Encanto Farms Nursery > Categories > Tacoma Violet

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mnedelcu

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Another good and early variety suitable for my zone 6,start ripening figs.

Dieseler

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Nice looking fig .  ; )

nypd5229

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Great looking- Have heavy FMV on mine.

ejp3

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I believe Gene H said it was his most cold hardy fig.

go4broek

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I got one from Marius. Haven't seen FMV on it yet. Thanks again, Marius!

mnedelcu

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Right.Herman is my source(thanks again),and he's got it from him(Gene H.).

snaglpus

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I totally agree!  I got 4 of them......all from Herman.  The first taste of my first tree sold me!   It does well in the South.  One of the best tasting brown figs.

Herman2

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I got mine directly from Gene Hosey in Wash. DC,and mine is totally healthy,no disease to speak of.
And yes when it ripe in dry conditions ,and properly,it is Violet in color,just like Gene said it will be.
Malta Black and Tacoma Violet,come one and 2,followed by Gino's Black and Marseilles black vs,for 3 and forth place,in order of taste,they are the most adapted figs to my climate ,capable of making decent fruits every year,year after year,no exception.
I have many rare exquisite fig trees that will make fruits so good you would think you are in Haven when you taste them,but none do it so reliably,every year, like the above  4 cultivars.
Last year was one of the worse and no fig should be judged by the last year results,but to have a fig that you can get a few good fruits in a year like last year is important.
The above cultivars and a few others,like St Anthony,Stella,Violette de Bordeaux,Kathleen Black,Maltese Falcon,Atreano,Aubique Petite,Nero 600M,Col de Dame Grise,managed last year to make a few good fruits each despite 70 inches of rain,in total which is way more than any fig tree can take

nypd5229

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I'm annoyed by it. Nice and healthy last year. 

paully22

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Herman, would you say your St Anthony is Latarrula ? I have a St Anthony tree from Jon, no figs yet. I have 2 large Latarrula trees that is reliable.We allow the Latarrula figs to ripen a little more & they are good.

Nero600M is a new fig for me. It grew too well last year like 4ft and it died to the ground. Re-sprouted & growing slow for now.

hoosierbanana

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Did not see any FMV on my TV cuttings from Jon.

Herman2

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I gpt the Saint Anthony from George M.
It is young about forth year and fruited last year.
It fruited about 2 weeks earlier than Italian Honey,I had before,but I do not know Why?,as it looks identical.
I do not have Latarulla ,but i have seen pixies and seem to be the same.

mnedelcu

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Herman,this is my Lattarula tree.If you do not have one,it's gonna be my pleasure to start an air layer for you.A big yellow fig,yellow interior,very sweet and productive.Just let me known.  Marius

pyxistort

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Marius,

Those early figs are looking so good.  I really envy everyone who can harvest figs this early.  

When was Tacoma Violet figlet starting showing up?  What was the average day time temperature during that period?

paully22

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Latarulla is a hardy & reliable fig. Should do well in NJ. Pretty good tasting if allowed to ripen fully. If not used it for BBQ and they sure taste good. I was told by a plant researcher(USA) who grows figs himself & at their trial site that the real St Anthony is Black in color like the one shown in Jon's web site. He also mention it is a good fig. That influence my interest to get a St Anthony from Jon 2 to 3 seasons ago. I doubt the presence of the fig wasp would make it a dark fig. My St Anthony from Jon has not fruited - a slow grower.

Nice pic's Marius. The other bonus of the Latarrula fig here is that it stands out better than many others with rain and I get a decent crop main crop of figs from it. This is a real bonus for my zone.

Herman2

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The St Anthony I have is identical to your tree Marius.
Thank you for your Willingness to make me a layers,but I have no reason to ask for one.
I am very pleased with this St Anthony I have,and done with searching for Latarulla, Italian Honey,White Marseilles,etc.because the one I have performed best here in my Back yard.
Thanks again Marius.

brahms74

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Posts: 67

Hello dear menedelcu
Your Fig trees are  almost miracle to me. Fast growth, No Disease, and absolutely beautiful:-)
Please let me ask something about Danny's Delight.
You've told me the winter tolerance of DD, and I'm impressed of it's hardiness.
Now, I wonder it's future shape?? Big Tree type short Bush type?
Your DD shows wonderful(fastest one) rate of growth and now almost 5 ft.
I think this is not a bush type fig like RdB.
Please let me know/show mother tree size.

Thanks~

 

mnedelcu

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...more beautiful figs are coming...see pictures.   Brahms74,Danny's delight is a straight type tree,very productive and cold hardy.I will post some pictures with the mother tree,but i have it at my hunting/camping land,about 80 miles from where i live.First time i'll go,i will take pictures.Thanks.

brahms74

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Thank you very much:-) I use browning 20 ga. My Granfarther's favorite.
Have a nice day~

mnedelcu

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Yesterday,i had some friends of mine,tasting some ripe figs in my back yard,and all 3 of them,they placed Tacoma Violet on first place,and then..,Sal's El,Marseille vs blk and Gino's blk. What's your opinion regarding these figs?

Rewton

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I searched but couldn't find the back-story to this fig.  Was the mother plant found in Tacoma, Washington?  I've also seen it referred to as "Takoma Violet" elsewhere on the forum.  Could it have come from Takoma Park, MD which would make more sense given that it was one of the Gene Hosey varieties?

snaglpus

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You just can't go wrong with Tacoma Violet, Gino's Black, Marseilles VS Black, and Sals's. Tacoma Violet is truly amazing.

slingha

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If anyone has one for sale, let me know. Very interested due to its cold hardiness.

Willofig

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There is one for bid on ebay.

Rewton

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Regarding post #21 does anyone know whether this fig is adapted for the northwest USA or the the northeast/mid-atlantic?  That's my overriding question.  Thanks.

Herman2

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You Mean,to ask ,if Tacoma Violet is adapted to cool,and or,short Summer climates.
The answer is :Yes,you can see the results in OHIO,and Ohio is not the tropics.
This fig is an early cultivar and that is what is needed in cool and short Summer season,in order to be able to ripe,in time till Winter come.

drivewayfarmer

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Takoma Violet is one of my favorites up here in NH.
There is something slightly addictive in its flavor and I find myself checking for ripe figs on this one more than most of my other varieties.
Good production too.

musillid

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Herman,

     Where (who) in Ohio does one see the results of of Tacoma Violet?

Rewton

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I'm always fascinated by the stories behind fig varieties and learned about the history of Takoma Violet, Kathleen's Black and a few other varieties from Gene Hosey a while back.  I just stumbled across the old email.  Here's what he wrote:

"KB did come from a woman named Kathleen who lives/lived in Takoma Park, Maryland across from the firestation.  She and I ran around the Summer of 2001 ringing doorbells and asking to take cuttings from neighborhood fig trees.  This one was one she had ordered 20? years before (1981?) for her husband from one of these cheap nursery catalogs like Michigan Bulb.  She said as a kid she always got stuck with the bananas, and ever since disliked soft, mushy fruit--but she seemed to love to hunt for cuttings.  Takoma Violet came from an elderly German lady she knew who lived nearby.  The Paradiso fig came from an elderly Italian fellow who lived next door to a home where her son visited friends."

Others may have known this history already but because of the mispelling I initially thought TV was from Tacoma, WA rather than Takoma Park, MD just a few miles away from me!  I'm looking forward tasting TV, KB and Paradiso (Gene) for the first time this year.

bullet08

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is didn't know TV was found by gene. i'm glad mine survived last yr's mistakes.

IamKriya

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Good info, strong variety for me!

ztfree1128

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Thanks for the info Steve, I also didn't know that tacoma violet was from our area. It't amazing how many figs there are around here. 

Rewton

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Zach, "Takoma" not "Tacoma" :)  This is what had me confused too.  Anyway, the story suggests it might have origins back to Germany and this could explain its cold hardiness. 

greg88

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TV is high on my wish list

Gina

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Do I remember Takoma Violet being a Mt. Etna type fig?

Herman2

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Dale:Nedelcu, the person that started this topic is in Ohio!
Gina:Yes T violet has similar leaves and fruits to other MT Etna type figs,but ,yes it is more violet on outside,so it is not identical to Hardy C ,which is more blackish.
Also it has a prolific breba in the Spring unlike any other Mt Etna fig,yet,In my opinion it is  from the same family,tho it might have been brought here from a different country not necessary ,the island of Sicily.
We should not think that ,cultivars are the same just because they are similar somewhat,because they can have a lot of different adaptabilities,obtained at the location they spent hundreds of years,getting used to.
As a matter of fact at present time i like T V better than any other mt Etna type fig because it makes a lots of early breba,and the others do not.
If it turns out it is just as well adapted to Winter like other Mt Etna figs,I could very well get rid of the others and keep Only Tacoma Violet in my small backyard.
This Winter my older trees are taking their test of hardiness,because it was very cold for weeks with temperature down to -3Fin some nights,so in the Spring,I will know better what to keep,for future.

Rewton

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Herman2, Gene also told me that he was surprised that Takoma Violet had become popular among fig enthusiasts because the fruit is small.  Mine hasn't fruited yet so I don't know how it compares in size to other figs.  Is it similar in size to Mt. Etna types like MvsB, Sal'sEL, Hardy Chicago etc?

Herman2

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Yes it is similar in size,and what is very strange is that the prolific Breba fruits, is a little smaller in size compared to Main crop.
Totally unlike other cultivars ,breba fruits which usually grow much larger than main crop.
And the small size breba fruits are very tasty,just as tasty as main crop,if not better if nice sunny days are in while ripening.

ztfree1128

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Thanks Steve, I didn't even realize I spelled it wrong as I was writing it, lol

paully22

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Last yr, my Takoma Violet tasted ordinary. May be its because of the green house.

Herman2

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Yes,if fruits ripening in greenhouse,they taste far, from what they will if ripe out in the sun.
Greenhouse is very helpfull to get the plant ahead in the Spring,till it forms fruits,after that,it needs to come out in the sun ,providing the frost season is gone.
I personally described ,T Violet as it sits outside in the open,in ground all year,with no Winter protection.
I have no experience with it in pot,but I can imagine ,there are ,pluses and minuses when growing in pot.

james

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Last year, a very generous member of this forum (no names, but I believe he farms on a driveway) talked me into getting TV along with some other varieties. In the past, growing in central Texas, being a short-season fig was not so important to me. This year, I have started planning a second orchard in an area with a much shorter growing season. TV is the first confirmed variety to be moved. All the posts above make me even less patient to try it!