This is a variety that isn't talked about much.  This is another one of the figs Todd Kennedy imported several years ago (tags with labels were reportedly lost before he got his hands on cuttings).  This selection gets shared at several CRFG scion exchanges and I decided to try growing it after a CRFG friend of mine from a cooler western region of Sonoma County (north of me) reported that this is the only fig he grows that reliably produces ripe fruit for him every year.  I believe he's said he has at least a few dozen varieties.  This is probably worth trying by folks growing in cool areas.

I started this tree earlier this year and today picked my first ripe fig from a tree that's in a 5 gallon pot.

It was nice and sweet and fairly good flavor.  Not rich-flavored but not bland either.  It will go in the ground soon and I hope to get more figs of it next year.

 

Harvey, thanks for posting this.  I'm not sure how your friend's climate compares to the northeast or mid-atlantic regions of the U.S.  I'm sure it doesn't get as cold in the winter but it sounds like he doesn't get the heat and long season that you do.  So basically what you saying is that this fig will be more likely than others to be productive in areas where the season is on the short side and temps are cooler - correct?

Yes, that's correct.  I forget my friend's precise comments but he is quite an accomplished grower of many things and in late 2013 reported that the hot summer of 2013 allowed him to finally pick several other figs besides Italian 215 but that in most years that's the only one that will ripen for him.  He probably gets maybe 3-5 degrees colder than where I am but probably USDA hardiness 8 so I wouldn't have anything to guess on cold hardiness of this variety.  Gary (figgary) is in a similar but slightly warmer summertime area and is also growing this variety, I believe.  Neil (posturedoc) is also growing it.  I don't believe it has fruited for either of them yet.  We all started out trees at the beginning of the year.