Hi I am interested in anyone's experience with this wonderful fig. There's hardly anything written about it that I can find. Adaptability (near the coast, perhaps?) info would also be pretty nice to know. Reason being that I tried one today and it was just unbelievably good... like a super complex molasses. Not to mention the hugest leaves I have ever seen! Like blankets, they were.



Thanks

See pix at http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/post/figs4funforum/vpost?id=2158967

My understanding,though know that for a fact, s that it needs caprification to set fruit (which is obviously gets at Wolfskill). All of the fruit available when I was there were over ripe (hence no interior pix).

I went out to Paul Fisher's and had what he called a Zidi fig which looked very much like the one in the picture and tasted fantastic. He's not importing any wasps, and the tree sets all kinds of fruit.

From what I understand regarding pollination, the wasp enters through the eye of the fig, and rubs up against the pollen laden hairs (forgot botanical term). Then goes to another tree and repeats, thus pollinating both.

However, the eye of the Zidi is either closed or nearly closed... it seems like this would thwart the process, but perhaps what I had at Paul's was not a true Zidi.

I have heard that a pollinated Zidi is very big. I've emailed Richard Watts to try to get Malibu guy's contact info, but that was a while ago without response. He did mention the name "Cunningham" though.

I'm sorry this is an old post.

In 2005 UCD did caprification test and found that DFIC036 Zidi is "2=reasonably persistent". That's out of 4. The bagged fruit was listed as "large, no seeds in bagged."

BUT further down the list another DFIC036 Zidi is listed as "3=unsure persistent."

DFIC051 Marabout (2 examples), DFIC057 Calimyrna (2 examples) & DFIC087 Snowden (2 examples) seem to be the most consistent at "3=unsure persistent."

Mark
Seattle, WA

Mark, what does reasonably persistent and unsure persistent mean in your last post.

Vern

When they did their test, their sample size was low and the data showed variability. Instead of rating them persistent (not needing caprification/pollination) or smyrna (needing caprification/pollination) they used as scale based on their observations.

1=clearly persistent
2=reasonably persistent
3=unsure persistent
4=clearly Smyrna?

Mark
Seattle, WA

Mark, thanks for the explanation.

Vern

Pending at least one successful rooting, I will be trailing Zidi here in north NJ
(definitely no fig-wasps here!) .

So if i understand correctly in locations where the fig wasp is not present, ideal one would want figs that are 1=clearly persistent, requiring no pollination?
I have a couple of zidi plants about 1 year old pot grown and one has 6 main crop figs on it.
definitely no fig wasps in Ohio :)

Figman, I believe you can get figs on your tree without the fig wasp.  The fig will not ripen with out the wasp's intervention.  Please let us know how these figs turn out.

Vern

figman, you are correct. A #1 is ideal. But what they found out was, that out of 4 bagged figs on one study branch, one was able to ripen - or "color" - and was seedless. A very good sign of being parthenocarpic.

Mark
Seattle, WA

Gorgi and figman
You had two more years experience with Zidi. What is your verdict about Zidi caprification. How will you categorize it (Common, Caprifig,---?).

Sweet!! I am glad this came up.  I was talking to Bob H about this the other day and was almost positive someone said it needed caprification.

I may not be able to remember names and numbers, but the little stuff ... somehow, it sticks ;)

Thanks for bumping this, Akram!  I love you, man!

Zidi was one of the top tasting varieties at UCDavis. The tree was large and had beautiful foliage. While speaking with Mali who's one of the men in charge of ucdavis collection, mentioned that it does require pollenation. However I have no experience growing it here.

See UC Davis, which believes that it is a Smyrna type, pg 685.

I guess I wasn't around when this thread was first started. This info most likely would have dissuaded me from placing Zidi on my request list from UCD this season :-} .

Well, if I receive cuttings of it, I'm gonna grow it. I'll let y'all know what it does for me. If it doesn't produce figs within a couple years I guess I'll have to find an alternate use for it. Grafting rootstock - maybe?

Hey Jon, do you have Zidi that produces fruit for you in SoCal? 

Bill, if you get more than one Zidi cutting in April/May from UCD, I may be interested in trading. If I haven't already sent my UCD list to you, let me know privately and I'll get that to you.

I may be interested in Zidi just for the ginormous foliage.

No fig wasp here near Chicago and i also hope to find out if my Zidi does anything perhaps this coming season or next as things sometimes grow slow here.

I like to try things out myself , years ago santa cruz dark was suppose to be san pedro : breba only type fig main needing wasp.
Last season mine ripened all of the main crop.

Yes, I have a small Zidi. Great fruit, but behaves like a smyrna type, sets some fruit, but many do not persist. I seem to have some wasps, but not enough. Dauphine shows same characteristics (san pedro type which means the main crop needs pollination like a smyrna type).

They are very large fruit at Davis, and excellent flavor.

Jason, I'll try too keep you in mind when/if I get cuttings from UCD. A reminder from you as we get closer to March/April may be helpful if you remember to do so yourself :) .

Martin, that's very intersting about the Santa Cruz Dk. Seems there might be something going on with some of these varieties that not even the "pros" at UCD realize - ? That, or there's some mis-identification going on that they don't know about.

Jon, so you're referring to the Zidi or the Dauphine that has great flavor & large size?
I think my friend has one Dauphine that made it to season's end. So maybe we'll get to see how that one does for us in his greeenhouse. 

The thread is about Zidi.

Right, Zidi. Thanks.

A friend from Morgan Hill, CA gave me a Zidi cutting on Friday and I asked him about his experience with it and he wrote the following:

Harvey wrote "Not much of a breba crop ".
Does it mean that breba crop can be increased if the main crop is removed during its formation. If yes, and if ripening without pollination gives none or very small carthenocarpic crop then Zidi can be prepared for breba only by removing the main crop as it forms (unless I am missing a good point).

I'm pretty sure my friend would have told me if he had tried that so I don't think there's any way of knowing until someone tries.  We've got enough other good figs with brebas that I don't think there's much of an incentive to be removing the main crop that has set.  The phrase "a bird in the hand" comes to mind....

In "Fig Varieties: A Monograph" Condit lists Zidi as a Smyrna type Fig.

You can download a PDF of Condit's Monograph from either of my websites:
http://sites.google.com/site/kiwifruitsalad2
or
http://kiwifruitsalsa.wordpress.com

Question:  If Zidi requires Caprification, then how was Ken love able to fruit it?  http://www.hawaiifruit.net/FIgsgrid/pages/Zidi.htm

Is the wasp in Hawaii?

I think those photos of Ken's are when he visited Davis.  I see the link to those pages on http://www.hawaiifruit.net/index-figs.html says they they are dated 9/23/2007 and that was about the time of year I recall Ken coming to Davis to photograph figs and taste.  I was going to meet up with him but was busy with chestnut harvest.  That same link above shows the first cuttings he potted up were in April 2007.  It looks like they did begin picking some figs in 12/07 based on other links on that page.

Zidi is an old variety from Tunisia. Per a Tunisian website Zidi requires pollination. 

Bass, 

Thanks to Dauphine for her help with sharing the link.

Also, note that this site clearly specifies what type the figs are (a very desirable info):

Can any one suggest a cold hardy version of Zidi, that has a flavor similar to how Zidi taste????

I remember reading something here (posted by Jon?) which proposed that it is possible to fruit figs which require caprification in certain conditions.  I don't remember if it was water stress or ???

There was some way, though .... I would say 'ask Jon' what this method was, he posted it here, and experiment on your Zidi with that method.

From what i have read in past it was done on a san pedro type at Belleclare Nursery and it ripened main crop. They sprayed with Gibberellic acid .

Jason here is something that may or may not be of interest concerning  figs that need pollinating. An experiment done some years ago at Belleclare Nursery.
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/fig/msg0821074524882.html

Concerning Zidi .
If anyone has Zidi and thinking of giving it the boot because of it possibly needing pollination Dont trash it, i will gladly pay the shipping .
Always have room for 1 more dark type to trial.

The one i have is now hurting and may not make it to the outdoors along with a few other types.

Dont want no sympathy Zidi only if your going to discard it or if you have extra one that you intend to sell i buy.

Has anyone tried to pollinate figs by hand/ paintbrush? If the eye is open on the fig and you can get a hold of some caprifigs it could work. I am just wondering if anyone has ever tried.

I seem to remember someone mentioning using a straw to blow pollen from a caprifig into a fig requiring pollination some time ago. 

This fig has huge leaves.
That is my husband's hand.

Catchy yes seems for now mine get big leaves as well.
Here you can see my Young Zidi next to my Caromb plant in 2 gallon pot for size of leaf.

Some of my plants get big leaves when young.

Here is Grise Olivette leaf standing tall in front of 5 gallon bucket taken last season the picture date is wrong cause i forgot to reset when changing battries.
This season Grise leaves are no where near that size as its adjusting .

Click to enlarge thumbnail

In my SWC, the leaves have grown enormous on several varieties. The ones in regular containers have much smaller leaves.

Hi Martin,
I remember that picture from last year.  I think you have me beat on leaf size.

Texascockatoos i make a thread showing you about leaf size and anyone else interested .

gorgi (George) was it determined that Zidi does in fact have to have the fig wasp to produce?

Zidi will make a very few fruits without fertilization.

Shah8, thank you sir. Do you know about Panachee? Does it need the wasp?

Panache need no wasp . ; )

Here is my experience with Zidi from last year http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/Possible-Zidi-breaking-news-5945663?highlight=zidi

Tom, thanks for the link. I wasn't around then. I am going to give it a try along with Panachee. I have six of each that rooted like
crazy in the Root Riot cubes.