So far, every fig that I grow has been better, I've been growing Black Madeira for four years and haven't had a ripe one yet, maybe this year?

Vito

vito, 

you are in zone 4... BM needs lot of heat and sun.. in long hot summer. martin, i think, is in zone 5 or something, maybe 6. but what he does is he shuffles his fig as soon as possible and give it as much heat as he can possibly give to the tree. he has amazing results. he also pinches which forces figs to come early and therefore, can ripe before the end of the season. it's lot of work but it can be done providing the weather is not sub-optimal like last yr. 

The mangosteen was good even out of season there, I ate a kilo in about 15 minutes but it was something like kamatise I think but it's been a few years.

Picked up a small Black Madiera and Preto, hopefully they fruit and I can add to this discussion. Hopefully Jon does the Fig Fiesta part II this year. Need to see what to add to my growing collection.

Pete,

What you said is right ! As far as I am concerned and IMHO, these top BM, aka Violeta, aka San Vincent .

Armando,
These could well be at close reach for you once your grounds were created by Mother Nature to grow and multiply these wonderful  fruit.. Believe me, your a lucky man!!
Sometime you will agree with me

Francisco
(if need be I may show some Violetas on a new thread... you say)

         

We need Martain to try an Inchario Branco.  But he'll need to get the wasp or hand pollinate if he's to grow it himself. :)

god... those are just amazing... even the best ripen figs in my location doesn't come close. only common figs that look even close are martin's BM, RdB, Pastiliere and others. hence my other post...

Black Maderia has a teaspoon of thick rich honey in its cavity.  The skin and honey combined gives it a long lingering taste on your palate.  The flavor is unique!  Smith is pretty close in taste to BM. 

Below are figs that are (like Black Maderia) very sweet, strong rich flavor and its taste lingers on your palate.  If I had to judge and compare Black Maderia in the common fig category.  I would say this:

Yellow fig -  Peter's Honey and Excel (can't eat but 2 or 3 of these at one time.  They are that rich!
Brown common fig - Toni's Brown Italian
Purple common fig - Pastilere (the juiciest fig ever!), Italian 258
Black common fig -  Nero, Barnisotte, Beall
Green common fig - De La Senyora, JH Adriatic, Ventura, Strawberry
Multi-ugly common fig - Smith, Col de Dam Grise

 
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Smyrna types?  Black category?  Zidi....hands down!  I wish you guys could taste Zidi.  It is so large, so sweet, so rich!  It will make you cry with just one BITE!
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Here's a category that will have you thinking!   Caprified common figs....in comparison to BM.  Guess what fig it would be? 

Purple caprified common fig - California Brown Turkey & Brown Turkey
Black caprified common fig - Mission, Barnisotte
Green caprified common fig - Adriatic

dennis,

does your Pastiliere drop? is it from USDA/UCD?

Dennis is absolutely right

Violeta (BM, StVinc..) are rich syrupy fruit. Through the ripening process and even before the skin shows any cracking, still in its branch,  it starts juicing out a generous ,thick,  long tear of honey, first Chrystal clear then when correctly ripe, shaded strawberry..

But, but... talking of juices and teaspoons of it, what to say of the Common Bebera Branca  ? here you need to go higher up and measure with much bigger spoons ?!... this is again a Common not a Breba.
In their best years this very sweet and flavored fig may go beyond 7 oz, averaging 5.5 oz.

No need to tell you the main reason for these figs to show these characteristics

Have Pastiliere and Zidi in the works and with a bit of luck could show them later in the season

Francisco          

Francisco is my new friend...LOL  Great Lookin Figs.  I am looking now for Violeta....LOL    If I keep this up, I will be working on figs 40hrs a week, with no pay....LOL

francisco,

BM drips honey like that here along with Paradiso Gene. by the time they are ripe, red color honey. tho... caprification would definitely help. i need fig wasps. lol

armando,

your wish might come faster than you expect... but first, not sure if they are same as francisco's Violeta, but saw it listed at USDA/UCD holding list. 

in couple of yrs, i'm very sure Violeta will be more accessible... in limited number.

Francisco,
Question. Your last two post contained photos, is each one a picture of Violeta?
Great photos.

I am going to name my first born Francisco....LOL    On the UC Davis Cuttings , I am going to take that more seriously, they give out some really healthy cuttings. I was avoiding cuttings for awhile after the Gnat infestation....????

Pete, my 2 large Pastileres came from Rain Tree Nursey years ago. The first few years, it did drop all its figs. Then 2 yrs ago I got one half ripe fig. Last year.....BOOM no figs dropped. I am in love with this fig. I ordered 4 more last year from RT!

I'm pretty sure my large Paradiso is the Gene strain. I can't remember but it does have those bronze spots. I did not winterize it last year, but I should have. It's in pretty bad shape. Time will tell.

jd,

post #35. top two are Violeta, bottom three are Beb. Branca. i think...

dennis,

my baud's Pastiliere grows fast, and it drinks water like it's going out of fashion. i remember 2012 had good amount of rain, and last yr was raining all yr long. maybe Pastiliere likes being on the wet side?

Thank you ALL for your comments

Pete,

I love to see some varieties by the time they ripen, show more or less abundant honey.
Violeta in this regard is a good example


Armando ,

One should never loose hope ! and I feel  honored if you decide to  name your new born Francisco.
Gnats for some reason were particularly present even here.
Cinnamon, moth balls and a wise layer of dry soil on the pot tops, did control them
As for Violeta, there are other figs around with same name but totally different cultivars.
In Portugal, Violeta is rapidky moving into extintion

JD,

Thank you
Pete is right, the first two top pics are Violeta...the lower three are Bebera Branca

Francisco

BT
why not?

can't say BT is as good as or better than BM. all the BT i had sucked. 

I've started some California Brown Turkey and was encouraged by reading Dennis's thread yesterday giving praise to this variety tasted at Wolfskill.  Don't know that it will be competing in flavor with Black Madeira but it's supposed to be very productive also, so worth trying.  Especially since I have a good supply of wasps here.

harvey, 

with fig wasps, you have definite advantage over the guys in the east.. i'm sure BT will be great there once caprificated. common figs are great here, but from everything i heard, they will be even greater once caprificated. 

There is no absolute answer to such question.
What good is Black Madeira for me if I could not ripen a single fruit in the last 5~6 years. My Vista gives me good tasting, good looking ripe figs decently on time so it is a lot more to me than my Black Madeira. I am keeping BM hoping there will be some year with decent warm spring, real summer and then warm fall giving a good chance to Black Madeira to ripen here (otherwise then I will have one less variety).

i do agree that there is no "absolute" answer. and i fully understand that in some area, BM or some other figs might not ripen properly. even if they are good figs, they are of no use if they will not ripen for one to taste. but in most area, they can be ripen properly with some help. and if they do ripen properly, how do they compare? 

everything is relative (no.. i'm not talking about west virginia.. J/K!!! it's jack and coke talking).