Topics

Fico Bianco Fig Story

  • Avatar / Picture
  • pino
  • · Edited

Hello Again;
This fig is easy to grow and cold hardy.  Medium to large size.  Skin usually green but can also be yellow sometimes.  Flesh is white, sweet and juicy.  Great eaten fresh also very nice sun dried.  If the weather is hot and dry this fig is delicious but if it gets rainy then the taste is watered down a bit.  A little prone splitting.

This is the green fig my father grew for some 40 years and which he also gave me a sucker in 1990 and I have been growing it since.  We are in Niagara region Zone 6 near Niagara Falls. 

For over 20 years I have provide minimal winter protection to the figs planted in the ground.  By the way my father used to flip these trees over and bury them.  I simply create a microclimate around the tree (fence, leaves/straw, some 4x8 boards and then throw a tarp over it.
The fig trees are grown in various shapes and in containers.  A bush with 6 stems trained low  and an espalier near a wall.

This green fig always a huge breba crop with large figs that are slightly bigger and better tasting than the main crop.  The main crop is also large every year.  Breba ripens in July, the main crop September depends on how hot the weather is.

I am calling it Ciccio's Fico Bianco (pronounced chee~~choh) because the juicy interior flesh is white (almost translucent).

 photo IMG_8505_zps12d4fccd.jpg photo IMG_3146_zpsab7697c5.jpg photo IMG_3025_zps153af83f.jpg

Hate to say it but I just gave away a nearly identical fig grown by Bill in NJ called "Neri 2" probably not the true name and I have not seen anyone on the forum talk about it, but it pretty much matches your story-I gave it away because I have no more room btw, not because I didn't care for it. The birds sure liked it.

Thanks for that Rafael!
I Looked at some postings on Neri 2 and someone thinks it is likely Marseilles White.  I'll put that on my wish list and see if I can compare this to my green.

comment;
Fig naming can be a very confusing subject. 
According to the great work of Ira Condit "Neri .... Ischia White..refers to the Italian word nero which means black in Italian ..if at all it should refer to Ischia black" end quote. 
That led me to find out that Brogiotto nero is also know as Ischia black.   I can now delete one of these from my wish list. 
Some sources have Marseilles white as a synonym for Lattarula.
It would be nice if once the original name from the original location of a fig is identified/verified then that should be the official name used and anything else would be a synonym or whatever.  I guess no governing body for fig naming?
Silly question; I have heard people talk about DNA testing for figs? 

DNA testing is the way to go, but WAY too expensive, so not happening. People here are more than happy to correct a name once the truth comes out, just search the threads for Acciano and Mongibello and you will see!

Pino have you looked up Fracazzano and Jurupa?
I haven't seen either of them nor tasted, but remember seeing pictures of those and think they may resemble yours

greetings

Damir

Reply Cancel
Subscribe Share Cancel