Ok to make a long story short been trying to get a hold of some Bebera fig cuttings from Madeira Island for years now and it finally happened Christmas came early this year. Oh and not only that I finally found this from condits Monograph.
 
Moscatel Preto (syn. Bêbera). Described and illustrated by Bobone (1932). Known as

Moscatel Preto at Coimbra, and Bêbera at Cacela and on the island of Madeira.

The tree produces two crops. Mello Leotte (1901), on the other hand, described

Bêbera as a variety which does not produce a first crop, and the second crop as

requiring caprification.

Brebas oblique-pyriform, sometimes much elongated; neck thick; stalk short; color

violet-black; pulp dark carmine, streaked with violet; flavor sweet and agreeable.

Second-crop figs pyriform, elongated specimens unusual in having the internal cavity

narrowed at the base rather than rounded; stalk short; color green toward the stalk,

violet on the body; surface smooth, puberulent; pulp carmine; texture fine; quality

good.

The good thing is that on Madeira Island it does produce both Brebas and Main crop will it be an ideal fig for zone 5 I guess if the 2 Cutting do root only time will tell.

This Variety is Also know as Abebereira Or Bebereira mother tree is over 60 years old and produces enough figs for the whole town to enjoy.

This is the only pic I have.

Hi Nelson,

Now that is really something to be proud of!

FYI, I had B. Madeira from UCD and they rooted real good for me but I hadn't ever rooted anything before that and after they leafed out with nice leafs, they died on me(3) of them, I have thought I might have drowned them but now I'm not sure what did them in.

You gonna be bombarded with emails after this post I bet.

Good luck to ya on the rooting/plants!

You know what Cecil I went throught that this year with some cuttings, the ones that rooted quickest and seemed the healthiest died. I too believe it was from the soil holding too much water I pray that I dont go through the same thing with these since I only got two cuttings.

Nelson I'm gonna send a private msg to ya

Nelson
Why did not you drive the short distance to Adriano at Oakville to get it who lists it as the first item as follow where you might have got it in less than a year instead of waiting for many years. You would have been having fig fruits for Christmas!

Varieties Available :

Abebereira
A long black large fig , very popular in Portugal.

OttawanZ5 because what Adriano has is not a real abebereira.

You may be right but if I agree with you I am afraid I will never get any cuttings from Adriano again.

OttawanZ5 you dont have to agree with me what I meant to say is that the Beberas I seen while I lived in Madeira are different than what Adriano Sells. Is there more than one type of Bebera possibly im no expert. But from the pics I have seen of Adrianos Abebereira the fruit & leaves dont match the ones from Madeira. If you want to see exactly what they look like Sue posted on here not too long ago about the Portuguese figs she found in Point Loma the long black fig she found thats what an Abebereira looks like in Madeira.

http://www.susanvanderveen.com/FIGS/EstelasFigs/PointLomaFigs.html

Nelson congratulations even if only 2 cuttings recieved.
Only advice i can give is take your time no rush them and when you see roots and pot them up give them but a small drink and let them alone because the young roots will be ok for a good while before needing another drink because they cannot inhale the water like we think they can and will surely rot.  Oh along with many other members i have drowned small cuttings after transplant.
Best Luck

Thanks Martin I too have learned the hard way with over watering I hope I have learned from my mistakes. Im just happy to finally have something from back home here. Specially the white variety because the cuttings came from my Great Grandfathers tree nobody really knows how old it is my gradfather remembers it being there when he was a young boy and hes 74 now.

Oh by the way the pic I posted is of the Main Crop figs.

This is something I found a while back the book is called Official descriptive and illustrated catalogue, Volume 4
By Great Exhibition, Robert Ellis (F.L.S.), Great Britain. Commissioners for the Exhibition of 1851

http://books.google.ca/books?id=NA8LAAAAIAAJ&pg=RA2-PA1319&img=1&zoom=3&hl=en&sig=ACfU3U3oYVk8UpR7jyemo2NnGEJeL3xFeQ&ci=45%2C124%2C933%2C1342&edge=0

#73 He labeled the Bebera as ( Ficus Longa ) Anyone ever hear of Ficus Longa? I knew I have searched but have not found anything besides this on this book.

Nelson
I meant I do not have personal knowledge of the cultivar one way or another. 

OttawanZ5 its all good.

Ciao nelson,  I wish you luck with these cuttings.  It is always nice to get figs from the homeland, I know this feeling well when I receive family heirloom figs cuttings from Italy.  Please keep us all posted on this progress.  Ciao and best luck to you and yours. 

Thanks Maggie it sure is great to bring stuff from the old contry to bring back memories. I will post updates as we go along hopefully everything works out, and I would also like to thanks everyone for all the help I really appreciate it.

Thats why God gave us memories, many of them bring back peace and joy and a real sense of place in the world.  Ciao

That is so true Maggie cant wait to see my Grandfathers face when I give him a plant from his Fathers tree. I told my uncle not to say anything so that it would be a surprise and in case the cuttings didnt make it, my uncle did take some pictures of the mother plant so I will post them when he emails me them.

Yes,Yes, Yes!!!!,  My Aunt now lives here in America she lived here for about 30 years, and when I gave her a rooted cutting from her fathers tree in Italy, she cried like baby for a good five minutes, I started to worry but she was soo full of joy, She said her father tended that tree for 50 years with his bare hands, it was his pride and joy,  like having a part of him with us again.  Understand the feeling.  I too made it a surprise, then I had alot of explaining to do how it came here. Ciao

Yes Maggie oh my were in a similar situation. That too was my Great Grandfathers Pride & Joy specially since at the time it was under Fascist rule and they struggled to feed their big family. That Fig tree was like gold to them when fig season came and I too am sure my grandfather will feel the same way. I moved to Canada when I was 10 and most of my memories of my Great grandfather were around that fig tree since he loved it so much. My dad was so happy when he found out his brother brought back some cuttings he comes in my office everyday and takes a peak to see if theres roots lol.

I just enjoy reading about you guys Heirloom Figs
and where they come from!

Thanks

Nelson and Itailiangirl I understand your feelings. My father had fig trees until his death that kept us with all the figs we could eat. Well untimely cold and then hurricanes have taken the trees from us. My brother's wife who loves to grow things, my brother doesn't, got a cutting from my Dad some years ago and planted it in Tennessee. She has a couple of cuttings started that I hope to get back down here to La. soon. Then I can say that I have a tree from my Dads tree and also pass it to my children. Thanks for such emotional stories.

Genecolin sorry for you loss and wish you the best of luck with getting a cutting back in your hands.

Ok so my uncle brought me this fig from my great grandfathers tree too bad it was not ripe and got squashed in the luggage but im thankfull he thought of me.






sorry about the quality was taken with a phone.

Fig looks like ahhhhh ill not go there lol

How long does it usually take to start seing root initials when you do the baggie method?

Nelson,
Depends on the cutting variety, temp and humidity...probably other factors as well. For the most part cuttings I've started take 1-3 weeks to see root initials in a warm, humid environment. Some have taken 2 months if in a cooler environment. Some are just stubborn like the Mission fig.
Sue

Thanks Sue the funny thing is I forgot about them and the newpaper was dry so I just sprayed a little water with my spray bottle and will check on it in a couple more days.