I took pictures of these figs & the tree back in the summer. This was when my camera was down and all I had to take pics with was my cheap TracPhone. I had no way to load the images directly because these phones simply don't have the capability. I received a ton of tech support from figgyfrank. Thank you Frank! 

In the end, I had to text some of the images to my sister-in-law and she sent the pics back to my email. Very inefficient process but it worked. Here is the first (low quality) pic of ripe fruit on my small Preto fig tree. I had it in a SWC this summer and it seemed to like that setup. 

Hopefully I will be able to get a couple more pics on here later.

Enjoy:

Nice tree.

Low quality image works just fine and good lookin' fruit to boot.

Bill,
Nice looking plant.
Do you know if the decision about Preto and Black Madeira being the same fig was ever resolved?

Man, that is a beautiful color.  What color are the guts?

Wonderful looking and happy for you.  ; )

Bill, Do you think that being in a SWC improved the growth rate? Or do think it would of grown the same?

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

- Micheal. I still don't know the answer to that question yet. At the end of this season I had two small grafts of Black Madeira in addition to the Preto. I'm hoping in time I will get both of them to fruit in the same season. Being able to compare them in the same season should go a long way helping to work that out. I will say this. Most folks say that BM is a late ripening variety. Yet Preto seemed to ripen in plenty of time before season's end in my West KY climate.

I got 4 ripe fruit total. Unfortunately I only got pics of one fruit. If I have camera issues in the future I will just take pics with my 35mm and scan them in. Thought of that too late this time around though.

- Frank. I have 2 more pics of the fruit. One is of the guts ;) . Having technical difficulties somewhere between my brain and the computer for the moment. I'm sure I'll get it worked out momentarily. Please stand by.

- Martin. I have to agree. She is one good looking fig isn't she? The flavor is what really surprised me. Very different from any fig I've tasted so far - in a good way. I need more ripe fruits to give a good evaluation of the actual flavor. Kind of hard to describe really, huh?

- Tony. I can't really say for sure about the SWC. I know this was a great way to provide the right amount of water and nutrients on a continuous basis. And that, I think, is the real advantage of SWCs. I don't plan to continue with the SWCs this year though. I will be planting most of my trees in ground and protecting them by covering with mulch in the fall. This has been working well for me. The one major drawback is, obviously, only being able to protect so much of the tree. If I ever get a greenhouse built, Preto will be one of those that is worthy of going in there.

Looks great and thanks for sharing all your cuttings!

Saxon you figs on plant looks similar to Madeira i have,  had preto but it went south in garage 1 winter.
The way you describe its taste is similar to some that describe Madeira ironically "different than any other fig"
I'm sure its a darn good fig regardless .
Hope to see pics of ripe fruit this season !

- Martin. I agree. Preto looks very much the same as pictures of Madeira I've seen. Also has that unique taste that others have described. May be the same but I'm still wondering why this one seems to ripen earlier. Hopefully more trials by more individuals in the future will start to shed some light on this.

If you want to try Preto again. I could probably help you out in the fall. Most likely just cuttings but I will put you down for a couple if you're interested.

Here are 2 more low-qual images. The only two I have to add for now. I've got more on my phone but will have to wait to get them on my PC.

Bill,
Thanks for the photos of your preto. I am currently trying to root some cuttings of this variety. I have been told by someone that has tasted both that BM and Preto taste very similar, but might be different based on ripening times. Having flavor comparable to black Madeira says a lot for the quality of this fig.

Bill,
How did your Preto grow for you, and how much FMV did it show?

Remember their full flavor comes with aging of the tree, so it can only get better, huh?  I am happy for you. I have a baby figo preto growing and I am looking fwd to the day I taste its fruits.

Wonderful :) maybe next year for me. My Fico Preto is still small. That picture give me an idea as to what I'm waiting for :)

Polite no but thanks Bill.  ; )

Awesome picture Bill thank you for sharing. My Preto is about 2 yrs old and had about 5 ripen for me last year what an awesome fig. I believe Sue found this what a great find. Thank you Sue for discovering this fig.

No problem Martin. Only felt right to offer.

For those hoping to see fruit on theirs in the near future. This one is special. Give it due rank in your orchard ;) .

Yes rob, this is one of those 3 Portuguese varieties that Sue V found. I've also got that long black one but no fruit from it yet. I don't have Blanca. <- (Edit: I mis-spelled Branca).

Bill,
I have 2 small Preto and 3 cuttings to root as well as one BM and cuttings coming from UC Davis. I hope to find out - eventually.
I've also been told Figo Negra may be the same as CdD Gris and I'm putting together enough of those to field test as well.
Hopefully by summer's end I'll have some information, dominant leaf forms and fruit to compare but I doubt I'll have definitive proof one way or the other on either of these two sets of figs. But maybe by 2014.

You're all welcome. It was a lucky find. Here are pics of the mother tree, every limb was loaded like those in the photos. The mother tree is over 60 years old.

The long black fig is the Abebereria and the green fig is the Branca. The branca's breba are HUGE, a true handful.

Last photo is the Branca, bird pecked but doesn't it look lucious?

Sue

- Sue. Thank you so much for chiming in. Those pictures of Preto are really something to look at.

That last picture makes me really want to try again with Branca. I managed to lose the one I started back at the same time I started the others. So many figs and so little time ;-) .

Sue, if you ever are so inclined, please discuss the name of Branca with the owner.  As Grasa stated when I asked her about the appropriateness of the name, she said Figo Branca "hurts the ears" (like Mr. Sue?...Johnny Cash can relate, haha) and Figo Branco would be appropriate.  Thanks for sharing your photos again.  I'm hoping to acquire those real bad.

Branca looks absolutely wonderful.  I'll be paying extra close attention to mine while it's rooting.  I definitely don't want to lose any of these mentioned in this thread.

Tho Preto,might be the same cultivar as Madeira Black,the time of ripening might not be the same even if the 2 plants are the same age,Why,you would ask?
Because if one has a mild case of Fig mosaic disease and the other one a different strain of disease that affect the plant strength,it will make the difference ,between getting ripe in August and getting ripe in October.
Here ,in NJ,I have seen better progress in growing Preto,compared to MB.
Tho,it was given to me,as cutting from anonymous  source it has the leaves ,identical to the pix of the old tree above.
I have high hopes for Preto!!!

I have heard this possibility mentioned before. Maybe by you H2. Either way, I am glad to be growing Preto. I will keep it away from BM just in case proximity has something to do with the spread of FMV.