Just some questions:

Would this variety grow well in NYC/Zone-7b? 

All of the garden centers/nurseries around this area, and in Lower Westchester County, NY, have stocked "Black Mission" for years, and I wonder if this variety is:

Hardy?
Prolific?  Will it sour/split?
Will it ripen in NYC?

Just would like to know. 

I have seen some decent looking trees for sale, and I'd take a chance trying to grow this variety if I get the "go ahead" from forum members...assuming I can find one with no symptoms of FMV. 

Are there different strains, and is one strain outstanding?  I need some opinions, please.  I've noticed hardly anyone posts/boasts anything about this variety...is this a clue?   A hero, or, a zero?

Is "Vista" / "Vista Mission" a superior variant?  (Please, I need an answer for this question).

Thanks,

Frank

Vista ? Vista Mission / Vista Black Mission is the same as Violette de Bordeaux.

Thanks Jon...

Re:    "Vista"...etc....therefore, the same variety, aka "Negronne"?

Frank


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Still need answers for the first part of posting # 1...." Black Mission" in NYC

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Violette de Bordeaux and Negronne have probably been interchanged frequently in many nurseries. So, IMO it would be hard to discern which is which, and certainly the tag or label is not a help. On the bright side, all the various ones I have seen must be closely related, so IMO if you have either one, you are doing well.

My Vista (DNA=VdB) out performs any of my labeled "VdB"s and is my standard for judging all other figs. Any VdB or Negronne would do well as that standard, I think.

Thank-you Jon.

F/Bx.

Frank,  I purchased a Monrovia Mission tree from a local nursery. As per hardiness mine is grown in a 20 gal pot and stored in an unheated detached garage during the winter. Being I am in zone 7a it should do OK for you if you do the same. This tree has produced very good tasting figs 4 years straight for me. As far as FMV ,it does display some of the typical signs,however this does not prevent it from producing. Apparently it is not a vicious type of FMV. Good Luck              Angelo zone 7a NY

Ciao "Gelo...

Thanks for giving me that information.

Ummmm...7a with protection, no problems...very good to know.  This will now will give me more choices.   I will keep my eyes open when I'm at the garden centers for a nice, healthy specimen.

Thanks,

Frank

Similar to Angelo with exception my garage is unheated attached my area in my sig line , its also monrovia mission .
Mine also displays FmV and wanes in summer but still there regardless.

Frank, a friend of mine in Bethesda, MD has a Mission in her front yard in the ground.  She has never protected it in the winter.  The first couple winters there was significant die-back but since then it has been really hardy.  It is a very large bushy tree now and is about 15 foot tall.  So has a container tree in your area I would think it would survive the winters just fine.

Thank-you all for posting information and answers.  Now that I know they can survive around here, I will make it a point to look for some growing in yards. 

Home Depot was selling beautifully shaped, Blk. Mission trees, a few seasons back, but they were so diseased with FMV that I wouldn't even think about bringing them near my other clean trees.

Frank

What?  So Black Mission is simply the same as Violette De Bordeaux?  Here I thought VDB was going to be so much better than Black Mission which is such a common variety around CA.   I think I saw Costco selling Black Mission fruits the other day. I just had a Black Mission fig at Chez Panisse the other day and it made me swoon. I was thinking the VDB was going to be even better. 

No Just so there is no confusion...

Black Mission and Vista Mission are two different varieties. DNA testing has determined that Vista is a Variant of VdB. Unfortunately the name was attached as a ' Mission' and alot of people get confused by that.

Accordingly some have even said that Vista Mission is actually better tasting than the original VdB. Disregard the thought they are related, but the name is the biggest problem in differing the two.

Sometimes I feel like my head will explode trying to remember all the names for the same fig? 

Very complicated, this.  But, it is, what it is.... a real pain-in-the-ass trying to keep track!  : ) 

Note:  I cleaned up that last sentence so it was fit to print.  : )  : )

Frank