Hello all,

I recently bought a fig tree from a nearby person and he said the variety was Mongolian Fig. I never heard of such a variety but it was a nice 4 footer and it came as a group with a few others included a Peter's Honey.  I wrote to Ty Ty asking for information on this variety and searched the fig forums and internet in general and found nothing.  I figured there was a possibility that the tree might have come from Mongolia and had another, known name.  Ty Ty wrote back and simply said, "Yes, we sold the Mongolian fig some time back but no longer do".  

I would like to ask anyone that sees this if you have ever heard of this variety?  I have included a few pics with closeups of two leaves.  It seems as though these two examples are most prevalent although there are some others that have variations of both like two lobes on one side and three on the other.  Is it at all possible this is another variety altogether?  I'd included fig photos but there are none on it, not even baby figs.

I'd appreciate any help or thoughts.

 

 

 

If it really is a Mongolian fig, that would be something special. They have some pretty cold winters down there.

Good luck on ID.
I would not trust anything Ty Ty says.

hahaha   Thank you for your responses.  I've read many comments on this forum on many other subjects where the nursery in question was mentioned and I am not surprised what was said so far.  That is why I had to post this question, just to confirm.  I guess the next step is to see what variety this fig tree is closest to.  I really need a fig to have a better chance of that so I guess I have almost a year to wait for that.  

Hopefully it ends up being a good fig for you. Whether it does prove to be from Mongolia or not. Think we all agree that productivity and taste are key and knowing origin is a bonus. Hope it ends up being a tasty fig!

I agree that a good tasting fig makes any tree all worth it regardless of variety whether known or unknown.  I bought a group of five trees in order to get the Peter's Honey which was in that collection and I wanted that one because of the great reviews for it's taste.  Although I truly believe the seller was sincere, I now have some question about the PH.  If I ever move any of my trees or cuttings on, I want to make sure what I say a variety is, that it is, in fact, what it is.  I have already discounted the idea that the Mongolian is a legitimate name and possibly a renaming of another known variety.  Until then, if the true name is never know, I will continue calling it the Mongolian with a big question mark and a story to go with it.  And if it turns out to be a great fig, then the story will be even better.  My goal is to build a collection of great tasting figs of varied tastes.  If that ends up being only a half dozen or dozen varieties, then so be it.  I really enjoyed fig newtons before I tasted my first fresh fig (Thanks, Bill),  But now after having many fresh off-the-tree figs, fig newtons will never hold the same appeal.

I think it is also called Brunswick or Magnolia (not Mongolian).

Leaf is wrong to be Brunswick or Magnolia.  They have long thin finger like leaves. As long as it is hardy and tasty, what's in a name?

As for the name, mistaking Magnolia for Mongolia certainly sounds logical.  But being from where it was obtained, Ty Ty, the name could mean nothing. When Ty Ty wrote back, they said Mongolia, they did not correct the name to Magnolia.  Of course, since I wrote them saying I bought it from one of their customers, maybe they were just giving me the quick brush off.  It is also true that the leaves are wrong.  The proof of its value to make it a keeper will be in the taste of the fig.  After all, we don't eat names, we eat figs.

A few weeks ago we went to an authentic Italian restaurant run by people from the old country.  Since I got into figs, I have been asking a simple question in such places to get the ball rolling on the subject.  I usually say, "Excuse me, can I ask you a question?  By any chance do you raise or have fig trees"?  I've done this at two places so far and in both cases the response was yes and from there we get into the discussion.  In both cases I will be getting cuttings, if I want.  As my figs become ripe, I will be taking some into them to share.  Besides getting a sample of their fig trees, we also would like to stay in good standing with them as their restaurants are outstanding.  Anyway, the point of this is that I seen the tree at one of the places and they did not know the variety.  The leaf had 5 long skinny nodes with two small lobes hanging off the bottom of the leaf.  According to what I seen listed online, that is exactly what a Brunswick or Magnolia fig leaf looks like.  Stupid me, this tree was planted right aside the restaurant.  I never saw it as we drove in.  In my defense, it did blend in with the other bushes that were all along the building tight against each other.     

Brunswick/Magnolia is a good fig.  Very hardy and almost impossible to kill. Great fig for the novice grower as it will tolerate a lot of mistakes and still produce a bountiful crop. It will tolerate a light frost and still continue to ripen the figs still hanging.  In some years, our trees have continued to ripen figs into October. Its usually one of the last to loose its leaves in our yard. Some people say its hardy through zone 6.

Think its great that you start conversations and develop new fig connections.  Its how some of the nicest figs and friends are found. We live in Bar-b-que, BT and Celeste country and its rare to find much else. Doing my best to see that people get a chance to try other types of figs too and keeping my eyes open for that stray tree that might turn out to be a hidden gem.