I finally had first ripe fruit again yesterday.
It is 6 years old and it riped fruits,in 2006,2007,and now again,in 2010.
in 2008,and,09,they did not ripe.
My verdict:Col de Dame is the bench mark for taste and flavor,period.
Too bad they are not very easy to make ripe fruits outside their preferate climate.
But if a gardener wants a chalenge,worth fighting for,this is the tree to grow and succesfully have ripe fruits.
I mean Col de Dame wht,Black or grise,they all are the same cultivar except outside color,and all are bencmark in my opinion.
This first fruit is not so much to look on but boy was it tasty!!!.
I see larger fruits coming on very next,so I am all right waiting.
This Col de Dame wht,is from UCDAVIS and has the FMvirus wich dwarfs fruits and plant but if one will get  plant stock from Europe,clean wood,I am sure the success in geting ripe fruits every year will be assured in many climates here in the USA.
In Fact I have the Black and grise coming from Clean wood and they are just as healthy as it can be and am sure in a couple of years I will have ripe fruits from them galore.
I planted them in best warm spot 20 inches away from my bedroom wall on south side of house.
Here is a pix:

Thanks so much Herman, nice pics, look very tasty. Where would one get this fig in Europe? I am not familiar with this fig, have heard but not familiar. Ciao

Well,for one example This fig is a very productive cultivar in Spain,and it is today grown Comercially for the fruit market,by most orchard owners there.
Would you believe that the Deparetament of agric.,her and the UCD California ,and all other fruit Programs Texas,Louisiana,they all knew from the start the Col De Dame is a good grower and has best Flavor,but for a small technicality,they rendered it non desirable for Comercial production in The USA.
The Technicality is that the fruits of a Fig tree are harvested for more than one purposse:Fresh fruits,Dry fruits,Fruits compot,syroop,or fig Jam ,and also at the end,Fig paste.
All Col de Dame cultivars are good for all the above,but.
The Deep red interior of the fruit was not acceptable for fig paste because of the dark pigment in the fruit that will color the paste.
So for this unimportant reason,they rendered it useless,and went on reaserching for hybrids,with light color interior,that are totally inferior in everything Taste Flavor ,resistance to splitting and souring,etc.
They trew the Col de Dame in the collection,and never used it,again,or encourage spreading it in the USA.
What a pity.
If it is Comercial in Spain it can be comercial here in California,Texas,and Louisiana for sure.
The Plant is resistent to rain and souring,and as a mater of fact I found it cold resistent too.
My plant is in ground and it was the last 3 winters and is doing just fine with a little help from me ,of course.
I mean a little mulch around the base,a tarp over in the coldest Part of winter,it is not so hard to do!.
The results will surprise you.

I have tried Cole de Dame in the Greenhouse here in zone 7.

Herman,
Yes, it is a very good fig here, CT z6. I got the cutting from UCD.
I started it in the Spring of 2008. I had 2 figs in 2009. This
year I had 2 ripen a couple of weeks ago. There are more
coming, almost ripe, that I think will make it. They are large and very good tasting. The tree is small and very healthy no
sign of FMV. It is a caprifried fig...one crop only and it is a bit late in ripening. Its a keeper for me too.

Peg 

I do not know about Apnoist and his zone 7???
I allready had doubt about european climate,zones compared to US,climate zones.
I think they are different.
I mean look at the results:
Apnoist in Zone 7 in greenhouse doesn't get them ripe,and
Peg in zone 6 get them ripe.
I think Peg fig is in pot,only no greenhouse.!
Very curious
Peg :If your tree comes from UC Davis then it has FMV.
Mine started as a piece of wood from same tree and has visible FMV.

Herman,thanks for the good information & good news about growing in Texas. I was given a small plant this spring from a generous forum member & friend. Has a few small figs on now, but I doubt they will ripen before first frost. Looking forward to next year. 

Herman,

I know Dan down here in La. says it one of his best. I have one coming from Richard Watts later this winter after it goes dormant. I saw it while I visited him earlier this summer but couldn't bring it back with me. He has a nice large one in his back yard which started out in a pot but rooted through the pots drains into the ground and now has split the pot and is permanently rooted in the ground.

OOO Tim,with a little help from you that fig can do wonder in Texas.
Like I explained above sometimes hidden agenda are in the works,and that is why this cultivar is so little planted in the USA.

Great info VS.  I got one Col de Dame Gris.  Mine was dropping small fruit so I relcated it to a shady spot and air-layered it.  It had too many figlets on it so I removed 80% of them.  It seem to work....I got another tree now almost as tall as its mother!  Both are in containters, mom has fruit and now the figs are 3 times the first size and growing strong.  The figs are starting to change colors now but I'm not sure how they will taste.  Time will tell.  cheers.

I have CdDW from Jon.  Can anyone comment on its virility vs. the Euro sources?

Herman, Col de Dame may not ripen here in zone 6 next year. This year
was vary hot, day after day, and dry. Even the nights were warm. Very unusual. They might have ripened sooner if we had a little rain. And it is potted. Today was on the cold side, it never made 70*. 
At least half of of my trees were started from UCD cutting. I can't prove they don't have FMV but they are a clean bunch of figs trees. No mottled leaves or any other signs of it. Maybe the virus doesn't like my climate. LOL.
Good luck with your figs.
Peg  

I live in a Zone 9 (Europe) and I usually can't get ripened Coll de Dama.
Climate zones are based in temperatures, not in rainfall or sun hours per year. Taking into account the temperatures my climate is mild, no frosts in winter, but it is cloudy and rainy. I frequently observe that people in colder climate zones get ripened figs much earlier than me.
So climate zones are guiding, not determinant for figs.
I agree, Coll de Dama is one of the best tasting figs (for me the best).

This is very good news for us here in zone 7.

I am fortunate enough to live in an area with a climate that can ripen Col De Dame Blanc figs to absolute perfection. I live in South Louisiana where our summers are long and hot. When it DOES NOT rain in my area, my climate becomes much like a Mediterranean type climate which is perfect for figs. Col De Dame Blanc (from UC Davis) is hands down THE BEST TASTING fig in my collection.  I have tasted many different fig cultivars........however, taste preferences can surely differ between individuals.

From my fig trials, I know that it handles very heavy rain with no problems (little flavor dilution, no splitting, no open eye, no bugs). My tree produced a few breba figs last year that were very good tasting too.......no brebas on my tree this year. I particularly like the fact that it ripens late in the fig season.......significantly extending my season. The skin is tough on this fig and probably would not be a good candidate for making preserves. I do not have much information about the productivity of this cultivar........but flavor is rather complex and awesome.  I have literally dropped to my knees in praise after eating one of these figs.

Anyone living south of I-10 in South Louisiana should have this fig in their collection (if you have the room).....because you live in a great area for growing this particular fig. Your short season regular Celeste figs will only be a memory when CdDB begins ripening its figs.

Dan

Peg :If your tree had ripe figs in 2009,then your location is just fine for Col de Dame every year wants it gets older.
When it was getting ripe here ,it was like a clock as schedule of ripening,it had ripe fruits on 10th of September,and there is plenty of time for the rest of fruits to ripe.
Of course one has to manipulate the tree and eliminate the very young fruits at around 1st of august.

Sorry guys, I stand corrrected.  I do not have a Col De Dam, wish I did.  My tree is a Bourjassote Grise.  Sorry for the mix up.

Hello Gang!

Well, I'm ecstatic to report that I picked my first ripe CdD this morning. I received these cuttings from UCD back in 2007, iirc.

I saw one ripening almost a week ago and decided to keep watch, well, after forgetting to look for two days cuz of working late I was happy to see them ripe this morning before leaving for work!!! I expected only one but was happy to find two ready for picking, the ONLY nit was they were just barely and partially eaten by 'something'.

I remember seeing a pick of this particular fig many years ago and thinking it was absolutely beautiful, loved the shape AND the blood red interior!!!

Well, I'm even happier to report, like Herman, I have found my new benchmark for fig flavor. Folks, after 10 years of fig growing, THIS fig is wonderful!  The flavor practically made my toes curl!!! LOL!

My wife who really isn't crazy about figs at all, even loved the flavor! The one issue she has with figs is the texture, particularly the tiny seeds, she defines them as sand, I tell her it's the fruits character and love it! However, the CdD doesn't really have that gritty feel, but man the flavor is outstanding!!!

Just had to share, if y'all are taking this hobby serious, definitely make an effort to grab some CdD cuttings!!!


Herman, I don't mean to rub it in but my UCD derived CdD figs were substantially larger than your photo above, here's my photo's.

Five years... Holy cow. Someone send me a fruit? Lol . Congrats :-)

Oh is that beautiful!!! Thanks for the pics!! Stunning!!

It is a beauty !! Thanks for sharing that .

Nice looking fig fortisi. My CddB dropped all of its figs this season. But very tempted to leave last fig on my CddG to see how it tastes. Smaller figs on that plant were all pinched off, since it's a relatively young specimen.

Navid.

It's amazing that you are getting Col de Dame to ripen in your climate, Herman. Mine still haven't ripened, here, although they are close, now. Col de Dame and Black Madeira really extend the fig season as Black Madeira is ripening every day now. Both figs seem to like the hottest, sunniest conditions possible.

Scott,:
Mine are not ripe yet,also,but there is another month till first frost here so I think they will ripe just fine,mine and yours.
The secret is ,to be planted in full sun,or if in container to be placed in full sun.
Without full sun,they will not ripe properly.
I already have a little problem ,because I have only about 8 to 9 hours full sun during Summer because of shade from my neighbors trees,yet I manage to ripe fruits in good years,and possible more often when plants are older,in the future.