I believe that was one of the problems, Francisco.

I used the cuttings you sent me almost immediately after receiving them - so no stratification. I forget that i can do that here after a cold winter, but for cuttings from Algarve a stratification period is probably a must to successful rooting.

Fortunately, with the others varieties i did at least one graft so i didn't loose them.

I had not considered a chill or stratification requirement as a prerequisite to successful rooting. I imagine that I should. I have had rooting success in practice attempts with cutting fresh off a tree but that might have been fortunate happenstance. Do you gentlemen have guideline that you might share regarding which varieties are better rooted after a stratification period versus otherwise? A general rule of thumb such as "you must always stratify cold hardy varieties" perhaps? Or is the converse applicable? For very desirable and hard to root varieties such as the Black Madeira/ Fico Preto / Violetta and I am sure many others indigenous to warm climes such a Portugal or the Mediterranean in general, what are your experiences / recommendations? If I ever am fortunate enough to get my hands on a BM / FP, I want to be prepared with the proper course of action / procedure rather than risk such difficult to procure germplasm to rooting happenstance....

Thanks,
Tony

Francisco, thank you for the response! Going forward I am going to use a strategy employing a mixed approach where chilling will be used for a portion of of cultivar cuttings and no or minimal chilling used for the remaining portion of that cultivars cuttings and keep records tracking success of rooting; perhaps some kind of obvious conclusions will emerge (at least within the very specific conditions that exist in my case. We will see.

Regards.
Tony

Time to show Figo Côteo, a Common fig, our traditional cultivar for the production of dry figs.
A large fruit, sweet and much flavored.

 

 

 

 

Francisco
Portugal

All the figs everyone is posting look amazing/perfect and the pictures are outstanding.

great.too many good figs in your island francisco, but not in here :(

Figo Coteo certainly looks like a delicious fig, Francisco! 

watagarasu,

Francisco lives in the southern part of Portugal (known as Algarve - in red in the following map) not in Madeira Island (this island belongs to Portugal and the capital is Funchal (a bit lower to the left in the map).
Algarve has several dozens of different fig varieties. Madeira Island has much less. The varieties that exist in the island were taken from the main land many centuries ago.

Thank you all for your kind comments as well as geographical corrections.

Francisco
Portugal

One more Summer fig.
Name - Cara Lisa  or Belmandil
This one requires assistance from the pollinator to ripen its fruit.
Like the great majority of  the Smyrna family, it's a much flavored, sweet and syrupy fig.


 
 
 
 

 
Francisco
Portugal

Got now the first Braçajote Branco figs .
A Common type sweet and with great berry flavors.  

 

 

 

Francisco
Portugal

Beautiful figs, Francisco.

Belmandil needs the wasp but there is also a Valamandil that doesn't, isn't it? This one was also a beautiful fig.

This is the usual date for Brajaçote Branco to ripen? I might have problems with mine ripening 3-4 weeks later over here because of the rain...

I might get lucky with Inchário Branco though.. I have a couple of pollinated one's that resisted. They are getting bigger and look quite nice. I hope i can taste them this year.

Great thread! I enjoy all the beautiful pictures.

These pictures look inviting! How can I buy some cuttings? On eBay can only find "Branca bebera", the other can not find, if you have some cuttings to sell, then please tell me, thank you!

Beautiful figs, Francisco! I lost count now but these are all amazing! How many varieties do you have in your collection? I am cureous.

Thanks very much for your comments and appreciation.

@ dongbuniuzi

Where is your base ? your profile notes have no mention...
Sorry, I do not sell cuttings. Local laws expressly prohibit such business to private people.
Only established and licensed nurseries are allowed to do it. I may exchange within the EU
You may try a few on the Internet or explore the eBay channels.

@ Meg,

I have a few figs in my collection, may be not even 30.
When I joined this forum the main objective was to show some of the best  Portuguese fig varieties including a few excellent Smyrnas, as well as to introduce some of the fig pollination key aspects and the culture of caprifigs.... all these matters rarely spoken in the forum.
Meanwhile, as the law allows me free exchange of plant scions inside the EU I have acquired a few great foreign figs and these are enriching my small collection.
But I have to be cautious !! ..  Mrs is OK with a few figs but,  not too much!!

Francisco
Portugal

Francisco, you certainly have some absolutely great figs. And, i suppose it is s good thing that your wife keeps things in check, yes? This fig addiction can be seriously dangerous otherwise. :-)

Jaime hi, 

Regarding fmv in Violeta- my rooted violeta's planted in heavy soil in pots showed much fmv at start and the plant had to work its way out of it after few more leafs-then they become monsters and grow fast. the ones planted in light soil show also the fmv but fight it better.

This character more and more convinces it is close or identical to the USDA "black madeira" which in the forum is shown to have a very slow growth and fmv ridden.

Probably Violeta is an older strain and more fmv resistant!