Here's the Filacciano Bianco that I started from a cutting in March.  As discussed on another recent thread this variety, this fig was introduced to this part of the world by Gene Hosey who got it from an Italian source.  It is a San Pedro fig that is supposed to be cold hardy enough for the brebas to withstand mid-atlantic winters.  When I got back from vacation last week I noticed several figs forming.  This is a bit of an abnormal situation since the plant was just propagated but I am not sure whether to consider these main crop figs that formed on new wood (and will likely drop off) or brebas.  I'm new to San Pedro figs but my understanding is that, like any fig that gives a breba crop, figs develop part way late in the season, the plant goes dormant and then the figs develop the rest of the way on last year's wood the next spring/early summer.  So I guess the broader question is for figs that have both a main crop and a breba crop at what point in the season do you stop considering the developing figs main crop figs that probably won't mature prior to cold weather (and are thus discarded) and start considering them breba figs?

I'm sort of confused by the late main crop thing as well.  I thought that a late main is a late main, and even though it will hang on the tree through dormancy it will just eventually fall off after the tree resumes growth and just waste plant resources and grower anticipation. The small number I tried did this.  However, you have been at this longer than me, so I guess what do I know. Your plant is a beauty, very healthy looking.

They're growing on this year's wood, so they're main crop and won't ripen for you if they require the wasp.  Rumor has it that about 15% of Filacciano Bianco's main crop will ripen without the wasp, so you never know what might happen.

Thanks - I'm hopeful this will be a good variety for this area.  I was surprised to see figs forming.  I guess I expected that San Pedro figs would typically only form a handful of main crop figs and without polination and these would "abort" part way through development. In this case, there seem to be a large number of these forming for a small/young plant.  I will probably pull off all but one or two of these since the plant is so young but it will be interesting to see what happens to ones I leave on.

Thanks Bob - that makes sense.  However, brebas would initially form on this year's wood prior to dormancy, correct?  For breba figs that begin development late in the season how big are the figs when the plant goes into dormancy?  I got some breba's on my VdB this past year and if memory serves they were about pea size when the plant lost its leaves - does this seem typical?  Or would you expect them to be less developed than that?

Rewton,
From my observations, in my zone (NYC Zone 7B) Breba are figs that did not develop past the bump stage in the past season, before dormancy. If they are visibly formed, they usually die and fall off before the growing season starts (Spring). Figs that develop late in the season are still main crop. Breba are always "early" or "first" crop of the new season.

Pete, I stored the VdB in an unheated garage so maybe that is why figs that had actually developed past the "bump" stage persisted through the winter and then went on to develop to ripeness in June.  In-ground figs without protection would probably not ripen such over-wintered pea sized figs. Maybe the figs that ripened this June on my VdB are not technically brebas then?  So what I am hearing from you and Bob is that at the time of dormancy brebas typically still appear as very small oval projections maybe a mm or two in diameter and don't really start developing until the next Spring.  Sorry for all the naive questions but I am still new to the world of brebas :)

Rewton,
If the VDB went dormant, then technically the figs that developed in June were Brebas. IMO all questions are good questions.

Rewton,
Great thread for those of us who have this tree and are fundamentally confused - which I certainly am. If this tree is, in fact, as cold hardy as Gene Hosey notes, then it could become an important variety for those of us in Z 7. My tree ripened the brebas and now has a significant number of figs I'm watching in hopes they'll ripen. If only 15% ripen, which is the figure I keep seeing, that's still important provided a good breba crop ripens as well.

It seems only about a dozen folks on f4f have this variety.  I'm hoping this variety will add a significant new piece to the puzzle of cold hardy figs in Virginia. My particular goal is to find the varieties we can utilize to create groves of productive  trees that don't need protection.

As i hope to sell figs - not fig trees - 5 years from now, this variety is certainly worth the interest. 

Here is an update on the Filacciano Bianco fig.  It was overwintered in a detached garage (with occasional heat from an electric radiator for the coldest nights).  The temps reached the low 20's on a few nights but it held onto its brebas just fine and had no cold damage.  I planted it in the ground in May.  As you can see, it is quite productive for the size of the tree - maybe I should have taken some off?  Anyway, I picked the first fig this morning.  Surprisingly, the pulp was half pink and half yellow.  I suppose this is a fluke.  The fig was clearly ripe but it is possible one side was more ripe than the other.  The flavor was very sweet with honey overtones.  I'm not sure whether to classify it as a sugar or honey type.  There was very little seed crunch.  This was the first fig of the season for me and I'm definitely happy to have a San Pedro in my collection to extend the season.  The next test will be the extent to which it can hold onto its brebas as an unprotected in-ground fig (as Gene has found in southern Maryland) or whether it requires extensive protection to do so.

Looking good Steve,

Thanks for sharing.

I just need to know which one mine is? Dark or light? Only time will tell.

Good luck the rest of the way with yours.

Rafed, it's cool that there is a Filacciano Scuro (dark) - I wasn't aware of this.  Is it San Pedro also?

Oh I see.  My guess is that you have the Bianco but if it is dark that would be very interesting. By the way I just noticed that Gene described this fig as having a "honey" flavor.  My taste buds with wine, figs, etc don't seem to be as educated as some others but it appears my evaluation of the taste is similar to his.

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/fig/msg071146227422.html

Let's hope it is dark.
We'll trade and have both.

Steve,

Here are some pictures for you to compare.
Looks like I need to up pot it today.

Very nice looking plant Rafed

Looking good Steve

Rafed, the leaves look pretty much the same as mine.  I'll forward to an update when your figs ripen.

Steve, How did you post your photos? Are you using Photobucket?
I need some instruction on this.
I will send you a PM regarding your wishlist.
Thanks, Leon

Leon, for what it is worth I use a mac and am starting with jpg files that I have stored on my hard-drive.  Then when I am writing a reply I click on the button "more reply options" and then click on the link "attach files".  I then browse for the files and upload them that way.  Note that the files may need to be reduced in size somewhat from their original format.  I do this when I export out of my photo viewing application.

Steve, so I guess you've settled your question: they're brebas.  I too am growing this fig (from a different source however, these came from Italy at a different time from when Gene's came to the U.S.).  My trees of this variety are just second year though (rooted in early 2013, just as yours seems), and no brebas this year.  I'm hoping it's as cold hardy as Gene reported, but time will tell.  (My area is a few zones colder than your location).  Your tree is young to have produced those nice looking brebas in just its second year... nice work!

Mike   central NYS, zone 5a

Mike, F.B. definitely behaves as you would expect a San Pedro variety to behave.  I'll be curious to see whether I get a couple main crop figs.  Good luck with yours.  Please post results so we can compare.

Thanks for giving us an update on this tree Steve. What was the skin like? Thick, thin, chewy, tender?

Calvin, to be honest I didn't pay a lot of attention to the skin but I think it contributed to the flavor.  It wasn't particularly thick or chewy but not extremely thin either.  I'll check it out on the next fig.