Has anyone heard of a fig variety called "Yellow Spanish", or also maybe know as "Jerusalem". A local person is selling a largish tree, and these were the names that he says he was given for the variety. He described it as "yellow, sweet, with like a honey-drop at the eyes blocking out bugs".

I am going to go check it out after Christmas, but wanted to see if anyone had any more info. I have read a few postings on a Jerusalem fig, but the descriptions don't match. Just hope this does not turn out to be the ever-present Kadota that is sold under so many different name down here.

Thanks
CliffH

CliffH,

Never heard of that name. May be the only alternative left to you is to find the person who gave the name to the fig, and that will not be easy. There is a Spanish Dessert (also a re-baptize) but that one is black and to make matters worse it's a Smyrna, growing 'down-under'.

Assuming your fig originates from Spain, I would recommend you check this book. It's a well  illustrated  publication with the most popular varieties, full descriptions,  namely from eastern Spain

Published by  Montserrat Pons
Les figueres a les Illes Baleares
ISBN 978-84-615-8060-6

Or the Gov publication also illustrated with complete descriptions  of the most popular varieties of Western Spain
Variedades de Higuera
ISBN 978-84-491-1103-7

Good luck

Francisco
Portugal

Jerusalem is a name which seems to attach itself to several figs,some sources have claimed that Jerusalem is a synonym for Longue du aout,another synonym they quote for Longue de aout is Banane,which sounds very similar to Banana which is also a probabable synonym for Kadota,maybe the original source knew it was a banana fig(Kadota) and preferred the synonym for Banane (Longue de aout) incorrectly assuming they were the same,so called it Jerusalem?.

I have two Jerusalem figs from two different sources,one is supposed to be green,the other is supposed to be purple,doesn't sound like either would be a match,neither has fruited for me yet.If yours turns out to be an unknown maybe I need to add it to my Jerusalem fig duo and make it a trio.

Jerusalem may or may not just indicate where a fig came from,which isn't helpful as Jerusalem(the place) has the wasp so there must be hundreds or thousands of unique figs from that region,or maybe a nursery just thought it would be a cool name.

Just goes to show you can't judge a fig by its name.Your best bet would be to compare the fruit and leaves with good pictorial sources and/or post those same pictures here to see if someone else has it under its propper name.

Good luck!

Thanks for the input. I am going to go look at the tree tomorrow. Hopefully there is still a leaf or two on it. I also plan to show the owner some fig pics to try and ID the variety. 

Other than what you mentioned, I can think of three yellow figs being sold in your area. The Lemon fig, Banana and the Golden Celeste.

'Lemon' is a fig variety that was found growing on the banks of a levee near Del Rio, Texas. It has an attractive yellow skin with a creamy, smooth flesh and a closed eye. ' Lemon' has a unique flavor with mild citrus notes. It has produced well in Fredericksburg and San Antonio and is suggested for trial planting on the southern half of the state.
'Lemon' is somewhat cold tender, but produces moderate crops on new growth in years winter freezes kill it to the ground."

"Banana Fig A medium size yellow fig with pale strawberry flesh. Very sweet, full flavor, no bitterness, closed eye, but will split if not harvested when ripe. Low spreading tree, but can also grow tall, so prune to the size you want. Good production. Good cold tolerance. One of the very best. Grown in Seabrook, Texas since around 1910."
Most likely is a Kadota.

"LSU Gold A large yellow fig with light red to pink pulp. Because the fruit has an open eye when mature, it should be picked as soon as it reaches maturity because fruit spoilage may occur during ripening in high moisture periods."

I also purchased a tree called Golden Celeste last year, but the fruit was small and did not match to the LSU description and this one could easily be confused with the Lemon fig.

Thanks Sas. I think that this tree may be a lemon fig. Maybe. But at least it was not a Kadota/Banana. He had a Kadota and said they were definitely different.

The owner said the figs was medium sized (larger than Celeste) with round fruit. Turns bright yellow when ripe, with honey colored pulp. Has a small open eye that always drips honey when ripe. He said it was the sweetest fig he had ever tasted. The large tree was a heavy barer even being in a pretty shady spot.

The tree was too big and too intertwined in the roots of other non-fruiting trees to try and dig it up. So I took a number of 12" - 18" cuttings. We will see how they turn out. I will be giving a few to a couple of other local fig nuts so that we can trail this one.


CliffH

Oh, and to comment on the Banana fig. I am on a serious search to find the Banana fig in your description. One with medium fruit, pink inside, and a closed eye. This does not sound like the Kadotas in Houston. But so far, every Banana fig tree that I investigated this summer was a standard Kadota (larger, pale honey center, and an open eye). Still searching. I have some cutting to collect his winter, and some more trees to visit during fruiting season.

Had a Lemon fig. Since then I moved it to my river property. Have to check on it when I get a chance.

You could see it on the top left of this photo.

I picked up a Banana this past summer from Arborgate nursery near you and planted it at my wildlife property, (after reading that it might be a Kadota).
Don't know its current condition especially since we had extra hot days and no rain lately. In addition, I might loose some more trees to wild boar and deer again.

I will be interested to find out if that tree from Arbor Gate turns out to be a Kadota, or not. One of the other local members also picked up one. I looked at it but decided to pass at the time. I believe those trees were from TreeSearch Farms, when I asked about them. The AG nursery also has a large in-ground Banana fig tree that they say has pink flesh.