Calimyrna, Violette de Bordeaux and Kadota would be my picks for your zone based on what I have heard, Calimyrna seems like it would be a great fig if properly ripe, I have been lucky enough to try a couple about 85% ripe from california and they were excellent, the extra 15% would put them over the top I imagine.

Hi Cyberfarmer,
The choice is all yours.
I would look at the pots and the star-rocketing ones would go in ground.

From your list, "theoretically speaking" I would choose: BT ( a workhorse), Celeste, hardy chicago, Desert King ... 

A very nice fig collection and in your climatic zone they are all viable candidates!

Take a look at what your goals are and where you want to go with your figs.  If it is just a matter of taste you probably know which you prefer better by now.

Are you interested in selling figs, plants or cuttings?  Then I would focus on the most popular fig varieties because that's what people will want to buy.  If you want to sell figs you may want to check with your local coop/grocery store to see what varieties they would buy for fresh or processing. 

Or see if you can buy the neighbors property or move to a farm..LOL

There are other options for limited spaces besides limiting varieties. Planting multiples together Grafting Planting trees closer together and limiting their size Etc. As Pino mentioned, consider your end goal. I recently moved from 3+ acres in Austin to a small, suburban backyard Denver. I've had to come up with some creative ways to grow my trees due to several factors. My best advice is to start planning well in advance of when you plan to make a final decision to give your ideas time to evolve. Just about every thought I had (location, design, tree size/shape, etc.) has changed. My goal was to implement this year, but...

Thank you for the replies. @pino, you are right, I should clarify my goals:

I have a few acres where my wife and I are growing a wide variety of fruits including apples, persimmons, jujube, olives, cherimoya, and a bunch of other things ...and of course, figs! First and foremost, I am growing for the enjoyment of our family and friends. If I ever get to the point where I have enough to sell, I look forward to selling at the farmer's markets or to the local grocer, or even online. We are planning to buy a commercial dehydrator, so anything that we don't use fresh will be dried if possible.

We are also building a bed and breakfast on our property and we would like to have a selection of homemade preserves, dried fruit, homemade goat milk soap and crafts to sell in the barn gift shop. I would also try to incorporate food grown on our ranch into any meals served at the B&B. We also plan to use the B&B to host chef dinners. So, when our figs are in season, we'll give a tour of the fig trees and then the chef will demonstrate and serve a few fig dishes. 

So, I would say having a long, continuous season of fresh eating figs is important to me so that we will have them available whenever guests show up. I would hate for any figs to go to waste, so I also want varieties that dry well. 

Also, I have room for a LOT more than 12. But, I am growing a lot of other things as well. I should say that I am willing to dedicate 12 prime spots for full sized (8-10') fig trees. I will probably also have many other fig trees stuffed into odd spaces, growing in bush or dwarfed size. I am trying to choose which trees should be my main 12 producers.

That is quite a vision for the future of your place Paul, that's the kind of Bed and Breakfast I would love to visit! Mike in Hanover, VA

Go for the Vista. I have not had R Latte yet but of the others my vote would be for the Vista.

Well, sounds like you have big plans!  VdB is not a big tree, so maybe put that where you don't want a full sized tree.  I know Black Mission, Vista, and Raspberry Latte will all grow huge!  They are also all dark figs.  If it were me, I'd try a mix of some dark, some yellow, and some green.    Also think about early vs late ripening.  If you want the B&B to have a continual supply, you might want to make sure your choices include different ripening times.

If you want to stop by Hemet, I'll let you slice off a shoot of my Verte that's growing where it shouldn't be.  It might have roots attached.  That's a green with red center fig.  Doesn't appear to be on your list.

Suzi

[QUOTE=DesertDance]Well, sounds like you have big plans!  VdB is not a big tree, so maybe put that where you don't want a full sized tree.  I know Black Mission, Vista, and Raspberry Latte will all grow huge!  They are also all dark figs.  If it were me, I'd try a mix of some dark, some yellow, and some green.    Also think about early vs late ripening.  If you want the B&B to have a continual supply, you might want to make sure your choices include different ripening times.

If you want to stop by Hemet, I'll let you slice off a shoot of my Verte that's growing where it shouldn't be.  It might have roots attached.  That's a green with red center fig.  Doesn't appear to be on your list.

Suzi[/QUOTE]

Wow, thanks for the kind offer Suzi! Verte sounds like a nice one. My wife's uncle is staying at the hospital in Hemet. So, she will be going there soon to visit him. I just might send her your way with her goat milk soap in trade. She's a lot cuter and more fun than me anyway.

I was about to ask a follow-up question about ripening order, but...: http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/ripening-order-2858750

I'll try to see where mine fit in.

Sounds like an ideal B&B to me.  Would love to visit on my next trip to S. Cal.

You have a lot of options.  Given your climate I wouldn't bother with cold hardy varieties like HC that tend to produce smaller figs though.

Conadria. You don't have yellow long but that one is worth getting in ground.

I second Conadria too! Very juicy large green figs.

Oh, yes, just a note. Out of all listed, I think Conadria has the prettiest leaves.

If you were willing to keep trees pruned smaller, I'd suggest checking out some of the Dave Wilson Nursery videos on multiple tree plantings and pruning methods. They are more geared towards stone fruits, but the info is pretty adaptable to figs.

Or you can make frankenfigs!

Pastilliere, Vista, O'Rourke, Atreano, 278-128, Black Madeira, Maltese Falcon, Violette Soleis, JH Adriatic, Desert King, Col de Dame, Joe's Jersey

I think those will fit your requirements.  Things like Atreano should be superior to Conadria for the similar purposes.  278-128 is suitable for those that like mild, large, honey figs (for California).  DK and Pastillier, along with O'Rourke a bit later should give you early figs.  BM and CDD should give you late figs.  Panachee probably is better than Joe's Jersey for the tourists, but is otherwise redundant.  Maltese Falcon should be the superior Black Mission analogue.

Along with a long picking season I'd go for taste.  Of the ones you list that I've tasted, VdB and Desert King are the best.  Rasperry Latte and Vista Mission are popular but I've never had them.  Nothing on your list is in the stratospheric taste range.  I'd get my hands on a Col de Dame Noire & Grise, Panache, Maltese Falcon and/or Beauty, Sunfire, ask Bass what his top 2 are, Jon's unknown Pastiliere, Marseilles Black VS and Ronde de Bordeau for early ones, Black Madeira and anything you can buy from Rafed.  :)

Bataglia Green is said to be the best of the strawberry verte types.  I wouldn't go after mildly flavored types like Long Yellow.  JH Adriatic is also very popular as is Vasilika Sika.

There are many others people rave about and I haven't tasted all of these.  If you follow posts for years and listen to the people who've had lots of figs over lots of time, these and others I'm not thinking of are the ones that come up over and over again.  I think it would be worth the investment to get the most amazing figs you can to wow your guests.  I bet people would trade a small plant for a 2 night stay  :)  I'd also consider going for 25 fig trees   ;)

Which varieties are your family's favorites so far for taste?

If I could plant one tree in your zone it would be DFIC 69 Barnisotte.

Great goals!  Good luck.  If I ever visit Cali I will stay at your B&B!

 My pick would be VdB & Calimyrna. I would source RdB, Maltese Falcon, Blk Maderia, Gypsy or Col de Dames.