I was wondering if anyone purchased any of these cuttings? If you look at all of his different auctions the prices are all over the chart for the cuttings as well as the shipping I would love to have some of these but I don't know the chances of receiving them. 


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Black-madeira-berbera-black-fig-5-FRESH-CUTTINGS-/181110728405?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a2b0a66d5

I did and two of mine have rooted and leafed out. I gave the third to a fellow member. Rooting occurred between three and four weeks. Roots are strong.

I traded for a couple that someone else purchased. There is an entire thread about this on the forum, if you search black Madeira, you may find it. I just received mine. I don't think this is THE black Madeira, but rather a black fig from Madeira. May be better or worse than THE black Madeira. It may be Berbera Preta as seen on Adreano's web site. It looks interesting, but how much will you pay for an unknown? I think it will be interesting to see what they produce, but don't pay too much.

Thanks allot for the info you really have to look at his auctions I remember last week he had $75.00 for the shipping I believe it was on 3 cuttings , I hate to spend a fortune on an unknown possible but who knows? maybe it could be a super nice unknown ???

Can cutting be shipped in form other countries without any problems?
I am new at this.


Zone 8 southwest TX

Dave,

If my two keep growing well, I will send you one later this year.

Steve

I found the post very confusing 

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/Black-Madeira-fig-4929955?highlight=black+madeira

Bigsmile no you are not suppose to import cuttings from other countries  without going thru allot of red tape 

Steve thanks for the offer that is very generous of you 

Thanks for the info on shipping in form other countries. I have a hard enough time with shipping here.


Have a big smile to all

Southwest TX
zone 8

Dave,

That was the thread that I was referring to. It was confusing. My take from that is that there is a cultural difference involved. In our culture we hope a name means a very specific variety. Francisco saw that people are willing to pay top dollar for Black Madeira cuttings. He has an ample supply of black figs in Madeira and saw an opportunity. I think he is probably supplying quality cuttings of a very interesting tree. From his culture this may not be fraud, but to some in our culture, it may be. Importing these in this way is probably not legal, but not very harmful or risky. Fig trees have few insect pests. Figs are not endemic to our continent., yet hundreds of varities made it here without government oversight. I suspect in the future we will be trading "Berbera Preta FC" as a result of this sale. Just my take.

Bill

Yes I agree with you Dave. I my short time trying to learn about figs. I have came across several things life this. I ordered a fig tree called VIOLETTA FIG. That was  to have a
German patten on it. The pic in the add was of another fig very different and have been used around the world from other varieties.What I am getting at what your are talking about is going on here in this country as well. Seems to me like a lot are just Turkey figs with big names. And lastly our government is in our lives way to much.

Have a big smile to all.


South west TX
Zone 8

I have to agree with you bigsmile, the government is way too interested in what every individual is doing. That was one of the many reasons we chose to move to Texas. If you think it's bad here, it's nothing compared to Washington State.

From what I hear from friends and acquaintances around the country, we have it pretty darn good here in Texas.

I'm for smaller government and bigger figs

Bill

I'm for bigger government (that's actually accountable to us and provides services for all that tax money).

I just say that because we have serious problems with crooks and authoritarians in state government these days.  I mean, how on earth does Rick Scott ever get elected, you know?  And generally, cries for smaller governments generally results in those crooks cutting schools and passenger rail rather than their sweetheart deals for private sports stadiums and casinos funded with public money.  

Big government or small government, just like with figs, it matters how they do with the resources and attention given to them.  Ronde de Bordreaux is good, and so is Dauphine.  However, Brown Turkey isn't exactly desirable. 

'scuse the rant, but that pot thread makes me nervous.  The part of the government that needs shrinking never does, ick.

Oh, and on topic...figs are relatively harmless, but peeps, you *really* shouldn't import plants or animals here willy-nilly.  Somebody being stupid about this could destroy the banana, citrus, avocado, or any number of cash crop by importing a number of fairly nasty fungal diseases active elsewheres.  We lost elms and chestnuts and a number of other native fauna due to imported diseases.  We have the rules we do because life is better for all of us when we follow them (because we learn from hard experience when we don't).  Even with fig cuttings, we could easily import some other pest that causes economic damage to something other than figs, if the sender isn't very sanitary--say, dumping cuttings on the ground, and then not cleaning them off with anything more antiseptic than water before sending them off.