Medium size fig with thin skin  nondescript taste. Inside was a slightly figgy, little berry and not super sweet flavor. Pretty good at 7.5

Looks like another good one to have.

Mike theirs a lot I don't know and this is one what does the GC stand for I don't think I've seen that before.

thanks for sharing

Sal's EL is the same as Sal's Gene??

I don't know either Goss. It came to me that way but I will ask and let you know.

Very nice and tasty fig, thanks for sharing.

Best,
Tam

"Sal's EL is the same as Sal's Gene??"

Yes. 

P.S. I wonder if GS (Gene's strain) was mutated into GC somehow

I started this variety this year,can you help me answer a few questions please.
Does it produce breba crop?
And is the main fruit early to ripen?
Thankyou for the beautiful pictures.

Kind of makes your head spin.

Ampersand, thanks for that link.  I had never read that history before.

My Sal's EL/GS comes from the one growing in Gene's (now defunct) orchard, not from the one in his backyard which later contracted fmv.  After reading the thread there is some speculation that it MIGHT be identical to Hardy Chicago whereas the one in the backyard is not.  Now I wonder if I should grow HC and my Sal's next to each so that I can determine whether they are the same but I don't have the space. Isn't fig addiction fun :)

Why is anyone interested in a nondescript, slightly figgy, barely sweet fig? I'd like some good figs not just another fig.

Steve (Fignutty),
For those of us less fortunate individuals that live in colder zones, the "Mt. Etna types" are sometimes the difference between having a sizable harvest of locally grown fresh figs and having only a few : )
They are usually earlier ripening, productive and prolific, and as noted in the link, the Sals EL (GS) is very similar in taste to Hardy Chicago, another "Mt.Etna Type"

To add to ascpete's comment, SalsEL is also one of the most cold hardy figs out there and in a zone like mine can be grown in ground unprotected without having to worry too much.

Thanks, I'll try Sal's El Gene outside. I started it from cuttings this spring. I'm putting everything I've got outside in-ground and in my greenhouse. We'll see if any produce outdoors. So far in 10 yrs neither Celeste nor Brown Turkey have produced a decent fig outdoors in-ground in zone 7b. I think our issue is that almost every week all winter we have at least a 50F swing in temperature. Teens to 20s on lower end and 60s to 70s upper end every week. It's a tough 7b winter.

Goss, I just want to clarify that it is GS as Genes Strain originally from Gene Hosey.

Steve, that is correct and thank you.

Thanks Steve for answering my question.

Steve: Herman has said in those past threads (no longer sure if he still feels that way with some of the newer finds) that Sal's GS is hardier than HC and tastes better. Another forum member here in PA (Zone 6b, maybe 7 at a stretch) has one in ground that produced something like 80 lbs last year. Froze back pretty hard this year, but recovering beautifully.

Hi Steve, (FigNutty)

I have Sal's EL and two of your wishes-- Col de Dame and Black Madeira. Sal's when it is good is a a little bit better than Hardy Chicago. Both are highly productive here, mainstay crops for preserves and decent for fresh eating. Figgy and a little berry. As you pick off the lower ripe figs, the upper green ones ripen and they continue growing and setting figs. They are ripening now. They seem to shrug off cold weather.

Black Madeira and Col de Dame are late here, into the last half of September to October. They are both excellent for fresh eating, but Col de Dame so far is shy bearing, more of a tip bearer. Black Madeira is highly productive and superb for fresh eating in September--but it needs a lot of sun and a long season.

Scott

Hey Scott, do you have Black Madeira in ground or potted? Just curious, I have two in 15 gal pots and planted a third one in ground
this spring to see how it does.

Scott:

Thanks for those insights! Maybe someday I'll get to try some of the better figs in my greenhouse. I'd settle for a decent fig if it produced outdoors here more for others than myself. Maybe Sal's will be the ticket.

Nice to know about this fig. I have noticed that HC will have fruit that don't ripen in time before winter sets in, even in a pot. Another fig to,add to my wish list. Thanks for the info.

Hi Mike,

  My Black Madeira are in pots. I'll be interested to see how yours does in the ground as I've never been too sure how hardy it is.

Scott

Steve I have Sal's Gene from the back yard and Hardy Chicago. I'll compare them next year as my Sal's is still small.