Aaron,

You may go ahead safely, the Black Mission figs will not require any wasp to ripen.
The great majority of fig varieties dealt with in this forum, do not require the insect's visit to produce good figs.

Good luck

Francisco

Aaron: I agree with Francisco.

Best,
Tam

Aaron8888,
All "Common-Type" figs will produce edible figs without wasp caprification. A few "San Pedro-Type" will produce edible Breba without wasp caprification. Most if not all of the cultivars being grown in the Eastern USA are Common-types. A very informative Booklet... The Incredible Edible Fig has a more detailed explanation. Mission (Black Mission) is a Common-Type and does not need a wasp.
Good Luck.

Anyone....

Can and will a wasp caprify a common fig, or, is something essential missing in a common fig that would attract a wasp?  If the caprification of a common fig like "Black Mission" is possible, does it produce a higher quality fruit/fig?


Frank

Frank,
Yes, Yes.
Jon V. is always mentioning the caprified Common-Type figs in CA. If you look at the fig picures in the Varieties pages, you will see the Caprified interiors (the pulp are usually much darker in color once caprified).
http://figs4fun.com/Varieties.html

To whom it may concern,

The wasp can and will caprify a Common fig if it gets near and the fig is receptive.. the poor insect ( a mother ! full of eggs and smeared with pollen) wants nothing but a place to deposit her eggs and maintain her kin, as simple as that. Any caprified Common fig is bigger, sweeter, more flavored and a nicer and better quality fruit.

In years of rich caprifig production (like this 2013 season) farmers were very happy because their Common fig varieties meant for drying would yield an additional 10 to 15% more tonnage.

Francisco

Sure wish those little buggers were cold hardy ! Are they found in Florida ?

Fransisco, gets a silver star b/c he is absolutely correct. If you and I had the wasp in our area, it would caprify our common figs. It is my belief that one day the fig wasp will be in the southeast. Maybe not in my life time but I think it will happen. Caprified figs completely changes the size, taste, color and texture of a fig. This is not a bad thing! To me, it is great! Most on this forum frown at Brown Turkey figs; not me. BUT, caprified brown turkey figs and California Brown Turkey figs ARE TO DIE FOR...... PERIOD! They are so rich and flavorful.

But yes, Black Mission is a common fig and does not require pollination by the wasp.

I was very surprised by your answers about common figs and the caprification process. 

Most of us are missing absolute perfection, and no matter how well we grow our common figs, without caprification, we will always be eating figs that are not at their best.  So, sadly, most of us will never experience Fig Nirvana!  I can only image how much better our figs would taste if we had the wasp, especially reading Dennis' comments.

Well... I can't dwell on what might have been, and I'm resolved to just enjoy whatever figs I get....with or without, the wasp.

Thanks for the answers.


Frank



EDIT:

How likely are the chances that the fresh, "Black Mission" figs, that I buy at a supermarket, are caprified?

Thank you all for the info.  Very interesting and good to know!

Not caprified and caprified Brunswick.

http://gustavson.snimka.bg/nature/2013.771264.31590318

Very different in taste.

http://gustavson.snimka.bg/nature/smokinja.690785.31275788

Thank you everyone for very good information.

Best,
Tam

We are just taking what NATURE created :

the figs and mankind .

Francisco