Noss, BC is a rare fig found in our area and I would assume that Dalton's is the same as the one that I am now growing which came from another private fig collection. As mentioned before, I had purchased a labeled BC that had a root problem which caused my first one to die.........'nuff said.

Cecil, Black Celeste and Native Black are two of the "blackest" figs I have ever seen. BC is a small fig with a big ole dynamite stem (fuse). Those two traits along with the pictures below should make for a quick ID with any other known/named cutlivar suspected as being the same fig.

Dan
Semper Fi-cus

Looks like I could eat 2 dozens BC small figs. OK, I need to get a BC.

Dan, I'm with you.  Thanks for the photos.  According to Dalton, BC is jet black and your photo confirms that.  I picked my brebra too soon but the birds found it an hour before I did and started pecking at it so I had to pick it. 

I agree.  I don't think Black Celeste is the same as Malta Black.  All of the brebras on my trees (Marseilles White, Sal's, Atreano, etc) are HUGE; including my BC.  So, I think the main crop on my BC will be small like a Celeste.  BC is a beautiful tree.  I like the long fuse on the BC. 

Native Black is another very black, but so is Black Italian.  see below.  I picked these about 2 days too soon, but the figs were very good.  These are Black Italian.

Dennis,  Where did you get your Black Italian tree from?  I have a tree that's labeled as Italian Black that I got from Dalton, along with the Native Black and Black Celeste.

I saw Black Celestes on Dalton's larger tree and the were very black like little lumps of charcoal.

noss

Dennis, I like the looks of your Black Italian fig. That fig eye, full pulp, and pink leaf stem give me  hints that it is a good fig. It almost looks like a Black Mission fig.

 
Noss,

Did you notice that BC figs look almost like black cherries with its extra long stems!! FYI, my Native Black came from a private fig collection too. It did not come from Dalton. However, I did see and taste my first Native Black fig at Dalton's place and it was jet black......like a big lump of charcoal.  He offered to GIVE me that tree because it was so large. I really didn't need it and turned down his kind offer. He and I were trading fig plants during that particular vist. It was a time when he had just taken over his dad's business and before anyone on the fig forums had even heard of him. He's a real nice guy.....but, he does not care to eat figs.

Dan
Semper Fi-cus 

Good day, Noss I got both my Black Italian and Native Black from Dalton.

My BC and MB are not the same fig.  Here are 2 pictures of their leaf patterns. 

no pictures!

Good day, Noss I got both my Black Italian and Native Black from Dalton.

My BC and MB are not the same fig.  Here are 2 pictures of their leaf patterns.  Forgot to add the pics.  The first pic is the leaf pattern of my Malta Black.  The second pic is the leaf pattern of my Black Celeste.  Enjoy,

Cheers,

Dennis, maybe it's just me but I have grown a few different strains of celeste and never remember any breba's.  If you picked a black celeste breba then is it a celeste?  I can't remember if they fell off or there just weren't any breba's. Any brebas on malta black?  Belleclare says it's  the grand parent to celeste, whatever that means?

Hi Dennis,

Good pics, thanks.  Your BC's leaves look just like mine and they came from the same place.  I got an Italian Black from Dalton and I guess it's the same, as well.  Thanks for taking the time to post the pictures.

Ed,

My Celestes both put on brebas here, but they don't get ripe for me, so I pick them off the trees.  They come on looking great, but the ones I've picked, though they seemed ripe tasted awful.  But Celestes do have brebas here.  Maybe up where you are, they don't.  I don't really understand how the MB is a grandparent to the Celeste. 

It is said the BC tastes like a regular Celeste, but doesn't drop the figs in the heat.  Sounds good to me.  :)  Whether it's really a Celeste--Who knows?  If it's good, I don't care anymore.

noss

Dennis, does your Black Italian have red bud tips?? Are many of the leaf stems pink in color like the one in your picture???

The reason I ask is because I do not have the Black Italian from Durio's. I did not get one back then because I had obtained a Black Italian from a private collection. Mine does not have red bud tips nor pink leaf stems. I BELIEVE mine is the same one that was introduced by Saxon Becnel......just not 100% sure at this point.

Malta Black has a few breba figs here.

Hello Noss!  I thought I was going crazy for a moment about the brebra on my Black Celeste.  I went out and triple checked.  It was a brebra, but just one.  Again, my tree is small but has a few figs.

Hello Dan and yes, my Black Italian does have red tips.  See pic below.  I got my tree from Dalton.  I am so glad I planted my trees in the ground.  I know what BI taste like growing in a container.  This will be the first year to receive fruit from the ground.  I've been watching my VdB trees.  Some have huge brebra too and I already lost one to day to a bird.  So, it's time to start the bird netting!  cheers,

It is going to be very interesting to see how your Italian Black fig compares to several Italian black figs (heirlooms) that I have found in my area. Only one of mine has red tips and I know for a fact that it came directly from Sicily to Louisiana and that the owner's two lady friends from Texas call it a Black Mission fig. I do not believe that it is a Black Mission......just some unknown black fig from Sicily that tastes similar to a Black Mission. Time will tell............

Dan,  Mine has some reddish color in the stems and buds, but not a lot.  I think it must be the same as yours, Dennis, as we got them from the same place.

noss