While looking for fig cutting on the UC Davis list I saw  Sal,s fig cuttings available.  On the source of the fig it said that you, Jon donated the Sal's.  I was wondering which Sal's fig you Donated.  Was it Sal's #1 (Gene Source) or Sal's #2 (Corleone, Black Sicilian)?

Vern Zone 7

Not a clue. At the time, it was the only Sal's I knew about and possessed. DNA wise (according to preliminary testing) it is extremely close to or identical to the Dark Portuguese and Hardy Chicago which they also have in their collection. If memory serves me correctly, it was originally from Leon, and he might be able to shed more light. Pix from last year are at Figs4Fun website. 2007 pix are not ready yet.

I have a small plant from Belleclare which is supposed to be Sal's Corleone, but no fruit to date.

There is a very good explanation on the following GW/FF thread,
pay particular attention to (amongst others)  post #14 by Gene.
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/fig/msg101415465988.html
George (NJ).
P.S. Yes, I think that what UCD has from Jon  is the (EL) Sal' s Fig...

Yes, George is correct.  Leon lost his original tree after he moved.  I supplied him with several cuttings that he passed on to others including Jon and Herman.  So the UC-Davis Sal's is the EL version.

OK, Lets make it more complicated - though maybe Leon can sort this out when he gets out of hiding.

Leon sent me Sal's cuttings in 2004. After moving, Leon wanted to re-establish a Sal's tree, and had gotten cuttings from someone else. But he did some research, and concluded that the tree I have was the only verified tree which had been a progeny of his original tree, and so I sent him cuttings of my tree, so that he could once again have "his" original tree. So, his original tree, and thus mine, are the same. If mine is EL, then so was his original tree, but he claims (acc. to the GW post) that his was from a different source (not EL). That would also make his original source, and the EL source the same.

Preliminary DNA testing at USDA / UC Davis indicates that it is the same tree as my Dark Portuguese. They are similar, but I am not ready to say that they are identical. They are both similar to my HC.

Thanks Jon and George for your replies. I figured the Sal's fig from Daveis was from EL.  I wanted to make sure.  I have the one from EL and did not want to order cuttings unless it was different.

Vern 

Hello Jon,
Glad to here that you picked up the one and only Sal's fig which is the Sal's Corleone!!!!  Chris from Belliclair was very clear about their only being one Sal's fig. The other fig listed on Belliclairs literature is a typo error and should be considered Sicilian Black Fig. My Sal's Corleone fig was even labeled The original Sal's Corleone Fig and was taken directly from the original tree. The same tree that your Sal's Corleone originated from. The fig sold by eatable landscaping is not Sal's fig. All fig enthusiasts please realize that there is only one Sal's fig. The impostor Sal's fig that has been past around to many people is simply not the one and only Sal's fig. If you do not have Sal's Corleone then you do not have a Sal's Fig. Sal a relative of Chris from Belliclair brought the Corleone Sal's fig from his home town Corleone Italy 50  years ago. All of you I am sure you agree that Sal's fig was founded by Belliclaire. It was this Corleone Sal's fig that they built a business around as their premiere and most famous fig. Really why would they confuse the issue and have 2 Sal's figs. Its a plain and simple typing error. Sal's fig is Sal's fig Corleone and none other one exists!!!!!

Best
Ed

I think we need a diagram Jon, LOL.
"If" yours is EL.  But Gene said Leon's was EL because he gave Leon an EL.  If yours (Leon's original) is from another source, it might not be?  (Or it might be the same, just from a different source?)
 

The one unknown, as I see it, is where did the EL Sal's originate from? They had to have gotten it from someone/somewhere: Belleclare or ? If not from BC, then it is a different fig (or both got it from Italy) The question is where Leon's original Sals came from (the one I have) - and is it is traceable back to BC or some other source. Did Leon's source or EL have a reason to rename some other fig as Sals? Or was there an honest mix-up with EL or Leon's source, or both?

Jon,
Here's Leon's post on GW:

• Posted by leon_edmond z7NM (My Page) on
  Thu, Oct 5, 06 at 1:42

The one unknown, as I see it, is where did the EL Sal's originate from? They had to have gotten it from someone/somewhere: Belleclare or ?

In a post to the NAFEX list serv 7/22/06, Doc Lisenby wrote:

"Years ago a guy named Sal who was successful growing a fig in Connecticut sent me a couple of  cuttings.   He didn't know the name of it so we called it "Sal's Fig".  It has become rather popular and is available from several sources."

This may or may not be the EL version.  Wonder whether this Sal is the same as Chris D's relative?

After reading these posts a couple of times I am more confused than when I posted the original post asking which Sal's fig Davis has in it's collection.  If Davis has the one from EL, which I have and and a lot of fig collectors have, should we consider changing it's name to Dark Portugese?  Than the Sal's Corleone would perhaps be the only fig called Sal's Fig?

Vern

Vern,

I am going to have to dig up my old correspondence with Leon, as I am thinking his two "Sals" were not the same, in the end, which was why he wanted my cuttings from his "other source". Sals and Sals Coreleone seem like easy ways to distinguish them. I'll have to check on the origin of Dark Portuguese, but it was supposedly and "ethnic" fig from Portugal, and not related to any of the Sals sources - which, in the end, would be interesting, and it would be a very small window into the wide distribution of one particular fig (from both Italy and Portugal), and the likelihood that the same is true for many other figs with different names, but the same genes.

Jon,
Dark Portuguese originally came form "Bass" Bassem S. in PA.

edarena,  You have a Sal's directly from Belleclare - the real Sal's without a doubt - Sal's Corleone (Herman's #2). 
Herman's is splitting, are you having similar problems?  Is your plant mature?
It seems strange to me that this plant would be so heavily reccomended for the NE if it behaves like this.  Unless, of course, those folks talking it up have Sal's EL (Herman's #1), LOL. 
Another question, if you don't mind, Ed.  You've actually been  to Belleclare.  Do you recall seeing their Weeping Fig?  Would you remember any background concerning it?  I've been told that the Weeping Fig was Pop's Tree, but the pictures on the website seem different.  As far as I could tell, the Weeping Fig pictured on the Belleclare website was not listed in their fig list.  Any information would be apreciated - thanks. 

Gene, I thought it was from somewhere else, but I checked my accession list, and yes, it is from Bass.

Jon,
The Dark Portuguese, is a name I gave to a variety that I got from a Portuguese man. It came directly from Portugal. Although it's similar to hardy Chicago and Sal's it's a little different. The color is more reddish, and the flavor is slightly different, it seems to bear about the same time as HC.

Bass