good at rooting or you will have wasted your time on a very expensive cutting.  Bottom line, it is false to assert that one can assemble a collection from Mallorca on the cheap.

Secondly, let's be perfectly clear that "Vinny" has never tasted either Genovese Nero or I-258, and that is a fact.  Who is "Vinny" to state that Mr. Pons' figs are the same as these prized varieties? This is a half-assed conclusion to make.  I challenge any collector to state that one of Pons' figs tastes identical or similar to these.  What is even more galling is that Mr. Vinny has "UCD infected Ischia Black" in his wishlist, what is that but another expensive "fabricated English named fig tree?" The fact is that the Genovese Nero and I-258 are Italian imports with their own unique flavor profile and provenance.  Mr Pons also has his own special figs from Mallorca.  Each fig is unique and special, and if someone wants to spend their money seeking one out, that is their business and not the department of some huckster newbie like Vinny to criticize.  And suggesting that these are "fabricated English" sounding names is false and insulting to the history of these figs, to Adriano and Todd Kennedy, the men who brought them to North America.

Finally, as stated by Sas above, openly suggesting to people that they can import cuttings illegally into the US without problems is another dishonest and cavalier suggestion from Vinny the fraudster.  First, it is not at all clear that Mr Pons will send cuttings without a permit into the US.  Secondly, if he does so it is at the risk of the recipient, no phyto provided.  And finally, there are in fact people on this forum who have had packages from Pons intercepted, Richie is one such person, let him speak the truth.  Vinny, stop lying to people.  And stop suggesting people engage in illegal activity.  That may be alright for you in England, but its not ok here.

Finally, the Pons figs are sold a lot cheaper here in the US by Harvey, and that is a fact.  So stop spreading insidious false advice, loser!