It’s amazing how figs can look and perform different depending on the climate, fertilization, or pruning practices. My English Brown Turkey is in its 4th year in ground. The brebas have always started to ripen around the 15th of August. They typically have an elongated shape, a weight of about 45 grams (although some can reach a weight of up to 120 gr), a brown skin and a red (or pinkish – purplish) interior.

This year they started ripening 1 month earlier. They are more plump, heavier (75 grams or more) and the interior is nothing like the previous years. The taste is also slightly different, although they still have this sweet and rich figgy flavor.

This year we had an unusual amount of rain. I also pinched the new growth after the 5th or 6th leaf. This pinching seems to be the reason for the earlier and heavier crop (other trees that weren’t pinched but have received the same amount of rain don’t ripen earlier or have bigger figs). The different color of the interior could be related to the high amount rain. Or the fact that these figs ripened earlier and had less hours of sun and summer heat. Who knows.

These differences in appearance show how difficult it can be to ID a fig. I think there is also still a lot to learn about how figs react to their environmental conditions.

EBT 2015:

EBT 2016:

 
 
 

They are affected by everything. Welcome to the fun that is figs.

How wild is that. The color difference looks like a completely different fig.

They probably wasn't ripening. When critters bite on fruits they tend to change colour almost as if they are ripening . This happens a lot with plum trees as you can see some plums turning in July after being attacked by the wasps. Is it just this one or is it like this for the entire crop?

The entire crop has this color so far (harvested about 20%). Even when the figs are dead ripe (like in the 5th picture) they have this golden interior color. None of the figs where attacked by critters. 

I have a lot of mirabelle trees (prunus cerasifera), many of which I grew from seed. They vary in taste and productivity from year to year. I think that it is true of many plants.

Figs will change in appearance under different growing conditions. Depending on the weather my Hardy Chicago figs can vary in color. If the temps are warm when ripening it has a purple exterior with a red interior. If it's cool when ripening they are more of a dark green with purple striping almost like a LSU Tiger fig. The inside becomes a lighter red and the flavor is not as sweet.
I always hope for a warm fall.