I have been intrigued by what looked like a fig tree growing in someone's yard in Sodus,NY all summer long. I was curious as it gets pretty cold up there, yet the tree was growing in a shady part of the yard with little protection from the harsh winds they get off Lake Ontario in the winter. I drove by the house nearly every weekend we visited (I live about 5hrs South, but spend weekends at the lake). I kept hoping to see someone at the house to ask if it was a light or dark fig, but never saw anyone.

Today was our last full day at the lake and on our last drive by my friend who was driving pulled over and said... "You've driven by all summer, why not go ring the bell?" I figured it was someone's vacation home and I had just been missing them, but I gave it a go. I rang the door bell and to my surprise, an old Italian couple came to the door looking slightly frightened. I wasn't quite sure what to say... so I just blurted out "um, I saw your fig tree from the road and I thought I would stop by and see if you knew the history of it?" The old woman's face lit up with a huge smile. "Come in, come in!" she said!

We spent a while talking. Her husband had a hard time hearing, but was elated that the younger generation was interested in his Italian heritage. They explained to me that he was now 88 and his grandfather had brought the tree with him from Sicily over 120 years ago! Since then, the tree has been moved from house to house as they moved and finally settled in Sodus in the 1960s. They don't cover it and suffer very little if any dieback each year. This may be the fig I've been looking for, one that can survive the winter outside and still taste delicious! They were excited to have me taste them and had two in the fridge. They were spectacular! They were close to the flavor of my negronne, but for lack of better words, creamier with a more pronounced flavor. I asked the couple if they would be willing to let me take a cutting and the old man hopped up like a teenager and grabbed his clippers and was out the back door with a big grin on his face! They sent me off with two large cuttings.

A great day... I got to meet a wonderful Italian couple and listen to a small part of their history as well as takea piece of it home with me to hopefully enjoy for years to come! Now the long wait of rooting, repotting, and growing the next couple of years to see how they do in PA! I took a few quick pics, but wish I had gotten some of the fruit on the trees. The ones in the fridge had dehydrated a bit and lost some of their color. Nick

Cool story and congrats on the cuttings. Hope it works out for you. Your getting my courage up! Ive got two huge fig trees in my neighbor hood and havent got up the nerve to go knock yet. Seems people do a 180 when the knock involves there fig trees!

Your getting my courage up! Ive got two huge fig trees in my neighbor hood and havent got up the nerve to go knock yet. Seems people do a 180 when the knock involves there fig trees!

Sorry bout that!

Great story, now you've got us wanting to see the figs.
"gene"

Good luck with them!

A great/happy fig-hunting story.

Wow, that is a really a nice story. You have some fantastic cuttings that come with a long history and you probably made that couples week. Nicely done.

That was a great story ! You probably made their week is right . I hope the cuttings work out for you - I'm glad they were tasty and you got the history of the tree. Very special indeed.

Johnnyq, the fruit reminds me of a English Brown Turkey.


Does any one else think it looks like a English Brown Turkey? 

Bob @ T. Pine zone 5b/6a Connecticut

nice story. thanks for posting

Great story. I love hearing this kind of thing. Good luck with the cuttings.

Thanks everyone!  Hopefully the cuttings will do well and by spring I'll have some new cuttings to share!

We were able to stop by our new friends' fig tree during our final trip up to the lake until next summer. In talking to the owner, it came from his Grandfather's hometown of Realmonte Sicily.



The tree has two dominant leaf shapes...





There weren't any ripe fruits on the tree today, but I grabbed some pics of the unripes. The owner said the figs produce through November, even though there can be snow on the ground!

best luck & thank for the great story

Great story. I hope you enjoy the figs someday. Realmonte is the south coast of Sicily, near Agrigento. My family are from closer to Mt. Etna, where they have TONS of figs all over the place, but that does not look like a Mt. Etna fig.

Thanks everyone. Ive got a couple of cuttings in moss, hopefully I'll be able to get some fruit next year.

Congratulations, thanks for the great story and pictures.

Bob you may be right, with the figs ripening this late and the leaf patterns it might be some variety similar to an English Brown Turkey. Mighg need to name it "The Real Monte" brown turkey lol.

Wonderful story.  It's so good to know the history of some of these trees is being passed along instead of being forgotten.  Thanks for sharing.  =)

I wanted to provide everyone with an update on these figs that I took cuttings of...

These were by far the hardest cuttings I've rooted.  I only had two survive.  They seem to be doing well now though and growing fast.





Nick

That is great, Nick. I used to go up to Sodus bay once in awhile when I would go up to Rochester. That is a neat area. I never saw that tree, though. As harsh as the weather could be up there, that must be one tough fig tree! What a find. I also like that you brought it back to PA. If it takes off and you eventually air layer it ( should be much easier than the cuttings were), please let me know. I'd be very interested in it.

That looks great!  Keep us posted it's progress. :)

Thanks guys.  I'm definitely excited to see how this does in the more "mild" winters here in PA.  Hopefully both survive, so I can keep one potted and plant the other in ground to see how it does.