Hi all.

I was hoping someone could identify this fig. A short history of how I acquired it. My wife's friend has had this type of fig tree which her family brought back from Italy more than 50 years ago. It's a monster tree and big producer. She had given me a few cuttings back in Nov./12. I started the cuttings in December and they really took off. She didn't know the type (just called it a purple fig). I was shocked it has been producing ripe figs before it's even one year old. They are also very sweet and delicious. Right now I call it "Julie's fig" (her name). I'm hoping these pictures come through (I'm not that sharp on the computer). Any help identifying would be greatly appreciated. I know I don't post too much, but I am an avid lurker. The helpful info here is terrific.

John

Hi John.
Any way to find out what area of Italy it came from?
The color looks like Neverella.
Have you looked in the varieties database?
Check out:
1. GM-11
2. Abruzzi
3. Sicilian
4. Nero

The ripples on the base of the leaf and the round, smooth
lobes on the 2nd photo are pretty distinct, but the 1st photo
leaves look more like an unnamed variety I have from Abruzzo, which
I suspect IS Abruzzi.
Do the leaves have an especially strong cat pee smell?

Thanks for replying Ruuting. I checked out the varieties database as you suggested. It looks like it could be any of those you mentioned. I'll have to ask her if she knows what area the tree originated from. I would think if she knows what area her family resided, that's where this tree came from. Also I didn't notice a strong odor of cat pee from the leaves (I'm kinda happy about that). 

John

I'm growing a couple of these and was going to test out the fig leaf smell.  I've heard others refer to the "cat pee" smell of figs and honestly don't know what that is like.  Our cats pee in various discrete locations (apparently) around our farmstead.  This fig is a strong grower.

I think cat pee smell in plants in not something everyone can detect. There are some people who can't smell Cleome, and some (including me) who think it's horrible. Not sure if that helps in ID or not, it may not be a foolproof metric.

fig leaf smells wonderful to me :)

Anyone who questions whether plants can smell of cat pee just needs to take a whiff of an American boxwood. The English boxwood does not have the same odor.