Hi everyone,

I have read that Preto and Black Madeira are the same fig. Are they the same, or just close to each other? Thanks!

they are not even close.. other than that fact they are both figs :) 

Ok, good to know. I am expecting fruit from both for the first time this year. I will have to remember where I read this.

Ok, I am an. Idiot, it is suppose to be Preto not Black Ischia, let me go change the post....

Preto and Black Madeira are either the same or very closely related.Some believe Preto is a cleaner source of Black Madeira with less fmv. This might be true or it can also be that they are very closely related coming from the same area

Thank you BLB, that is what I wanted to know. I will have to watch them together.

at least in my back deck, they are not same. they are similar, but growth characteristics for at least last two yr has been different. also Black Madeira seems to resist rain and all that little better than Figo Preto. the figs are very similar and so far the leaves. but not exact. maybe Figo Preto has adapted to its location better than the BM. or that the only FP i have is not representative of the FP in general. 

To me, I do not think they are the same.  I have 3 Pretos and 3 Black Maderias.  My BM is the oldest and largest.  I think its wishful thinking though.

So Dennis if you to choose between the two which would you choose?

it always comes back to one specific fig on this forum. Black Madeira :) 

Black Maderia.

now i'm wondering how Maltese Beauty will compare to Black Madeira... i heard bass saying great things about GM#155. 

Well, hopefully I will find out this year "why" Black Madeira is all the rage.

I keep collecting and collecting, losing more and more space in my greenhouse. So I have been really trying to figure out which different named figs I have that are the same as other figs. So far, I am having no luck figuring out what figs are the same and that I can clear out. I want to keep them all! LOL!

Christy. Whatever  you do, don't get rid of Preto in favor of Black Madeira just yet. Granted I haven't tasted Blk Mad yet but Preto is one of my most prized figs to date. Maybe I'm a little different but I like the standout, unique taste of Preto. If Blk Mad is even better, then I really better get busy babying mine ;) .

Supposedly Preto is supposed to ripen a week or two earlier than BM.  For those of you growing both does that seem to be the case?  That would be an advantage for those of us with a shorter growing season.

FP does ripen little earlier. didn't take note, but when BM was getting ripen, FP were already far gone and spoiled, soured. 

No, I am going to hold on to them both for sure now. To tell the truth, I have a hard time parting with any dark fig to begin with. If anything, I should probably start looking to go through my green figs before the darks, to see what similar ones I have, like my Pete's Honey, Italain Honey, Latarulla, etc.
A word to the wise,,,, if you are thinking of getting a greenhouse to enable you to grow more fig varieties, whatever the size you plan on getting, DOUBLE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Once I got my 16X8' greenhouse, I was like a kid at Christmas, and thought I had room for every fig and citrus I want! Now, less than 2 years after getting the greenhouse, it is almost full!

  
I preferred my Preto.  Probably because it ripened earlier in the heat and had better flavor.  If I had a longer season, maybe I would have like the BM better?  Next year may tell.

Thankyou Dfoster for pics! looks so yummy! Btw, I have a small Italian 258 that I hope to make it flourish this season, and noticed that it is on your wish list, so stay in touch and maybe I will have it for you at some point.

That is a lovely fig as depicted.

I believe they are different, however it wouldn't surprise me if they were indeed genetically the same. For me, Preto ripens about 2 weeks earlier than BM. Taste wise, they're both fantastic, but if I had to choose just one it would be BM. Either way you can't go wrong. My Preto started swelling buds about a week ago and today I noticed my BM was doing the same. Can't wait!

Charles