Anyone growing IT 358? I have one small cutting rooting/rotting (slow going!) and curious to know how good it's been for others with established trees. Among the numbered Italian varieties it's been ranked as being second only to 258, so I'm surprised to have not found many if any threads on this one. According to the Prusch Park numbered figs sheet, it's similar to 258 but perhaps not as good, with PS says it's one of his best, second only to Italian 258:

IT258 - Thick purple-blue skin, strawberry flesh, medium size, short neck, medium eye, vigorous plant. Good to excellent flavor. Also ok in coastal area. PS says this is the his best (along with #358) of IT collection for his growing conditions. It is his earliest and latest fig each year.

IT 358 - Mottled brown color (may be greenish in cooler areas), medium size, thin glossy skin. Light flavor. MA says ok in coastal area, similar to IT 258 for PS. Probably not as high quality as 258.

I'm rooting a cutting from Prusch Park that I'd almost given up on as there's been no change since I started it in July, but today when I was airing out the bins I finally spotted roots. I'm fully aware the mix is too wet; the perlite is a little green, which probably indicates too much moisture and not enough air. I'd cupped it before finally switching to using much less water in my ProMix HP rooting mix, so the mix is a lot wetter than more recently prepped cuttings which have rooted more readily. I don't want to disturb those roots by replacing with drier mix so I cleaned off the green mold with bleach, poked some bigger holes and now hoping it pulls through. 

It didn't show any roots until I pulled the outside rooting bins into the office near a space heater for the winter, maybe it's the extra heat that's finally nudged it into action. I plan to go to the next scion exchange in January and will try to get another cutting in case this one doesn't make it. At this point I have four roots and a moldy stem, so it's looking dubious. This one is in the category of "Tried rooting before switching to better rooting practices, been trying to root for a long time and now it's in the Long Shot Bin." 

I'm not the pro here but I definitely want to know.  I have had a couple of cuttings that were moldy and I rescued them by washing them and getting rid of the mold.  I re-established them and they now look like they are coming alive.  they are Alma cuttings that I got from PeteC (Thanks, PeteC!).  I hope your I358 will do well!

I've rescued a few moldy cuttings this way and they recovered fine. Some required a little trimming. This particular cutting looks fine now after a bleach sponge bath, and roots are growing stronger in what is admittedly a too-wet medium. 

I've already heard from one person that for him so far it's been a honey-type fig with a flavor profile that's not anything extraordinary (kind of a let down, but thanks for the info!). I got carried away with rooting details in the first post but my main question is, has anyone grown this variety and can offer extra input beyond the Prusch numbered fig info sheet regarding crop abundance, late/early season, relative flavor ranking?  

IT 358 was semi late in my climate. Split with heavy rains and main crop tatsed average. Plant died two winters ago and I did not try to replace it. It didn't do well in my climate, but it might do well in yours.


Navid.

Thanks, Navid. I heard about the same review from another person growing it in a similar zone as you (6a/6b). My cutting seems to be putting out more roots, with any luck I'll be able to see how it performs in a warmer zone in a few years. 

I'll look for I-258 at the same time, might as well test out both of the top two Italian numbered figs while I'm at it!

Update:
That sad-looking I-358 cutting didn't make it and I gave it an honorable burial in my compost heap.

However, things are looking up because I was fortunate enough to acquire fresh I-358 cuttings from last month's Prusch Park scion exchange and a couple small I-258 cuttings from a friend. It's early days but they have good roots (I-258's are mostly covering the bottom) and some leaves at this point. With care and a little luck, I'll get to taste both of them someday. 

Congrats. Nice looking baby trees.

Navid.

Thanks! They have a long way to go still, but at least they're not moldy stumps like that first cutting I posted about. I have I-395 and Igo and a few others from Prusch as well which are rooted and grafted onto established trees, should be fun trialing them all. 

Congratulations!