Hi people,

Before I got into figs I decided to grow some Black Bursa figs from some figs I bought in the supermarket. Now that I know that they don't come true to the parent should I just throw them out or keep them and see what happens lol? I suppose I should throw them out because my garden is tiny yet has so much in it, but I can't help but wonder if any of them just might be good to eat if I pollinate them by hand.

In order to pollinate them you will need a persistent caprifig and your pollination technique will need to be very good to match the job the wasp does. However, just because Bursa needs pollination it does not mean that all of the seedlings will, that trait is passed from the caprifig father. Since the characteristics of the pollen parent are not known there is no way of knowing what the seedlings will be, but if it is persistent and does not need pollination then half of the seedlings will also be persistent, half of those will be male and half female, so 25% could possibly be common figs. But not knowing the father(s) reduces the chances quite a bit. There is also a chance some will be San Pedro, but how that trait is passed is not known. You could also try to source ripe caprifig fruits at the appropriate time instead of hand pollination because those will come with their own wasps to do the job.

All of that is fairly complicated though, for fruit, grafting them with known varieties is probably the best option if you want to keep them. It looks to me like Scotland is fairly mild so winter damage should not be an issue, focusing on varieties that ripen an early main crop or produce a breba crop/San Pedro is a good idea though.

Welcome and good luck!

Thank you for the reply.

I might keep one purely as an ornamental plant and just ditch the others; there's no real need for me to have them all because I knew the chances were slim in getting one to produce fruit.

Thanks again.

According to other threads on the forum, seedlings tend to be vigorous growers. You may want to keep them as rootstock and experiment with grafting, learn different techniques on them. I bought seeds claiming to be Panache on Ebay and now have 40 seedlings growing, I will use them to learn grafting and hopefully some of them will survive the surgery.

That's an excellent idea! I didn't think of that. I have many cuttings coming over from Sardinia, Italy and France so I can always graft future cuttings onto the Bursa plants.

Thank you.

Hello Kelo,
welcome to the forum.

As it has been suggested, don't waste your seedlings, having a rootstock to graft is always helpful.
Being Bursa Siyahı a Smyrna cultivar, and being almost all caprifigs caducous, your seedlings are half Smyrna and half caprifigs (the persistence ia inherited from the father).

Just out of curiosity: what varieties are coming from Sardinia? (I'm sardinian).

Hi, thank you.

I've just been emailed that the one I wanted from Sardinia is out of stock but it was the murra variety.

I'll have to get some cuttings growing from the bursa's if they are good to graft on to.

Sorry, there is another one I'm getting - FIGU DE PULA

I'm sorry for the Murra unavailable cuttings, try to ask next year; are you waiting for other sardinian cultivars? Is the sir located in south Sardinia? I think that in the north this cultivar is called with another name, if there is known.

Murra is a very good, sweet and aromatic fig, among the best sardinian varieties.
I have only a small plant, i hope to be able in the future to spread outside Sardinia this interesting fig (i'm happy to hear that other people is growing this fig and trying to send cuttings to other places, although in this case it has not gone well, but 'im sure you'll get what you want ).

In my area is not very common, but luckily i found a tree and now i'm growing a small plant.
I don't know if is uniferous or biferous, since i've seen only second crop and not checked for brebas in the time.

I will post some pictures of fruits from the tree i found (pollinated):

 

Murra means "grizzled", because its skin is not black nor white.
The flavor is honey sweet. Sorry, i have not photos of the pulp, but you can see a little in the cracked bigger fig.

Sorry, i read after.
Sa "Figu de Pula" is the variety called here Niedda (simply 'Black'), is the best sardinian cultivar.
In Pula and nearby cities there are lots of fig orchards, and these figs are sold at high price.

Thank you for showing me those pictures.

Yes, I was a little disappointed that the Murra was not available but I can wait until next year unless the lady can find another cutting. I'm getting the Figu de Pula - I don't know if that is a Sardinian fig or simply a fig that is being grown there.

Sadly, I'm in Scotland but would prefer to stay somewhere warm like Sardinia! I really hate being cold for most of the year lol.

'Sorry, i read after.
Sa "Figu de Pula" is the variety called here Niedda (simply 'Black'), is the best sardinian cultivar.
In Pula and nearby cities there are lots of fig orchards, and these figs are sold at high price.'

These are the cutting the lady is sending me -

• 1 x Figu Niedda

• 2 x CROSCIU DE MULLENTI

• 1 Verdino nord plant (N.1)

These are all the figs I will be growing this year;

• 1 x Figu Niedda

• 2 x CROSCIU DE MULLENTI

• 1 Verdino nord plant (N.1)

• Brown Turkey

• Ficazzana Black

• Malta Black

• Fracazano Bianco

Noire de Caromb

Desert king

I don't know the variety Croxiu de mollenti (literally: donkey skin), but i know the variety Croxiou de proccu (pigskin), and maybe are the same. Our figs have poetic and refined names, LOL!
I lost my plant and i'm starting some cuttings; i don't have photos of this, but is a variety with thick reddish skin(if that is the same).

The Verdino is a typical north italian variety, green skin and red pulp.

LOL Yes, the lady said she was unsure of the name lol. Here is the link on ebay'

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RARE-SARDINIA-ISLAND-FIG-CUTTING-FIGU-DE-CROSCIU-DE-MULLENTI-WHITE-FIG-/292048637089?hash=item43ff748ca1:g:WL4AAOSw4A5YueiN

I did a little research, this is how could be your fig:

Ah, have you tasted this fig? - that's probably the most stupid question I have asked all day but my painkillers are kicking in LOL. Looks like a decent sized fig.

Yes, i tasted this fig but a few years ago, then i don't remember much.
You can be sure that is a good variety.

Ok, thank you. Is there any place/s in Europe where I can buy cuttings from or is ebay/Amazon my only options? I've already made friend with people in France and Italy so maybe that will broaden my choices lol.

I got this from a friend in Italy today. Not sure what I'm getting now lol. 

Hi Kelo,

that variety can have a synonym (or lots of synonyms), it's not corretc to say that there is no "xxx" fig.

The University of Sassari (not the capital, the capital is Cagliari) Istituto di Coltivazioni Arboree (ICA-SS) has a collection field with these varieties:

BIANCA (LONGA) , BUFFOSA, BURDASCIOTTA BIANCA, BURDASCIOTTA NERA, BUTTADA, CALABRESE, CANA, CANAERA, CARCANZI TROTA, CRAXIOU DE PORCU, DE CASTEDDU, DE DUAS VIAS, DI SARROCH, MACCA, MARTINICA, MATTALÒ , MATTINIEDDA, MENDULINA, MONTELEONE, MONTELEONE VERDE, MONTINA, MURENA, MURRA, PERDINGIANA, PESSIGHINA, PETRELLI, RAMPELINA, SAN PIETRO, SASSARESE, VERDE, ZOCCHITTA.

I know that there is a collection field also in Oristano, but it's difficult to find info.
I don't know if they give cuttings for propagation, but they should, since their purpose is to preserve biodiversity.

If you manage to contact these institutes, let me know, i'd like to collaborate with them.

OK, Fico, no problem. I'm waiting for my Italian source to find out what can be supplied and from where.

I can see I'm going to die broke at this rate LOL - I might visit Sardinia this year :D

Hello Kelo,
I believe you bought this from Tatyana. She's a good source and I have bought few in the past and even now.
It's funny because I ordered
FIGU NIEDDA N.1
FIGU NIEDDA N.2
FIGU DE CROSCIU DE MULLENT
Medici HR 7
However I received Figu Murra , Figu Niedda ( not sure if it's N1 or N2), Medici HR 7 and Medici HR 1. I did not receive Figu de crosciu de mullent. I believe it's a simple mistake. I have contacted Tatyana and I'm still waiting for her reply.

Yes, it's Tatyana I ordered from. She's very helpful indeed. She was questioning the names of some of the figs she has - there certainly seems to be a degree of confusion. Sadly, there was no Murra so I'll get that one later on. She's trying to find out where I can buy cuttings from.

Kelo,

Just got a reply from Tatyana and my "FIGU DE CROSCIU DE MULLENT", the infamous Donkey fig LOL will be shipped tomorrow with another cutting that I bought. it was just a mix up since there was many interest in this particular variety. But the main thing is she came back and cleared the confusion and shows how good and reliable seller she is. I have bought cuttings from her 2 years ago and they are huge trees now. By the way I have the Murra rooting , grafted etc. I'm sure ill have an extra , if so I can send it to you for shipping costs. 

keep us updated about your rooting progress mate.

Cheers