Thank for all the kind words. They are appreciated. I would like to respond to rchukka's question about whether VdB and Negronne are the same fig. My response is.....no they are not the smame. This is the reason why I have many varieties of fig trees. I want to know and taste the fruit for myself. When I first got started growing fig trees, I only knew the taste of a fig growing up, the famous Brown Turkey. So over the past 4 or so years, I started buying fig trees from various nurseries, Durion, Petals from the Past, EL, Raintree, Cowboyflowerman, Bass, Jon, Herman2, and others. When I bought trees, I have to honestly believe and trust the name given to my tree. Yes, some nurseries like Durion say that Negronne and VdB are the same. But what I have learned is that figs are flowers and not all flowers are the same even though some nursuries call them the same. I do know for a fact that VdB, Negronne, and Petite Negra are not the same fig tree. I have all 3 in the ground, and in pots and from different nurseries. So, I don't crash my brain trying to decide if figs are the same. I just grow them side by side and keep on trucking! :)
A fully ripen Marseille White is one of the sweetest figs I've ever tasted. Some nurseries list Marseilles White and Latturula and Italian Honey and Peter's honey as the same fig tree. I know for a fact that Marseilles White is nowhere close to being the same fig as those. However, my Byadi is growing 12 feet in the ground from my Marseille White and guess what? Both trees fruited the exact same time, both have the same shape, and the fruit taste EXACTLY the same. In a taste test you would swear they are the same! So, are they the same fig? Probably. But I will honor the name on my Byadi because in another country, Marseilles could be called Byadi even though they are the same tree. In my database, I will list them as probably the same but so so good!
Now, last year I had 2 large Black Madeira fig trees. Both produced a lot of figs and both are dead now. Too many figs killed them both. In a blind fold taste test, I can chose BM every time. In a blind fold taste test, I can choose Smith every time. I don't know were the Smith fig came from but I tell you, it is a taste you will never forget just like a BM. Smith figs ooze honey from the eye just like BM. The interior and shape is also related to BM. They are not the same fig but similar. This is my opinion.
So, that's why I start growing my own to compare for myself and share my results. And the best part is eating all these figs!!!!