Recently there was a post listing various Mt Etna types.  These figs have always interested me, as the first figs I ever ate as a kid were from a Mt Etna type tree.  Hardy Chicago is probably the most commonly grown Mt Etna type fig.  I currently am growing 3 Mt Etna types:  Hardy Chicago, Marseilles VS, and Joe's Jersey.  This summer I will post a video comparing the 3 figs.  They are all similar in appearance, but have slightly different characteristics.  I think it will be helpful to view these 3 trees side by side.

I was wondering, have many people grown multiple Mt Etna types side by side to compare them?  From what I am  seeing with the 3 I have they are all very close, but not quite identical.  If these figs really are from the Mt Etna area, as several forum members have proposed, then I am wondering are the Mt Etna type figs closely related wild seedlings or one single cultivar that has mutated and adapted down different lines after a long history of cultivation and propagation?  If the Mt Etna hypothesis is true then more than likely wild figs in the Mt Etna region breed fairly true to type and there are many closely related seedlings in cultivation in the USA brought over back in the day by Sicilian immigrants from the Mt Etna area.

These are great figs that have stood the test of time.  I'm looking forward to posting the video when my trees start to fruit.  So far my favorite Mt Etna type has been the #1 performer for me here in AZ.  More people should grow these figs.

I think herman2 is the expert on this...but judging from the last thread there are strong opinions on what Mt. Etna means.

"I am wondering are the Mt Etna type figs closely related wild seedlings or one single cultivar that has mutated and adapted down different lines after a long history of cultivation and propagation?"

I've never been to Mt. Etna but you can imagine that the cold-hardy figs growing in the higher elevations would be highly related but also have some genetic differences. With all the cross pollination going on you would occasionally have a plant that receives a particularly good combination of genes for cold hardiness, flavor, productivity etc.  Someone comes across this tree and realizes how good it is; he/she then propagates it and gives it a name.  Over the generations it could further change due to mutation.  So I would guess both of the events you speak of have led to the Mt. Etna varieties we have today.