Black Bethlehem. Purchased this potted tree from Bass in Mar 2010. Black Bethlehem has always been stellar tasting and moderately productive for the past two seasons. It has a flavor profile very similar (I think) to Hardy Chicago (which I think is better but not by much and not consistently) but different because it is more acidic (slightly) to my tasting. Black Bethlehem also does not concentrate its sugars to become jammy but more dense. In 8B, Black Bethlehem has always overlapped but followed Hardy Chicago in the season. One last point, it ripens fewer figs but more in groups, e.g., seven groups of 3 figs and that includes a few singles that I routinely find only after they have been has been partially eaten by a bird. For comparison, Hardy Chicago ripens more figs but in fewer groups, think four groups of 6 figs.
