Thank you, Vasile!

Just check my in-ground MBVS tree -- yahoo, it has main crop figlets most about half the size
of a corn kernel. Should be enough time for these to ripen by mid/late Sept. A good introduction
by Vasile. Thanks.

Love mine!
strong grower and large crops of delicious fruit!

how good is the taste? Frank (FMD ) in his recent video says its his favorite. Others also say its good, but smaller figs and inferior to black madeira. Should I pursue the MBVS in an already congested orchard of my backyard? i am leaning towards pursuing this variety...

It is better than a Black Madeira in many ways. It produces reliably and you will eat figs from July until December.
The taste is great, it doesn't split, grows fast, and as far as I can compare to my other figs, is not affected by FMV

Sounds like a winner! mine is starting to form figs. It is a young plant, 2nd leaf. I look forward when it is a little more mature.

Mine's got a touch of FMV, but it's not slowed down at all.  2nd year plant after a rough first year, I put it in ground this spring, and its around 3' tall with 3 main branches.  I've probably got a dozen figs on it as well.  We shall see about taste...

It Is superior many time over to Madeira Black,when we compare production,adaptability to difficult climate ,cold resistance, health,etc,---But:
It is not as tasty or as flavorful,as Madeira Black ,when Madeira Black get ripe properly,in the proper climate,in full sun all day.
In the above conditions,for Both cultivars,taste and flavor only,:
Marseilles black vs,can be an  8 or a 9,out of 10.
Madeira Black is a 10,out of 10.

Of course for us in cold climates with short Summer season,Madeira Black grow to slow,die to fast from cold,produces fruits to late,and only in rare occasional years fruits ripe to perfection,so for us ,Marseilles black vs is a better choice,that will ripe every year, and that is why people like it so much.

Herman, on the flavor scale that you just used where does your Malta Black fit?
Thank You.

Well:Lets assume Marseilles Black vs is 8 in 2016 in New Jersey location.
In the same location Malta Black will be a 9.
Keep in mind location is very important.
If we go more north from here,as an example,then Madeira black can be a 7 while MBVS and Malta black can be an 8 and a 9.

mine last year was probably the best producer.
It had figs from top to bottom.
Its been in ground 3 years now.
Sweet and mild berry flavor, was one of my favorites.

Doug

I like my MBVS as well.

I have 3 Mt Etna types, I'm growing 5 of each, Hardy Chicago, Sal's/EL and MBVS.

I would say so far MBVS is similar to Hardy Chicago, but has a higher percentage of 8.5 tasting figs, while Hardy Chicago has mostly 8's. Sal's/EL has larger figs, they are reddish brown, they don't have as many skin cracks when ripe and have they tightest eye. But so far the taste is less intense berry 7.5's mostly so far.

I would say they are all good beginner figs. Fast growing, productive, good rain resistance, ripen well in cooler weather and produces main crop and Breba.

(Black Madeira=Figo Preto?) If you can provide the right conditions, hot, dry, lots of sun, then Figo Preto will beat the Mt Etnas on taste everytime. But if it's raining or cooler weather, the Mt Etnas will beat Figo Preto.

I wish I could get to mine.  JD planted it low on the hillside, and it's hard to get to, but my eagle eyes see no figs after 3 years.  It is in ground.  Probably too hot and dry here for it.  It has a lot of pine straw mulch.  Never produced even one fig.

I have an HC and MVBS that are the same age and both are now the exact same size although the MVBS took much longer to take off. Fruit b/t HC and MVBS is similar in taste (sort of strawberry-ish), but I remember the MVBS being creamier in taste. It almost reminded me of strawberry cream cheese.  I'm surprised you've had no fruit yet - mine was a good producer even when the plant itself looked pretty sad. 

My tiny tree has one little fig :-)! Thanks, Igor!

Two MBvs have lots of figs this year. These trees are from cuttings off ebay from fatnsassy last year. I can't wait to taste them.

Last year when I was rooting cuttings I was thinking 2-3 years before figs. Not so. This year I am seeing figs on quite a few plants I rooted from cuttings last year, but MBvs has the most.

Yes:It is a fact Marseilles black vs is the most productive fig,in climates that are colder than the fig tree needs to ripe fruits.
If you want to make fig wine,or fig jam,also fig liquor,and you live outside sub tropical climate,,(colder than),your best results will be to grow Marseilles black vs,period.

great insight on this thread...I live in coastal southern California, where its almost mid June and still very mild cooler temperatures and marine layers keeping the sun in check. I notice that some of my figlets are dropping probably due to very limited heat and sun (e.g.., atreano has dropped 10 of its main crop figlets already). so I can see the value of having a versatile, resilient, and hardy variety like MBVS

Since this is an MBvs thread, what does the vs stand for?

Last year I rooted 5 or 6 cuttings. I still have and plan to keep 4 plants. The others went to neighbors.

I love the dark thick leathery leaves. Hope to taste some of these figs soon as two of my trees in large pots have quite a few figs.

VS are the Herman2 initials I believe

Oh, ok. So this is his fig? What is the story that goes with it?