Wow Francisco those look awesome. I bet more than a few people hit you up for cuttings, and I don't blame them!

That Violeta... Holy smokes that is the most appealing fig I've ever laid eyes on. Very Black Madeirish.

amazing.. i'm speechles..

Hello,

Suzi,
the names of these figs are on the left lower corner of each picture, just zoom it and they will appear.
I would be the happiest guy in this planet, if with your help we could make the amber pulp fig to grow and fruit in your garden. It is a God's fig! You have the conditions.
I promise to let you have free, ten of these cuttings. What do you think ?

Forrest,
Yes, effectively there are some interest and within reasonable limits I am willing to help.I agree and share your appreciation for Violeta. It is very appealing, the color combinations of skin and pulp and the juicy 'radiations' from the PC monitor make your mouth water. A professional photographer could take that fig, manipulate a series of pictures with more or les lighy,exposure,angles etc and present it for sale on those auction places where people readily strike offers to the hundreds !!

Dominick,
My grand dad started all fig discussion with his friends in the tavern, saying: ..fellows with figs we never sure! - they would argue, discuss, all aspects of the fruit, like it is done today, around names, flavor, tastes , colors etc..
This same fig (Violeta) is called the following additional names..'San Vicente'
San Luis' and may be others depending on the regions and traditions. As far as I am concerned it was always Violeta.
The plate with those black figs on your picture is marked 'Violette'. As it is written the name smells French. and they have the Violette de Bordeaux - Violette de Solliès- and probably more Violettes. From what I know of these french varieties, they are not the same fruit- but,..we are never sure !
take care
Francisco

Quarteira sounds like the fig to have. Sweet and juicy! Easy on the eyes for sure!
That's the one.

I would take a couple of those from Francisco ( how in the world did you get these varieties?) and I will be fine with this bowl of 'violette'.. how delicious they may be....

Is it strange that feel inspired by a picture of fruit? Perhaps, but I do. I don't know how my life will unfold, but I know what I want and it is just to live simply, somewhere beautiful and have some fruit trees. And if one of those is the Violeta fig, that's just perfect. And if another is Olho Da Vinha, all the better. And if another is Quarteira... You get the idea :)

I went back and looked at your posts in the "ripening order" topic, Lampo, and think you should create a coffee table picture book about fig varieties! Your pics are that enticing, and it's evident how much you enjoy cultivating figs. I wonder if you have a website about your fig trees like my friend in Barcelona Jordi Font? His is http://www.galgoni.com/

Dominick, that's a very nice bowl of Violette de Sollies

@Lampo -- those figs are delicious looking. Thanks for posting pictures.

I am speechless. If perfection could grow on a tree I think we may have come as close as possible to seeing it. But I yet a pup in the fig world and still learning there are more options out there for my climate than I ever imagined. Insperation by a pic of fruit indeed.

Hi,
Thank you very much for your appreciation and kind words.

kubota1 - I agree with your comment. 'Quarteira' figs were the top preference of my old grand mother. Even today a good deal of people talk and look for them. In a way they are becoming rare and forgotten!
It will be a good tree in any collection.

Grasa - My dear, help yourself! All these varieties come from the Algarve/Portugal. I agree with your comments for the 'Violeta' figs
They are a beauty and carry an unfforgetable flavor ! One day you shall taste them. You see, people these days do not bother with such figs any more. Old and genuine names mean nothing ! as the talk goes, figs are either green or black and the bigger the better.
New farms of the modern hibrid 'big size' and watery brebas are taking the old lands where the traditional fruits were cultivated.

Forrest -Yes I am in full agreement with what you say and I feel it as well . The figs you mention are realy first class (at least for my taste) .Have you ever considered to grow a couple of pots with caprifigs in your area ? I am under the impression that people run away from this extraordinary fruit. My grand parents used to say that the caprifig is to all other figs, what the minister is for his congregation--beeing the instrument to bring the blessing from the Heavens to the ones in need!
I think he was right.

paully22 - Thank you paully. I agree they are in fact deliciously looking and even more delicious when one has the chance to grab a dozen of properly ripe figs (these or other) early morning just after sunrise, naturaly cooled, still with a couple of light dew tears on its skin... This is my prefered timing to eat fresh figs !

garden_whisperer - Thank you for your appreciation and kind comments

All the Best
Francisco

After reading these comments I have come to the conclusion that figs bring out the romantics! 

I don't know what my most desirable fig is.  Up to Jan of this year I knew there were purple, green, mission, dried and fig newtons!

Just like Pete, it's the one I don't  have and I don't have much.

Francisco, isn't Lampo also a name of a fig?  I will send you a PM in Portuguese, would that be OK?

I'm over the moon for the looks of these figs! Anything for me that has that red/purple interior is my desire ! Although I am growing others named and unnamed ,light or dark,  it will be a few years before a lot of my trees have great fruit  !

JoAnn749 - I understand very well what you mean. But this is just occasional. Sooner than later more new, unknown figs will show up, nicer, better. tastier and then, again one shall be asking the same questions. Let´s start with a few and as soon as you grab more knowledge and confidence expand your garden.

Grasa - Yes. It is the name given to the breba from the LAMPEIRA PRETA or LAMPEIRA NEGRA, the most widespread San Pedro fig type in Portugal.I would love to receive a PM in portuguese and promise to respond alike. Hope the moderator sees no problem with it.

Pattee - I do as well.When making an assessment of a fig I tend to put far more value on color contrast and the blood red pulps, violets etc go immediately to the top. Second always comes the aspect of the fruit cavity, how full they are ..syropy? how much?etc.
The wild fig forces these contrasts and definitely makes figs to show juicy and full pulps.

Cheers

Lampo, the Quarteira looks like it's fig jam inside a green skin, almost like a stuffed baked potatoe but done with a fig.   

Chivas, yes it is a very sweet and juicy fig.So much that even in the heat of long Summer sunny days, it shall not dry !
Frabcisco

While I am relatively new to figs and collecting , my first instinct was to just collect as many different varieties I could find locally.
Since I have read so much more here on this forum about the varieties , tastes and traits , I am much more concerned with the sweetness/taste . A lot of the dark interiors, I have seen here in pictures do have that deep, sweet , jammy, rich flavor . As my trees get older and the fruits come into their own , local growing conditions etc. , I know the tastes of the fruits will change. It will be interesting to see how the different varieties , I have bought and been gifted , dark and light, named and unnamed  , hold up through the years.

Hi Francisco,

I don't really need a caprifig here, as the wasp is all over my town. I love a fig called Zidi, I know you do as well. Perhaps pollination would be better with a caprifig... that is something I will delve into on my next piece of property, which will be much larger and a few miles inland, for more sun and heat.

I live in southwest California, right by the Mexican border and right by the ocean. I probably live too close to the sea for some figs, but for the most part It's excellent climate. Very Mediterranean. But I often feel like id love to live in southern Europe, where my parents are from.

Tell me about your land in Portugal. How many trees do you care for?

PS: Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

Rond de Bordeaux was my favourit by its look even when I did not have it.
Now that I have it, I like it for its taste and that it is not late ripening even in my Zone 5a.

when i first saw and read about RdB, it didn't do much for me. i was told that it might have slightly open eye. i was told that it's not that different from VdB. so i put off getting one. then suddenly RdB is getting very popular. everyone wanted one. so i decided to try to get some cuttings. they are still growing and i won't be able to taste them till 2013 or 2014. some of the new picutures coming on the forum is just amazing. can't wait till i get to taste one.

Hello Forrester

I have been dreaming of a thread like yours coming from America.It makes me extremely happy,to know that you have the little wasps by hand.Fantastic! So you shall be able to pollinate ALL your figs..smyrna and common alike, plus some of the San Pedro summer crop.
Have you spotted the wild figtrees ? If that is ok with you I would very much appreciate to look into a couple of pictures. Iam preparing pics of my capri's to send.
Now, the mamme crop (winter) is in full development and hopefuly full of larvae.In a month time if we continue to have rain, they will change color from green to yellowish or brown/violet depending on the variety
These figs can be affected by abnormal unexpected climatic changes. Be aware of that
Have you any smyrna varieties ? Tha Zidi is a fantastic ground for your experiments with the wasp...even to see the living pollinator to find its way into the tight and still green ostiole. I have not the Zidi yet but in turn have its sligthly bigger brother, purple/black (Inchario), pyriform and with amber juicy pulp, the best in this district.
To your question about my place, I must say that you may find it very quickly going to Google earth and asking the whereabouts of Algarve, the southern province of Portugal
It is a small sort of rectangle 150x40 KM facing south. The northern border is a long chain of mountains average 2700 ft and then sloping downsouth to the coast- all orchards for all Med fruit develop on those slopes.
I have about 20 trees in pots and ground but bringging in more everyyear. Iam much interested now to get cuttings from North African countries, as well as from Turkey.

My trees are still too young for cuttings. Of the varieties shown I could probably get some Black smyrna (Inchario) and Quarteira. Violeta for next season, same for the Violette de Solliès, but this one can be found easily in the US
My understanding is that some girls in this forum (in California) would welcome Smyrna figs, but have problems to get the caprifig. As I have already promised to Suzi I can provide some Inchario cuttings (*) and you could probably help with the caprifigs.
What do you think ?
Cheers
Francisco
(*) Our laws now require an inspector from the Agric.agency to witness the operation of collecting cuttings from the mother tree, prior to issuing a certificate. Ok, I can handle that. What I do not know is what is needed for Customs acceptance on arrival on that particular State.

francisco

by US law, importing plant/plant parts require import license. this also require imported plant/plant parts to be quarantined for certain number of period. i think it's 2 yrs for the fig, i might be wrong. during that time, the plant/plant part can not be used for propagation, and can not be moved from quarantine area. also requires inspection by agency that governs this. i just finished reading about this on following link.

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/ImportingExporting-plant-material-6095938

however, being able to someday enjoy kind of figs that you have might encourage some people to go through this process.

Ola Francisco, thanks for the nice words. I googled Algarve, and wow do you have some beautiful beaches there! http://www.bookableholidays.com/images/country/portugal/algarve/all/sheltered-beaches.jpg Very unusual formations...

Anyway, Suzi can get a caprifig at Exotica Nursery in Vista. Maybe I should private message her about that, I think I will. Yes I am glad to be able to grow any fig, I do enjoy the crunchy seeds as well. Zidi is awesome, and A well pollinated Panachee is really an outstanding experience, too, even though it is a common fig, it's much better when the wasp has paid a visit. I admit not have any more experience with Zidi type figs. They tend to be larger in size, and for my mild climate, larger figs seem to need more heat to ripen well so i dont plant them. Also, they are hard to obtain... Common figs are called "common" for a reason! In Turkey they only value Smyrna types, and esteem common figs about as highly as Americans do crabapples, which is to say, not worth eating. But if you are into Turkish figs, do seek out the most famous and best of the bunch, the Black Bursa. Supposed to be the best in the world, someday I hope to judge for myself. I think we all would.

I have more to say but risk overcooking my dinner. I'll post again tomorrow, Boa Noite! (My father lives in Brazil)

Hey Pete, those Ronde Pics do look really nice huh? It's the pics that make the whole Internet fig world turn. Maltese and galicia look pretty appealing too. I can't wait until they are easy to get in 5 years or so.

forrest,

RdB should be readily available sooner than 5 yrs. there will be more members having the trees and more members sharing their cuttings soon. my RdB should be ready for limited cuttings to be shared in about 2 yrs or sooner. freely shared with me, and i'll share it freely with others. i like simple system :)

Francisco,

Beautiful figs and photos.