That is a similar problem I may have in the future. I have about six or seven 'Unknowns' and would like to eventually pass them into circulation so others may have them. At this time I am going to evaluate them and then maybe in 2 yrs or so pass them along.

I think the "Unknown" should be applied before the descriptive name to indicate it's status. Once extensive research has been conducted to identify it (and failed), then a new name should be chosen. However, just because your particular has one or two minor characteristic differences does not mean it is a new variety.

This is a good question. I hope maybe some more detail will come out of this I have a few unknowns and like Dominick if they end up being a noteworthy fig I would like to make them available. From bits and pieces of other topics I am wondering what would be involved in naming a fig that you discovered.

With such a large number of named varieties to compare with, how does someone know for sure an unknown variety is a new variety.  I think it would take a long time and lots of effort to find out precisely.  And if you don't have a specimen in hand, to compare to, you can't be positively sure.  Plant ID is an exact science.

I agree with Ruben.  I think 'Unknown' should be applied to the front of the name.

I don't think people should just randomly 'name' a fig whatever they want.  I think it should carry an 'unknown' badge until it cannot be proven by the professionals as being some other variety and/or it is proven unique by a university capable of DNA testing the plant material.

I understand but then there is Saratoga floating around that is supposedly Chico Strawberry. Fico Preto might be a seedling of Black Madeira. Then there is Neri floating around that looks like a knock off of Sal's C named after a person.

Many unknowns were brought over years ago from Italy and other parts of the Old World.  The original names were lost.  It may never be possible to know what they were originally called.

Not trying to question the logic or start anything, but I see so many named trees and so many people asking for these varieties. I am just wondering were all these trees DNA tested?

Many of them are.  You can see the '1001 links' section at figs4fun.com for more info, or use the search feature at the forum. 

Why is it an unknown?
1) It is a seedling, and therefore not the same as anything else? In that case, give it a name.
2) Did it ever have a name? Many figs were brought by immigrants a hundred years ago and more, and may or not have had a name back then. Usually those names, if they existed, are lost. If they came from Italy, it is probably the same as 50 other figs, that came from a different town,, with a different name, but were really the same variety. Calling it "Italian Unknown" doesn't help much becasue there are hundreds of "Italian Unknowns".

So give it a temporary name, such as Narragansett 3941 or some such, which clearly identifies it, gives some clue to it's location or origin and which will not be confused with any other unknown or with any name for a known variety.

I had4 unknowns which originated from Portland, so Portland 1, Portland 2, etc. As I figure out what they are, they can get real names, or if they seem unique enough, a new name, so Portland 1 has become Portland Rose. Keeps continuity with the original name, is more descriptive, and will not be confused with any other fig name.

Same with Samoa Sunshine. It was probably a seedling, though maybe not, so Samoa relates to the street where is is found, and Sunshine relates to the color.

Maryland Brown Turkey eventually became Maryland Berry. It wasn't a BT, but did originate in Maryland, and has a nice berry flavor. Again, will not be confused with anything else.

I have started picking names for the numbered selections at USDA/UC Davis because I am tired of explaining the numbers. So 143-36 became Emerald Strawberry, reflecting the light bluish-green skin, and red center.

[edit|] Raspberry Latte was a seedling that grew up under my coffee tree, So originally it was called "Coffee". Later, when it fruited, and had a nice raspberry taste, it became Raspberry Latte reflecting its color, flavor, and origin. [end]

And I add all the new names to Figs 4 Fun, so that there is full disclosure and everyone knows what the story is.

This season I figured out that Portland 3 is the same as Green Italian, so now I have two unknowns that are the same. i now suspect that they are both White Marseilles, but not ready to stake the claim, yet.

Hope that helps.

I agree, the tree should be titled "Unknown".  I truly believe that Aldo and  Sal's C is the same fig.  I have them both in the ground....leaves, fruit and all are identical to me, even ripening time is the same.  I also think Byadi and Marseilles White are the same too.  Again, both are in the ground, growing side by side, same leaf pattern, same fruit look and taste, and ripening time.  Unknown should be called unknown or HOK (aka Heaven Only Knows).  cheers,

i love this. The Unknown..surely must be a movie title. well, this is my first year with fig trees and just added another 10 varieties the last couple a days. i think i'm up to somewhere near 30 now. thank goodness i've got name tags on all of them, if not they would all be unknowns to me. i don't know how you guys and gals know the difference between one or another.
                                                      
                                                                     Unknown Luke

So then let me ask this ?

I was about to ask the same thing Dominick. I searched the archive posts a little last night. I didn't find to much looking for DNA and testing. I started to look through the links but Many are just a number. I would be curious to do some DNA testing on some unknowns and see what they are. If the price isn't crazy I would go for it.

DNA is the only way we can sort out this mess, but then again they have to search more marker's for it to be 100% posititve that they are the same or not or close relative etc.

Just like in Humans when testing 8 marker's the results will be different than if you are 12 markers or more. Having done a Dna test myself through national geographic I can tell you for sure that the more marker's they test the better Idea we will get of how closely related or not figs are.

@Dominick,

If you have an unknown, how do you know for certain that it is of Greek or Portuguese ancestry? A lot of people assume that because a fig is found in a predominantly ethnic neighborhood that it must therefor be of that ethnic ancestry. Would that be true in our cases? Do we only grow trees from our motherlands? Not in my case. Some folks have assumed that because I live in Texas that local trees must be Brown Turkey or Celestes. WRONG! I can show you quite a few vastly different cultivars which have been here for a long time. Ever since the Wright brothers and even before trans-oceanic travel, all bets are off when it comes to assuming trees brought by an ethnic group must have come with them from the motherland. Cuttings can cross borders despite the USDA's best attempts. What I am saying is that naming a fig based on the ethicity of the people that live in the neighborhood is probably misleading as to the possible origin/source/variety of the unknown. For an unknown, an alphanumeric name or a street name would be better for accurately determining it's variety. That would leave all options open with physical and physiological characteristics as the descriminators to aid in ruling in or out possible identification. Hope that was not too confusing!

In my case they came straight from a Portuguese man and a Greek Man that immigrated with these cuttings from there Homelands. They have no names.

Damn, you sunk my battleship right there. I was totally eyeing up the Marcus special fig #1!

What if one of those Portuguese figs turns out to be Black Madeira? Except FMV free. Naming it Black Madeira would result in everyone asking, which Black Madeira is this?  

Or lets say one tree from a variety has been growing someplace really cold for a century and it has built up hardiness. This advantage would not be detectable by Jon in paradise, and would not show in genetic tests (I don't think). So calling the two specimens the same thing would lead to confusion.

And what about sports? Are they differentiated genetically? I doubt it.

A unique and descriptive name seems like the best way to go. If it is totally unique then just punching the name into google will turn up all the info on the variety, provided the person who named it put it here.

I did a little googling of "Hero Fig" and think that is a good example of a bad name Dom, let me explain. I got results for action figures! But searching for the names Hiro black or  Dom's Hero; with the added term "fig", should lead you right back to this page (I think) because I just wrote them here and they are unique.

Same deal with Joe's Jersey, it shows up first result because it is a unique name, anyone who can read will find out that it is an unknown variety and what it is like.

I don't think it is selfish to name a fig after the finder, I really don't see the problem because any English name has to be arbitrary anyway. If Condit had F4F at his disposal I think he  probably would have lost his mind (and some unique varieties like JH Adriatic) in the process of "simplifying". Just my $.02.

So I have an unknown fig that I’ve been calling Joe’s Jersey.  It may end up being something new or it may end up being something that’s already being grown.  The source is an old tree growing in Clifton, NJ that’s been there since at least the 1970’s.  I originally called it Jersey until it was pointed out to me on the forum that there was already a Jersey fig in circulation.  At that point I started calling it Joe’s Jersey to distinguish it from any other Jersey figs (and also apparently because of my big ego).

What should be the correct name for a fig like this?  Should it be Unknown Clifton?  I’m inclined to think that putting Unknown at the end of the name might be a better idea.  It would cut down on the redundancy of dozens of new figs in the near future all starting with the word Unknown.  I’m leaning toward Clifton Unknown as the best name for this fig.  What do others think?

Brent I just read your post after posting mine.  I'm so confused on this topic.  Maybe there will never be a good standard approach.

I think Condit is a unique condition only because he created the fig.

I say don't sweat it Joe, it is a good name and a good looking fig and you are doing a good thing by sharing the info and the variety.