I hope to get soon this variety, according to Monserrat descriptions, it is one of the best he has.

This is a summary of "De La Reina MP" characteristics:

Average Weight: 63 grs (main crop)
Ripening time (50 % of the crop, in Mallorca): 23th-June (brebas), 20th-August (main crop)
Taste: Very sweet and tasty
Yield: Very high
Resistance to rain: Very resistant

(pictures of the book "Les figueres a les Illes Balears")





This variety is native to Mallorca, it was on the point of extinction. Not long ago, only a few specimens were preserved in the village of Orient, Mallorca.

Monserrat Pons recovered and released this variety (like many others). Surprisingly, it was unknown even in Mallorca!

Monserrat Pons has been mentioned here at other times, he is author of the book "Les figueres a les Illes Balears" which describes all the varieties of the Balearic Islands, about 200. Some are native and others exist in other parts of Europe.

Montserrat has an orchard of 1,600 fig trees (367 fig varieties) in several acres, he is an amateur fig grower (a pharmacist) and is probably the person with more experience, knowledge and fig varieties in Spain. Besides being an excellent person.

According to his description, this variety is known for its qualities. Montserrat is not carried away by passion when describing the taste of a variety, few of the varieties he describes in his book are "very sweet and tasty", so it really will be a tasty variety.

The size is very large, 63 g on average for the main crop.

Do not confuse with other Spanish varieties also called "De la Reina", this one has nothing to do with them.

Wow, this looks spectacular. I am intrigued by all your information. Thanks for sharing.

Those pix look suspiciously like Black Mission NL, and others.

Yes, it looks very similar. In fact, it is said that Black Mission was carried to California by Balearic Franciscans. It could be a close related variety, or maybe the same! As far as I know, Monserrat literally scanned the Balearic island and he only found a few trees of "De La Reina MP" just in Orient, a Majorcan small village. If I have the chance, I will ask Monserrat about his opinion.

Black Mission was the first thought to my head as well.

I have just received the reply from Monserrat regarding this question.

He is completely sure it is NOT the same variety.

Here an abstract of his reply:

"Note that this variety was born wild in an small orchard of Mallorca, in an stone wall (the best evidence that it is wild). The owner of the orchard "domesticated" it and, seeing the quality of the figs, planted it in his orchard.
This fig is more pyriform and bigger than Black Mission.
But mainly, it is a unique variety as all "De la Reina MP" trees are descendants from this original tree and they were planted in Orient (the small village of Mallorca), all from cuttings."

Summarizing, they look similar but they are, for sure, different varieties.

Good news...

The "De la Reina" (Of The Queen) fig is, is here in the USA!
I know 2 F4F/FF members that have such an exact (small) specimen.

I am sure that eventually it will be distributed.

George, you are right, at least I know one member that has the exact same variety.
He got it recently, so I suppose his plant(s) is small yet. I don't know the other member you mention. You are better informed than me :-)

I forgot to mention one thing Monserrat told me in his reply, he warned me about another "De la Reina" from Mallorca, completely different variety.

As I said previously, there are others "De la Reina" in Spain, and obviously are different too. It reminds me what happens with the "Gota de Miel" (Drop of Honey), this name is used for several different varieties in Spain, so it is crazy! if you have a "Gota de Miel" you don't know what really you have!

With the aim of avoiding confusion in the future, I think it would be interesting to add the initials MP (Monserrat Pons) or anything similar, to the name "De la Reina", as has been done with other varieties.

More good news!

Some DLR cuttings are currently available [hint:] around this neighbourhood ...

Anyone that has it for sale please P.M. or email me.
I need two.

A friend had asked me a while back to help collect one for him.

Let me know if you can help. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Rafed, There is a variety with this name on the encantofarms cuttings list.

Thanks Marcus,

I contacted Jon but I want this from another source too.
Just incase Jon doesn't have anymore.

What?  I only see

Aww shucks rcantor... You need to click on the blue hyperlink that says "printable list" at the bottom of the instructions page to see the list. You will have another shot with the second half of the list.

I did not order this variety because it has not been cold tested, but I hope someone finds out if it is hardy. It looks really nice.

I want to emphasize that, only "De la Reina MP" is the true one. There are others "De la Reina" which are or not the above mentioned.

It is important to be rigorous in these questions or we will end with several "De La Reina" all around.

Moreover, Monserrat Pons is very cautious with this matter and he doesn't want to distribute his varieties if it is not guaranteed their true origin in the distribution network. To be rigorous with this matter is good for everybody.

By the way, MP has many other excellent and, in some cases, unique varieties which could be distributed in the near future.

Ok,

Jon is out, meaning there's one other option!
That's getting it from someone else. Anyone has some for sale?
Reason why I said "SOME" is because a couple friends contacted me and asked if I can help them too.

And yes, I/we too want the real deal.

Rafed, still got hope. How about telling your misses lets go on a Mediterrean trip. That would likely solve your problem. Axier said MP has many excellent varieties. It would be a good chance to samples some of these rare variants overthere. I would love to go there one of these days to sample Mediterrean figs. I got a bottle of fig jam present today from my boy who came back from Sydney.

Paul,

I bet me and Mr. Pons could be good friends.

ha ha ha Rafed. Make sure you bring some doggie biscuits incase the dogs decide to be unfriendly. I would bring some when I visit him as I cannot Jump & run fast enough.... just in case.

I wish so much it was time in summer and some similar fig fruits as shown by Axier were hanging from my plants !!

Paul,

The dogs better watch out for me.

I found Reina in fig farm of Málaga.

This picture from his fig farm.  

I hate when that happens

Notice how the fig trees are planted in that orchard. Two together, twisted, same hole.