Hi All,
Been reading the Forum for a while. Great information. Can you help identify the fig in the pictures. This was taken as a cutting from my Grandmother's house in Queens, NY almost 2 years ago when the family sold the house. The tree (according to family recollection) was given as a gift when they bought the home 60 or so years ago. May have even come over from Italy as she was the only of her siblings that was born in the US. I recall as a child that the figs were green/brown to brown when ripe and nice and red inside.

The tree spent its first winter in a pot indoors and did not go dormant. I planted it outside last June and wrapped it over the winter here in Northern NJ. It survived well and has been growing great. I pinched the branch tips a few weeks ago because I was concerned about it not fruiting because of the cool spring we had. It worked and there are many baby figs forming. I hope there is enough time for them to ripen (it will be my first fruit in many years).

Hello SteveNJ,
 
I cannot help you with ID'ing your beautiful fig tree, sorry, I noticed another plant beside the Tree,     It would looks like to me it is going to be crowded out real soon by the bigger tree, Why don't ya do this, send me the small plant, I have PLENTY of room for it to grow around here, I could report back to ya in a couple years (scouts honor)
 
Think it over & welcome to fig mania.
 
Cecil

Yes there actually are 2 1-year-old cuttings next to the tree. I made the mistake of planting them too close. I plan to transplant them to other locations in the fall (any recommendations on a good time?).

I also have several suckers that I cut and are rooting (just stuck them in potting soil which has worked for me before). They are inside and I plan on giving them out to my family so we have this tree in many places so as not to loose it - it has alot of meaning to me.

I'm thinking of trying to propagate some others later this season using the "baggie" method to give to some friends as gifts. I'm likely to cut some current-season wood to do this. Any recommendation on timing?

Thanks for the welcome.

Hello again Steve,
 
I have did the baggy thing with "green" wood and dormant wood, I have some green cuttings in the baggy now!   Sue took some green cuttings, all rooted, but she left leafs on one cutting, and baggied it with leafs still on, It went bonkers with roots. (bonkers being great)
 
Good luck!
 
Cecil

Thanks, that's encouraging. Any insight on if I can hope for my figs to ripen in time this year? I'm in Northern NJ and the baby figs just started forming about a week or so ago.

Hi
I also grow figs in Norther NJ. Be patient, they will come. Figure on late August or September. Don't rush it.
Coop

thanks. I couldn't recall the time of year to expect this tree to have ripe fruit. I haven't had figs from the original tree since I was young.

where in NJ are you?

Thought I'd add some more info ... went digging in the family archives ... It seems the original tree was not from Queens as I originally thought. It is likely a cutting from my great grandmother who had a tree at her house in Brooklyn (circa 1910) described as an "Italian Black" fig (whatever that means). Do not know if it originated from Italy where the family came from - Teggiano and Sanza which is about an hour SE of Salerno. Would be nice if it did. In either case, it is an heirloom and my kids will be the 5th generation enjoying fruit from this tree.

Steve:Your fig can't be id,only if you have a couple of ripe fruits,in picture,one ,cut in half to show the interior,and a quarter dollar next to them to compare the size,against.
I am sure it is an old cultivar,so Enjoy.

Thanks Herman. I plan to do that after they ripen. I am impatiently waiting and tracking/logging its growth. The wife and family think I'm crazy as I sit and stare at the tree each day. I guess you can't will the tree to ripen any faster ;)