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Capri Fig from Glendale Church Parking Lot

Aaron,

Yes, That's correct - your topic .. Do I have a Caprifig ?

But we need to talk about this as I have now noticed some discrepancy from my side.
If you kept a picture of a cutaway from that date, this would help a lot.

Francisco

so, shell we keep the "Do I have a Capri" separate? or combine, I just think it might get confusing to readers and sometimes to us...

Bob,
I would say yes and add that for such exercise you should also take into account and bring in information from the SF Bay area, apparently known to have ripen Profichis approx a month after the fruit in the San Joaquin Valley.

Variations here, where I live, are minimal with strong consistency around the mid of June regardless of the cultivar.
I would like to draw your attention to the following transcription of a paragraph of Eisen's book- page 85  where he speaks of polleniferous and insectiferous Caprifigs, 

the Pollenferous being the Profichi not colonized by wasps and showing just pollen - no galls -.

....Quote...:

POLLENIFEROUS AND INSECTIFEROUS CAPRIFIGS OR POLLEN-BEARING
AND INSECT-BEARING FIGS.

We have already stated that caprifigs require the i^resence of the
Blastophaga wasps in order to produce seeds, but in order to i)reduce
ripe poUen-beai-ing figs it seems that the wasps are not necessary.
A caprifig tree which is onlj^ partially caprificated possesses two
distinct kinds of figs, which differ both in size and foi-m. IMr. p]. A.
Schwarz, of the Division of Entomology of the Department of Agriculture,
at Washington, who studied this question at Fresno during tlie
summer of 1000, 1ms named these respective figs, according to their
nature, poUeniferous and insectiferous—names which, as being eminently
suitable, will probablj' be generallj' adopted. Before caprification
has taken iilace—that is, before the new crop of wasps has
entered the small caprifigs—these two kinds of figs are of the same
size and form, generally the size of a large pea. But after the wasps
have entered certain of the figs a difference begins to appear between
those figs which have received the wasjjs and those which have not
been entered. This difference extends not only to the figs, but to the
branches bearing them. Thus all branches whicli bear caprificated
figs start to grow more vigorouslj' than those which do not possess
caprificated figs. The latter remain punj', and even their leaves are
smaller than those of the caprificated branches. (PI. X. ) A single
caprificated or insectiferous fig will give character to the whole branch
on which it groAvs. The poUeniferous figs remain smaller and more
oblong, and soon assume a yellow color. They become soft and appear
partly mature, and soon fall off at various stages of growth, not
remaining on the tree as long as the insectiferous figs. When cut
open, it is found that the central floriferous cavity is comparativel}^
small, but contains a large number of pollen-bearing flowers, which
may or may not attain maturitj-. The meat is generally white or
yellowish, and no violet-colored zone surrounds the flowers. The meat
itself is soft and spongy, slightlj'- moist, but rarely juicy. The gall
flowers are shrunken and diminutive.
The twigs bearing insectiferous figs are longer, thicker, and in
every way stronger. (Pis. X, XI, XII.) Each twig maj' contain
both insectiferous and poUeniferous flowers, a single one of the latter
being sufficient to impart an unusual vigor to the twig.

UNQUOTE .../...

will the polleniferous Caprifig be the Persisten type ?
Not very common around my place, but I am sure this Polleniferous type can be found not too far.

Francisco














Francisco, is it possible that Aaron's climate may have more variability than yours and that would cause some variation in times of 'off-wasping' (like off-gassing  :- ) Or wasp emergence  between different cultivars of caprifigs?

I'm would guess that a cooler climate than yours would have later wasp emergence, wouldn't it?  And a warmer climate might have emergence sooner?

__________________
Bob C. Now KC, MO, 6b. Formerly SW Oregon

Aaron,

IMO those two figs... should be considered separate

Francisco

Here's an update from OP #1post sucker with root relocation transplant.

At what stage I can introduce Wasps to my virgin Capri?

20140828_103100.jpg  20140828_103238.jpg  20140828_103304.jpg  20140828_103451.jpg 


I think the wasps will find your capri without you doing anything, there are plenty of them in the area.
Why do you say it is a virgin? If you have not sealed the ostioles, the wasps might be already inside.


Fellows, IMO and as per the very basics of the Caprifig symbiotic relationship, those figs in Aaron's pictures to be so healthy and growing (they look like to be growing) have already been colonised by the insect... Otherwise they should have wrinkled, dried and fallen - (if not visited by wasps). This has been the fig/wasp symbiosis for the past 30 or 40 million years!

The figs look to be the intermediate crop Mammoni (on the leaf axils - just like any edible maincrop), and inside them you should find:

- Modified female flowers (galls), small witeish roundlets having received a wasp egg may be a month or two ago . this will give a new wasp in a few weeks

- Some female flowers which may already have developped some few seeds.. Remember that the wasps having entered this fig came from Profichi's loaded with good 'male' pollen

-You will not find any male flowers nor pollen.

Francisco

wow, thanks for the good news Francisco :)
otherwise , I was thinking of taking the plant to the mother tree for a week or so, but then...you never know if you find it there to bring it back home.

Igor, I was jokingly calling it Virgin because the wasps hadn't visited her yet.
you saw how isolated they are down there... you think wasps could've found them? ;/

BTW, you Black Prince 3 cuttings have rooted and opening up tiny leaves already, and I planted more of the Bev Hill's Old Lady's Capri cuttings which have rooted (very vigorous I may add) and opening leaves and I have been growing the one from Bev Hills again the Dry Eatable Capri and Glendale Eatable Capri and John's Market Capri with huge leaves...so plenty of Capri varieties for the Forest.

Had a Caprifig question or 2 so thought I might resurrect this post.

So I assume this too is a large Caprifig.  It is in Los Angeles so not so far from Glendale. The middle split fig is from this tree; the ones from either side are from a Mission fig.

Would it make sense to try to start a cutting from this tree or maybe graft a branch from it onto a large in-ground fig tree I have...so I'm sure to have lots of fig wasps around? Or would it make good root stock for future grafting projects?  Any thoughts?

thanks in advance, bent 

[image]  [20170403_112833_HDR_zpsuqzfsdh4]  [image]

Hi
Correct. The middle split fig on the picture is a good Caprifig of the Profichi crop.
Has just been colonized by wasps and carry a new generation which will mature around mid June being ready by  that time to hatch and fly out of the fig,  smeared with pollen and carrying many eggs to warrant the following generation of insects

Out of the 3 or 4 caprifig crops, these  Profichis are the only fruit to provide wasps and pollen to warrant maturation of the female (caducous) edible figs.

It will make sense to start a few cuttings (by July/August),  or air layer  selected branches now,  or around May make a few Tbuds or patch budding,  on a fig of your choice, These scion buds are to be taken from the still green 2017 growth or slightly older scion wood from 2016

As for grafts, if you can,  you may start a few air layers now, on healthy/robust limbs...cut and replant in 2 to 3 months time to bud edible varieties (dormant) by August,, and to let these buds awake with strong shoots in the spring 2018
Your climate shall be a valuable ally to help you to get this done.

Francisco
Portugal


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