Hello,

I got some cuttings from Madeira from another fig collector. We don't know the varieties yet.
One of the cuttings has a quite interesting leaf shape. It looks a little "rectangular".
Of curse we have to wait until we can also compare the fruits an the other cuttings of this plant. But I was wondering if we could collect some varieties here with a similar leaf shape.
Do you know some?

Greetings from Berlin, Germany.

 

 

Unfortunately, you cannot determine a fig variety solely based on the leaf shape.  At an early stage like this, you will see premature leaf patterns that may be completely different from a mature tree of the same variety.  I have seen trees of my own that grow a branch with completely different leaf patterns than the branch beside it.  I would wait a full growing season and take pictures throughout the year, then you should be able to determine the most consistent pattern.  Even then, you need ripe fruits to help identify what variety it MIGHT be.  I wish it were simpler.  Welcome to the forum!

Great post Frank, agree completely. 

Hello Berliner

Welcome to the forum.
Nice little fig from Madeira you have there!
What did make you look for a Madeira fig ?
Any idea of the fruit colors ?

I do have a few pictures of a very young fig which could be from Madeira, very similar to yours..will try and find them.. and if you see no problem on that, if I find them I shall send for you to have a look.

Francisco
Portugal

@ FiggyFrank:

I completely agree! It was just my eagerness. My idea was the following:
Normally the first leafs of my cuttings or plants coming out of dormancy have no specific leaf pattern. There are almost all just roundish or more oval. The pattern develops with later leafs and of course also differs from leaf to leaf or brach to branch. But since this particular cutting already has a special pattern I thought of collecting here varieties with similar patterns. So my plan was not to determine the variety now but to have some names later to compare if the pattern goes on (eagerness I told you..).

@ lampo

I did not plan to get the cuttings. But someone I know was on Madeira cutting almost a completely suitcase full of different fig cuttings. There are all named by numbers and 3-4 people in Germany got pieces of them. So we can compare together and try to finde out what varieties we have. We know nothing about the fruits but we know that there all do fruit!
And of course I would love to see your pictures! :)

Here there are. Some are still in moss.

 

Berliner,

OMG! a full suitcase !!!
Hope your friend still left a few for other collectors.

here the picture of the leaves I believe to be not much different from yours

 

Francisco
Portugal

Cool! :) Du you know the variety? 
She cut cuttings from maybe 20 fig trees. So there should be some more over there :D

Berliner,

The variety is still a 'mistery'!?

but the fig is here...


 

you see...
The poor fig  broke down in tears when it learned what your friend did to those innocent  Madeira fig trees

Francisco
Portugal

:D

When I wrote 20 trees I meant she took maybe 4-6 cuttings of every tree (big trees). So no big harm. :)

Hi Berliner,
With some luck, you sampled some early ripening strains ... In Madeira, they don't need to worry about that ... The weather is with them ( like the force does for some ).
In Germany, late ripening cultivars ... will have a hard time ripening any fig ...
By the way, you know that you don't have the fig-wasp ... Do you ?
If you're really looking to ripen figs, try to stick to known early ripening cultivars, or you'll be deceived ...
Just saying ...
Good luck !

Hey jdsfrance,

I already have early ripening figs :)
For me it's not everything about fruit. It's more about the beauty of the plant and also about the challenge ;)
On Madeira the neither have the fig wasp. That shouldn't be the problem so :)