Anyone have an info on the background of the Battaglia Green Fig.

Country of origin?

Closely related fruit/leaf to any other varieties?

Just curious....

The owner of a now gone nursery that sold it said it was the best tasting of all of the strawberry type figs in her opinion.

Don't know the country of origin, but here is a bit more information from Michael-mgginva

Folly Castle is in my birthplace, Petersburg, VA

Registered: 11/02/11
Posts: 1,459        
Posted 05/03                  #6 
jdsfrance, Yup betting on BT is usually a safe bet. The folks at the Center For Historic Plants who gave me the cuttings said it was not a BT. There is a BT in that collection within 10 feet of this plant so I hope they are right as they eat the figs from both plants. It is possible - as I did not take these photos - that these photos are of the wrong plant.

recome20 - as I've been researching figs looking for ones that could have been at Monticello when Jefferson was there I've found some interesting info. Another forum member started all this when he gave me a tree that his family has been working with for a very long time. They wanted someone outside of their family to have a back-up. I was the lucky guy. That tree - the Battaglia Green was once at Folly Castle and his relatives got cuttings decades ago and started writing down (thank goodness) some of the history. Susan Battaglia took one to Paradise Nursery (now closed) in VA and they named it after her. I think it's true name should be the Folly Castle fig, but . . . anyway this is getting long.
If you know of any figs with a history that goes back to before Jefferson's time I'd love to know about them. If the info looks real and I can find the the plant I'll add it to the other figs I'm donating to Monticello later this year.
__________________
Michael in Virginia (zone 7a) Wish list: Agrigento, Malta Purple Red, Perretta, Noire de Caromb, Hardy Hartford

We have a nice one and I can say that it's a keeper . Very good flavor

Sybil Mays, who sold her nursery Paradise Nurseries in Virginia Beach area some years ago, helped to promote the cultivar. She received it from her friend Sandy Battaglia, hence the name. Sybil is still active in gardening and has an active gardening blog: http://usefulgardens.blogspot.com

It is suspected Battaglia is a superior strain of Verte (which Condit and others match to Green Ischia). An exact origin for the variety in general is difficult as Condit and others suggest close similarities in the Verte-types appear throughout the Mediterranean. 

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/new-historic-fig-at-monticello-6007550

Thanks Rich, I meant to link the whole discussion.

Mike in Hanover, VA

Rich C,
We should talk. i have some pretty interesting info about BG and have been trying to help the Center for Historic Plants (at Monticello) grow their collection. I have 2 more varieties for them this year.
Anyway, PM me if you are interested.
mgg