Just read your last post and saw the pics of "Joseph" standing by his fig tree...a scene that is so typical...especially in Italian areas.  If you can smell the wine-grapes being pressed, the trimming and pruning of fig trees is not far off.  The two traditions seem to coincide.

Some years back, a neighbor had a large fig tree removed from the back yard.  The tree must have been massive, because sections of the branches were 4"-5" diameter!  All this material was thrown away at the curb, along with the trunk sections, and all the smaller branches.  If I had the time and inclination....this was before I discovered that figs could be grown in containers....I could've propagated an orchard from this discarded material.  There are plenty of opportunities like this each Autumn, here in The Bronx...you just have to be lucky enough to spot them.  Now, I take the longest routes to wherever I'm going, and I've spotted plenty of trees that might have some potential.

Pete...try driving around and exploring all the areas on the other side of Pelham Parkway called Pelham Gardens.  Many of those streets are loaded with homes with fig trees in yards.

Happy hunting.

Frank

Hi can you ship/post to the UNITED KINGDOM i woul realy love some cuttings from these trees i will be more than willing to pay the cost thanks john

You should sell subscriptions to your fig of the week club.  Every week in Oct and November you send us cuttings from the good figs you find.    :)

I like Bob's idea and would be a subscriber , Pete !! I drive around my neighborhoods and find nothing !
Good finds Pete, glad you have that wealth of trees in neighborhoods.

Frank, So true about grapes. They are in the background behind Joseph. They are also in some of the earlier pictures. If you speak with the owners, they usually will let you know when to return for pruned branches. I have checked out that area, and have tasted a few figs from larger trees, they were not noteworthy. There are many more that I will be checking next season.

Pieman, Sorry, Will not be shipping anything International.

Bob, I have a file with pictures including locations, descriptions, ripening times and tastes. I have been locating healthy, large and prolific trees. It would require too much time to do an actual catalog, and collect cuttings from owner pruned trees. It could be done if I had more free time, and did not have to work for a living :) I am doing the next best thing and posting pics and info as I find them and collecting a few cuttings.

Patti, I actually walk around the neighborhoods. I drive in and check for signs of fig trees, fruit trees and gardens then walk around looking. Once fig trees are found and owners contacted, they usually point out where other trees are located nearby. Using this method I have contacts for almost a dozen locations for next season, hopefully I will have the time to visit and taste all those figs.

Hi Pete...

Ah...yes, the grapes.  Part of the "Autumn Aroma" in The Bronx comes from when the old-timers start pressing wine grapes.  There is nothing else like that aroma in the frosty air...except maybe roasting coffee beans.   Funny how certain aromas...good, and bad... can trigger memories.  When I was a kid, the old lady who lived next door used to roast coffee beans in a cast iron pot over a small open fire that she made in her back yard.  She would sit on a little chair and constantly stir the coffee beans so they would roast evenly.  The whole area was filled with that roasting coffee perfume.  Just glorious...especially when the air was chilly.  The earthy aroma from baking bread has to be a close second.

With some special attention, I will bet these ethnic, backyard figs will be as good, if not better than some of the popular, must-have figs.  At least they will not need special Winter treatment if they survive Zone 7a/b temps.

Good luck with the hunting.  Your endeavors will eventually bear fruit, and good figs too.

Frank

Nothing beats the old neighborhoods !!!

Pictures of some of the Unknowns described above in today's afternoon sunshine.
1. The Krmk trees were pruned last week to bring the trees down to a more manageable size.
2. Joseph is planning to cut his trees down to 3 feet this year for easier covering and to maintain a bush form, due to his age he can no longer climb the ladder.

5/14/2013 Update
The Alexlight tree has produced breba and they are currently in the initial growth stage, they are slightly larger that a nickle and growing.
 

Hi Pete,

Anything new to report with the Bryant-Dark figs?  Funny, so far it's the only one of my trees with leaves on them. 

This spring has been horrible so far and the cold weather isn't helping.  I think it will be a very short, growing season.

The Bryant-Dark looks to be at least a few months ahead of my other trees.  All survived the winter without problems, but the cold weather has sedated them and they are still semi-dormant.

Keep the investigative reports coming.  Very interesting.



Frank

NYC experienced major immigration around the world. Immigrated people would bring their best fig varieties from their hometown to grow them in NYC such a cold area. I collected 7 unknown varieties from NYC. 

Thanks for the update on this fig tree. Your hard work will pay off on day. Keep the info flowing. Happy searching!!!!!!!!!

Zone 8
South West TX

Frank, ... The BryantDark has dime sized breba growing on almost every branch. The picture below was taken on 5/9/2013.



The updates for the Bryant Dark Mother tree are posted on two (2) other Topics Here#1 and Here#2.

Vicks, ... Yes there are many different varieties that have lost their names over time, they are unknowns to us. But, there are those out there that may know their actual names, that is why I have been reporting on their growth habits and posting pictures.

Oh , I can't wait for my Bronx dk to get bigger and start producing ! Keep digging Pete , you'll come up with the answers for sure !

Frank - 3 of my trees - Kadota , Mission and Chicago H woke up way ahead of my other trees. While the others are breaking dormancy now,  Sicilian Brwn and Blk Jack seem fully dormant , but as of yesterday show tiny signs of coming "alive".

Pete:

Thanks for the new information and the photo essays showing the progress of your special discoveries of Bronx figs.  Love reading these threads that you do so well.

I hope this year will bring many unexpected good things to note about some of these local treasures.  I have no doubt that many of these trees originated, and were brought over from the "other side". 

Many might be surprised to learn that many of the Northern sections of The Bronx were quite rural, and had many family-run farms, less than 75 years ago.  When I was a youngster, and lived in the then, new, Gun-Hill Projects, there was a family-farm directly across the street from Evander Childs High School.  I, and my younger sister, loved to feed the goats.  That was back in 1955-56.  So, Italian fig trees were all over The Bronx, and I'm sure, still survive to this day.  Pete, you are probably looking at trees that have been around for 70-80 years, or, more.  God only knows the original names for these fig trees.

In any case, please give this forum updates, and especially, any critiques about the figs that grow on these trees.

The "Bryant-Dark", will be a special tree in my small collection of heirloom varieties.



Frank

Frank, ... Thanks. I grew up 2 blocks away from one of the original farm houses, which is still standing. It was originally sided with hand split oak shingles, which is now covered in vinyl siding.

Update: 6/21/2013

Unknown-Alexlight mother tree and closeup of breba and main crop figs. Also Unknown-Krmkdark mother tree after extreme haircut.




 

Pete....

Since you started seeking out these special trees, posting photos, and chronicling your observations, I have become obsessed with looking for fig trees growing in and around, not only The Bronx, but also, in other surrounding areas.  I drive, slow down, look, drive some more, stop, pull over....it's ridiculous.  I drive worse than a NYC taxi cab.  This has got to stop!....but, I can't.  I have to have my fig fix.


The Bronx is loaded with fig trees.  Ditto, for Astoria, and Brooklyn.  Astoria is heavily populated by the new immigrant and American-Greeks, the descendents of Plato, and Aristotle....  God only knows what fig varieties are growing there, in back, and front yards.  Ummmm.....I predict I may have to take a ride to Astoria for some Braised Lamb Shanks and Orzo, and then, do some fig scouting, to work off the heavy dinner.

See what you started, Pete.



Frank

Frank,
I didn't start it... but I'm happy to contribute : )
<edit> Pictures 3 and 4 are newly tagged trees, at the same location, I have not documented the figs or the growth habit of these two.


Here are a few more pictures of figs waiting in the wings...


  

Pete....

2nd photo looks familiar.


F

Update  7/21/13

Picture of the Krmkdark mother tree, it is growing quickly and putting on main crop figs. It did not produce any breba this year due to the pruning.

Pictures of the 1 year old Krmkdark in 5 gallon bucket. It has put on main crop figs at most every leaf node. The growth habit, leaves and figs are almost identical to the Hardy Chicago that is 15 feet away. IMO, the taste of the two figs were almost identical last year, but the krmkdark fig (from the mother tree) was sweeter.

Pictures of the Alexlight mother tree. breba have been ripening over the past two weeks, but I was not able get any, I have limited access to this site. Hopefully I will be able to get pictures of one ripe breba, there are several high in the canopy being eaten by birds.

Pete has the best lunch hour of anyone. Thanks for the enjoyable photos.

Update 7/26/13

Attached are pictures of Alexlight breba from a 3-4 year old tree. I stopped by at lunchtime and tried to get a breba from the Alexlight tree, but they were all gone. I was directed to a small Alexlight tree growing in the garden and given 2 small breba figs. I was also informed by Steven, Alex's father that the tree was grafted onto a Krmklight rootstock. This also explains why the tree was so lightly pruned this past winter, half of the branches are Krmklight figs.

This is one of the best tasting figs that I have found. Although the fig is a few days from being fully ripe, they were very sweet, rich (creamy) with a very light fig flavor. Note the eye is small and open.

Pete,
This looks exact the same tree I found in my neighbor's yard. It taste really good even the fig is still firm.
http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/unknown-Lyndhurst-brown-zone-6-taste-great-6436984

Jimmy,
The pink eyes were only visible on the main crop figs. The breba did not have pink eves and were dark. Were your pictures taken recently? If they were from last year, it may be a similar fig variety.

Pete,
the pictures were taken last weekend. They are not quite ripe yet, still firm. But taste really sweet, figgy, and almost no seed.