Hi all,

I was driving today in an LA suburb and noticed a nice fig tree with dark leaves, it was growing in an apartment building yard, overhanging the fence. 
Could you help me to identify the fig, please?

Relevant info:

-the tree seems to be planted, not a seedling
-small tight eye
-very red flesh, completely filled inside, no void
-the taste is very raspberry, slightly acidic, excellent !!! (that's the main thing !!! :)
-the shape is flattish, about 2" in the widest part
-the fruit color is not super dark, more like brownish at the top and blackish near the eye
-it seems the tree has the breba and the main crop figs
-leaves are 1 to 3 lobes (but mostly 1)
-the tree is not huge, maybe 12 ft high

The tree is covered with figs (main crop) that are not ripe yet, I managed to find 2 brebas that you can see on the photos. 

Any ideas?

That looks like a very good fig. Nice find!

I'd say you found yourself a winner !!

Thanks! The taste is super but would be nice to identify the stranger ...

Ok, let's do a little detective work.
What kind of neighborhood? Residential area?

It'd be great to be passing by while someone's tending to it.
You could strike up a conversation, explain that you're a collector,
and get some heritage on it. It was a good enough fig that someone planted it.

As I mentioned, that was an apartment building, 4 to 8 units. I think talking to a manager would be the most beneficial but how to find the manager?... Usually they do not live in the same building here, I can try though. The tree is probably 10-15 years old so talking to the tenants may be a waste of time (except how to find the man.). I can try on my next trip.

Is it similar to any known variety?

don't really care if that's similar to other figs.. it just looks so wonderful. i can just taste it looking at the pix. 

Pete,
A table spoon of raspberry with a drop of sugar + lemon and covered with poppy seeds for a crunch :)
How is that?

and that's just from breba? can't wait to see what main crop looks like.. i just hope it doesn't need fig wasps.. lol

Wow I think I am moving to LA. Greenfig you just find your self nice dark fig.

Mighty fine looking figs you found there. Mouth watering over here. Wish I couls stumble across sombody growing figs around here. As far as I know I'm the only one for about 200 miles. :-(

you and me both dave. i saw one house with new fig tree. looks to be about 2 yrs old. haven't seen a fig on that thing yet. might have to drop by and tell him to pinch it. 

I thought only San Diego was a fig mecca where you find Black Madeira and Chico Strawberry in the people's backyards ...
Now I see that Los Angeles has hidden jewels too!
If you think the life is easy here, consider we also have earthquakes, fires, floods, and landslides :(
That is why the figs grow everywhere so we could survive the disasters :)

when you have such figs growing on the street.. makes you want to make sure you survive all those natural disaster to enjoy them. :)

Yeah, the whole breba and main crop thing threw me for a loop.  If not for that, I might have gone for Zidi or Ischia Black.  I would guess that this is an Italian fig similar to Ischia Black.  The leaves are rugose in the way Ischia Black leaves are, and the fruits are shaped mostly like many of the large pollinated figs are, like Zidi.

not Ischia Black. fig shape is wrong. more like Black Madeira, Figo Preto, I-258 and Socorro Black. i'm hoping it's a common fig. worth trying in east coast. if it's smyrna or san pedro it's going to break my heart.

Would it help if I cut open a small undeveloped figlet? Is it possible to tell if it is a common or not fig? 
I still have those tiny ones you see on the photo.

don't think it's going to make much difference. just have to try it here :) at least it's not caprifig.

Wow that's a nice looking fig...

I woudn't compare it to Black Madeira or Figo Preto.  The neck is wrong, in my eyes.  I-258 or Bourjasotte Gris?  More likely.

Still, all those brebas...


Also, there definitely are some I.Blacks that are that turbinate.

Looks like Italian Everbearing

Either way great find

I checked the pictures for the Italian Everbearing, the fruit shape is very different, I do not believe that is it. I.Black looks more similar but the fruit is not that black for my eye.
I-258 is the closest so far but the lack of photos makes it hard to compare.

If you want to pursue and ask manager about the plant ask a renter for his contact information.