Good day, here is a picture of Ischia Black.  Excellent but the tree won't be around in the future....same for Black Maderia.  Both are in pretty bad shape.  Another reason why cuttings from these trees are scarce.

Is this the only known 'official' Ischia Black that exists? And of course it's direct off-spring.
 

Gina, some forum members do have this tree. I am one of them. I have 2 of them and one Black Maderia. It is my opinion that this tree will not be around long. I could be wrong. But BI and BM are not as healthy as many others at UCD. There are several empty spots in the orchard were a tree use to be. UCD has duplicate trees in their orchard. Both BI and BM are old trees. They are in pretty bad shape compared to others, but every year they produces a lot a figs. But one day, it may stop. I'm not trying scare anyone. I just want to report my findings and give my opinion. UCD showed us the fig trees they got overseas in their quarantined section. In a couple of years, we could see these new trees in their orchard.

I have it on the order I sent in for next spring.  Hope they fulfill it, and then I hope it roots for me!  I love resurrecting a dying tree by way of propagation, and I'm sure UCD is doing it too!!

You say it's excellent, but what does that mean?  Like how does it taste?  Figgy, Rich, Watermelon, Berry, Honey, Balsalmic?  I'm listening...... :-)

Suzi

Suzi, everybody's taste buds are different. So, to me, there are 3 excellent tasting black figs,

Black Maderia
Black Ischia
Ronde de Bordeaux

To me, BI has a strong berry rich taste. Other's may differ, but it has a strong after taste and tanggyness.

Does that describe it enough?

Are the ones in quarantine a stronger stain but still with FMV?

Those that I saw and photographed did not have FMV. They were very young though.....around 3' tall.

Gina, you miss understood my comment or maybe I confused you. Those in quarantine are not IB trees. They are other varieties UCD got from Turkey and other countries. My 2 BI trees are tiny trees I rooted from last year's cuttings.

Yes, I did misunderstand.

Good luck with your two trees. :)

Thanks Gina. I hope my BIs survive. If not, oh welll.....there are many other amazing black figs that are pretty close.

Yes Dennis!  Good description of flavor.  I try to keep this stuff in my excel spreadsheet, so I know what to expect when my wishes come true!

Thanks!

Suzi

Suzi, if you want something with similar traits, either Petite Negri or Barnisotte will do.

Similar traits being intense flavor, acid/subacid sunshine tongue-coating, lasting aftertaste... (as opposed to something more inclined to be purely sweet)  

And no, unlike what some people might suggest, Petite Negri is not a synonym for VdB.  The leaf patterns are not quite the same, even without major tendency for single-lobed leaves.  The fruit is not the same.  The stalk is much shorter than VdB, the size is generally bigger, with most main season figs being 35-45gs with plenty of 55g figs as well (The good quality brebas average around 60g with a minority being 80g+).  Looking forward, I think we will be seeing more high quality acid-sweet figs being released from UCD.

Dennis, the BM and IB, are they in bad shape because of the FMV or their age or both?

dennis will have better answer. but from what i have read UCD BM and BI were planted root bound. they never really grew well. once out of CA weather with very nice growing condition, lot of members have issue with rooting them, and once rooted, have problem growing them to full potential due to FMV.

so far, i have not seen any specific issue with rooting BM, and growing them. i just started rooting BI. so.. i'll find out soon enough how troublesome BI will be.

Hey Henry!  I think both are naturaly dwarf trees and growing in dark clay soil.  Are they in bad shape due to FMV?  I doubt it.  FMV doesn't impact the fruit plus there are so many other tree beside it that are just grow growers.  I think they are in a bad spot.  Even though the orchard is completely flat, in that one spot of the orchard, there were several in that row that were gone or slowing getting blasted by the sun.  Age could be a factor but I honestly don't have clear answer.  My 5 year old Black Maderia look amazing compared to the one at UCD.  My 2 Black Ischia are doing well and since January of this year has already doubled in height.  I think my cold weather dormancy helped them tremendously.

NCGR has back-up copies of every accession at the repository, usually with potted trees in or next to the greenhouse facilities at Davis.  If the tree in the orchard dies, they will surely replace it.  Maintaining accessions is a top priority.  A lot of these extra trees get given away each year at a some big event UCD has each year.  NCGR is not part of UCD but they work together and many of the grunt employees that NCGR hires are UCD students.

UCD does have a lot of fig trees.  I remember seeing the trees in their quarantined section and the cuttings repository.  Maintaining orchards with hundreds of plants is a major task.  They were suppose to start a new orchard of new fig trees last year but ran out of time.  Maybe it will happen this year.  I'm glad we have an organization like UCD.  I love figs!

UCD doesn't have any fig trees that I know of but NCGR does! :)

UCD.. NCGR.. who cares. whoever they are, they provide very important service to general public and i can't say enough about the quality of the fig cuttings i have received from them last two years. they are top notch. very fresh and quick to root. my cuttings i got not too long ago are in most part showing roots already. i'll be moving them to cup this weekend. 

I care.  Anybody that is frustrated because of naming errors of varieties, etc. should understand the importance of referring to correct names. Do you go to Burger King and order a  Big Mac?  This reference to UC Davis has gone on and on and causes confusion.

How Bout Those Figs!!!!!!

HarveyC, I sent you a PM.

Here is a good thread on the point that HarveyC raises.

FYI. On the University of California Wolfskill Experimental Orchards website, they mention both USDA and NCGR in a discussion of the land and orchards.

JD, I totally understand your point and thank you. Having talked to the staff there at UCD/USDA/NCGR several times and spent lots of hours in their orchards; I'm just comfortable calling it UC Davis even though I know exactly what and were it is. All comments are welcome and understood. It's all good.

How Bout Those Figs!!!

how 'bout them figs? Ischia Black UCD cuttings are now forming callus. i'm hoping to see roots soon. not too soon, i'm out of peat pots. and Barnisotte is also putting out roots. two i was looking forward to, along with Pastiliere, Excel, Sacrette, 187-25, Beall and Native de Argentile.. list goes on. did i say i live UCD/USDA/NCGR?