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Fig of the day - Yellow Neeches


[FP953-19]

[FP822-02]

San Diego, CA

This is one of the smallest figs, but is awesome wen fully ripe. Peel in an integral part of the flavor for this one.
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how small are they? I can't tell from the photos!
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This fig is one of the outliers when it comes to taste, right up there with Col de Dame Noir and Violette de Bordeaux according to the following article.

http://www.cloudforest.com/cafe/forum/37125.html
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My Yellow Neches isn't old enough to have produced yet. I did grow an extra one so I could give it to The Center for Historic Plants at Monticello as it is a very old fig that was popular back in colonial times and may have even been at Yorktown.
I have seen 2 spellings for this fig; Yellow Neches and Yellow Neeches.
If anyone has or runs into any info on the history of this variety I'd love to have it.
Thx,
mgg
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USDA has used both spellings, and is currently uses Neeches. No history on why.
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Originally Posted by pitangadiego
USDA has used both spellings, and is currently uses Neeches. No history on why.


Seems like a good enough reason I guess.  But I must say that I still think of Dr. Seuss and the Sneetches when I see the spelling of "Neeches". 
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Originally Posted by Dr Seuss

Now, the Star-Belly Sneetches had bellies with stars. 
The Plain-Belly Sneetches had none upon thars.
Those stars weren’t so big. They were really so small. 
You might think such a thing wouldn’t matter at all.


I too would love to see this history of the name.  The info in this other thread about Texas notwithstanding, since it harks back to colonial Virginia, odds are good that there is some etymology that could be traced back to at least Europe in the 18th century, if not earlier.

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/yellow-neches-pix-2130336

Mike   central NY state, zone 5a

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Originally Posted by L'Angelo NonPoet

The stars on the bellies of some of the Sneetches
Stood out from the bright yellow bellies they bore
But regardless of any of that sort of lore
They reminded us all of the fig:  Yellow Neeches


So if for no other reason than to stop L'Angelo from posting again, please won't someone offer some updated history on the beautiful name "Neches"?   (See the thread linked above for a reference back to Neches TX... but what about colonial North America?).

Mike   central NY state, zone 5a
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I didn't expect to but I really like this fig. I still have the UCD tag if I need to check spelling.

8 out of 10

Thanks!

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Sounds good Jon, you may want to change your info on varieties where it is described as "mediocre quality". Your experience has my attention and now I may add to my next list from UCD. This is good information and I realize as you say "it must be fully ripe". Is your photo main crop? The photos on the varieties site shows an open eye, are yours pollinated? Thanks Jon for this info, very helpful.
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Darn! I got two cuttings of this, even though I'd read that it was of mediocre quality. I wanted it for the historical value. Alas, they both failed.
Now I feel even worse to read they are tasty...
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The "mediocre" comment is from another source. As with all info, sources disagree and each person has to weigh the info for themselves.
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Here is the tag from UCD.

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