Well,I forgotten to say,That Skardu Black,never had totally ripe fruits,to date due to very cold Sommers,in 2008,and 2009,so I cant testify about quality of taste.
Yet I could guess,it is Similarbut not Identical, to English Brn Trkey,wich Kind of reassemble.
H2

Herman, has everyone who has tried fruiting Florea in the United states, all reported back that they could not get Florea to fruit good tasting figs? Also, since Florea is a cold hardy Romanian fig, have you been able to test any other cold hardy Romanian figs that perhaps came from your father's village? Have any fig testers living in desert areas reported back being able to get Florea to produce good tasting figs?  Bob

I would like to know more about this Skardu Black, the Pakistani fig. How did it get to the States?  Is it one of the UC Davis figs?( OK, I found it on the UC Davis site; no, it is not Black @1) tch, tch; should have looked FIRST.)

Herman; if Florea is cold hardy, grows well and makes a tasty fig in normally dry areas it should be a good fig for Oklahoma.  We are normally pretty dry here from the middle of June thru  the end of August, with only a little rain in September.  (But don't ask about THIS year.)
Ox

I dug up a tree this past summer in the Freedom, PA area. The owners kept trying to kill the "Maple tree" and mowed over the shoots for years. I have it potted in my cellar and it has many prolific shoots. It did NOT fruit this past summer so I have no clue as to its type. Perhaps I can break off a chunk of shoots for you this some time this year. Lots of folks kept fig trees on south facing hills in the area and did the winter burial method in W.PA.

vern 2006 from Arkansas listed Tashkent as being one of the fig varieties he has (see: http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=2155964&highlight=tashkent).
If it is actually from the Tashkent, Uzbek region, it should be a pretty cold hardy fig. Not quite as far north as H2's Florea @ 44N but still around the 41st parallel.

EDIT 1-4-10:
Raintree has it listed on their availability list. This is what they have to say about it:
 
"Tashkent Fig:
This green fig has an excellent flavor. Raintree brought it from Uzbekistan where it was the heavy producing favorite among many cultivars in the garden of a Uzbek horticulturist. The fruit is green and flesh light colored with an excellent flavor. It thrived in the cold Tashkent winter but hasn't been tried in cold regions in the United States. It has not set well in Raintree's maritime climate and prefers areas with hot summers."

Anyone know much about the flavor, etc of the Tashkent fig?

Skardu Black and Florea are definitely good leads. Skardu sounds especially promising. The average January and February lows in Pittsburgh are actually slightly warmer than the ones Ottowan found for Skardu: 20 and 21F, respectively. Wikipedia says that the lowest temperature of the year can reach -25C/-13C.

Martin, I think you're right that Europe/Asia is probably a better place to look for hardy figs. People in the Western Hemisphere have been selecting for hardiness for a relatively short amount of time, and I'd assume that most of the varieties that were brought here were not selected for hardiness. On the other hand, people in Europe and Asia have been extending the geographic range of figs for thousands of years. I would bet that the world's  hardiest fig is there and not here. Still, I'd really like to know what extremes exist right now in the U.S. and Canada, at least in part, because obtaining cuttings would be much easier and less time consuming.

LittleCityFarmer, I'm always on the lookout for local fig cuttings. I have four local trees now, but only two of them are big enough for cuttings. Let me know if you want to trade a couple in the springtime.

I remember this fig tree. looks like a normal EBT.
It is not really unprotectred cause it is on a wall, but
as described, it "survived unprotected -18,4 grad fahrenheit in the
Czech Republic in Zone 6 near the border with Poland"
I have 2 plants of that one and I have in mind to make a trial in zone 6 in austria, when it is 3 years old.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fgyKNdGHLG0

There are a couple of trees in my area I hadn't mentioned yet.
One of the small trees I rec'd in trade from a local horticulturist came from a tree growing in Owensboro, KY (zone 6a). Appaerently it (the parent tree) has been growing there for years. In fact the very potted tree I rec'd, sat outside (in the pot, above ground) all through last winter with little to no damage occording to the fellow I got it from. I have it stored in my attic right now. We'll see how it does this year.

Also I know of a guy here in town that has been growing a tree for years and apparently it experiences no die-back. I still have to meet him and learn more about it. The lady who told me about his tree said she thinks it's a yellow variety and he brought it from Monrovia-?(maybe Moldova).


  

I am enjoying this discussion, especially since it is bitterly cold outside where I live, close to Kansas City.     Skardu Black has been discussed and am appreciative that it was pointed out where this fig was collected.   There is also another fig known in the germplasm collection as DFIC 147, "Black Fig I," and also as "Hunza."    http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1536697    I am wondering if anyone has had any experience yet with this variety?    It also comes from an equally harsh, and presumably cold area at an elevation of 2315 meters or 7595 feet.    

Ingevald:
I have the Black fig #1; If it survives the terrible weather we are having now it will fruit this summer.  Since I had no idea that it was at all hardy it is planted in the shelter of a building and covered with hay and a barrel.  This will be an interesting test of its hardiness.  It grew very well this year; it apparently is a vigorous tree. 



Ox

Apnoist:Your fig is not an unknown:I have seen your video:It is the real and correct English Brown Turkey.
I also have one identical to yours.
Leaves ,fruits ,etc.
All Identical.
I am so Happy knowing it resisted,to -18F.
That is about -25C
I left Mine without Protection this year,so we will see.
H2

Ingevald
Skardu and Hunza are in the same approximate region in very northern Pakistan. Average minimum or extreme low temperatures are not as bad as Ottawa but the snow stays much longer.
Both fig varieties (Skardu and Hunza) are worth trying.

Herman2:
Of course you are right.
Its clear that it is a EBT.
Maybe I should make some trials with it with
radioactivity or homones;)

Please no hormones! I don't want my figs getting moody once a month, I deal with that enough already.

smiling,
Little John

Simply put...and as always...
Herman is (one) of the greatest fig persons,
specially for us (them) up-north fig-people...

I know the Czech Republic gentleman, a good guy. I also have some of these trees.

I have been impressed with the Bayernfeige Violetta. I just checked on some trees just under a tarp and it has NO dieback compared to the others.

Nice pictures Jose, those figs look so creamy, like jelly. I like the tight eyes. It might be a good fig for rainy areas.

Gene, Violetta was the best fig this year. Now that my trees are ~3 years old, one will go on trial into the ground this year.

I will cover it with greenhouse winter film with a small hole for ventilation and with an inverted pot on top.

My English Brown Turkey came in from last winter without any Damage.
Lowest last winter 8*F

Herman,
What is the source of your EBT?

Antonio Esposito

gorgi
What is the source of your EBT (which I have as well, thanks).

Mine came from Herman, but I am not sure if it the same he has now.

This is of interest to me as I am on the cold edge of zone 7.    Knowing that hardiness was a challenge I planted Celeste and Hardy Chicago plus a number of others. 

As it turns out, I do not at all like the flavor, the size or the productivity of either Celeste or HC.  Kadota tastes to me much like cardboard.  Herman's MVS is tasty but small.  Sal's fig is no better than Celeste in my opinion, small and of mediocre quality. 

On the other hand, I have a Texas Everbearing (what CAN it be?), a Bayernfeige Violetta and two local unknowns that make large figs and are delicious.  A Joe Morle Paradiso in the ground is making large figs that are very tasty as well. 

Of course my two unknows (very much unlike in leaf but similar in size and color) have survived in Tulsa because they were either very hardy or in warm microclimates.  Who knows until I put them in the ground here?

Unless you are principally a collector without an interest in what you get for your efforts, productivity, taste and the rewards of labor count.  I'd certainly like to find that ideal fig, highly productive, large, cold-hardy and flavorful.
Ox

According to Antonio Esposito,in North Jersey,The best fig in his Garden over all,with somewhat large fruits is Adriatic JH,from Texas Gardener John Wood.
He has many varieties like I do and he told me this information,wich I took it and now I have a handfull of plants.
This should be one fig that will please the gardener that want to have only one plant,but.
It is white and not everyone prefer white fruits!!!!