Good day, early this morning I went for a drive. I located a new rare black fig. It is truly an unknown. According to the owners, the tree has been there at least 20 years, but they are not sure. All I know is thie tree is 15 feet tall and loaded with ripe figs with more ready to come. The owner''s son rooted some cuttings and gave me a tree. Owner picked a few and gave them to me. The figs were ripe but could have stayed on a few more days. They were rich and very sweet. I don't know what variety it is. It's an unknown. Wish I knew what it is. Galicia Negra maybe?

Different then a lsu black black Madera. Think you may have the Galicia Negra. Gland for you Dennis
Can tell by the leaves its not a average black fig. Color is beautiful and interior is very nice. Good find.

Well, we all know I can't guess a fig variety to save my life ;-)

You folks in the south are so lucky to be able to just drive down the street and see all these fig trees.  That is the coolest thing ever.  I think I'm going to find a few spots and guerilla plant a few trees.  Dump some leaves on them in the winter and see what happens.  My MIL's neighbor planted a peach tree in the alley behind her house.  For sure that's where one of them will go.

Good luck putting a name to your found fig.  It's very pretty, the leaves and the fig.

Looks great. Hope they taste as good as they look. yum

Thats a nice looking fig

Just a guess but could this be Black Ischia.

I was gonna say what Leon said, Black Ischia. My Galicia negra has different leaves but my tree is in its first year so that can change, and from most pics I've seen the GN has a really dark interior, unlike any other. To be honest I haven't seen a ripe galicia negra in person so it's very possible I'm just spewing hot air, lol. What ever it is Dennis it is not your run of the mill fig and deserves the spot light. Good luck with it and keep us posted.

Black Ischia?  Hmmmmmm, it very well could be.  My 2 Black Ischia's are not ripe yet and are pretty large trees.  This lady's tree is 15 feet tall.  She lives on a farm with goats, chicken and such.  But the tree is beautiful!  No FMV whatsoever!  She said they toss goat dropping around the tree daily.  I took more pictures but will post them later.

You know...the more I think about it, it could be Black Ischia.  Her son gave me 2 trees....pretty large trees at that!  One is trying to fruit.  She has another tree right next to this one.  She claims the figs are green, very large, open eye, and dark red inside.  She's going to give me an air layer in a few weeks.  When I go back I will take a lot more pictures.  

Black Ischia huh?  Well I know it's not Violette de Bordeaux.   It is no where close to the leaf pattern.

I'll post more pics tomorrow!  thanks everyone for your comments! 

The tree reminds me of Maggie's Negretta. The leaf shape and the black figs with the white specks and also the color of the interior. Only Dennis can compare the taste test though.

Ok, the jury is out on this fig. I compared the leaves to my Black Ischia UCD. This fig iis..... Black Ischia Since I found it, I call it Black Ischia DJ The good news about this is it does not have FMV. I will plant these trees in the ground in Fall. Those coming to my fig festival will see these trees up close.

Check your Col Littman's fig.

Congrats Dennis. I hope it grows really well like the mother tree and is eventually more widely propagated. From the description of the taste and how it looks, it' definitely a keeper. Please be sure to ask about the fig with the red interior as well when you get a chance.

If there is already a black ischia why re name it?
Just more confusion.
Where's all the complainers when I am renaming the gm8?
If I happen to find a green ischia do I rename it to green ischia db?
Doug

Doug, I am a fig newbie so please excuse my error in misunderstanding. I thought the initials at the end is of the person who finds/propagate/sourced the fig to denote a strain that is different from the original named one in someway like better health, vigor, taste, etc... For example, Black Madeira KK vs Black Madeira UCDA, where Black Madeira KK is more desirable because it tends to grow relatively well and produce fruits, while Black Madeira UCDA tends to be a slow grower, if it grows, and is more temperamental.

In this case, Dennis' find is confirmed by him to be a Black Ischia that appears FMD free, though it probably has FMV. The mother tree is healthy and big. From what I understand, Black Ischia UCDA is as temperamental as Black Madeira UCDA. So taken together, wouldn't Dennis' initial at the end be fitting since by the info. reported thus far, his Black Ischia is the healthier strain?

P.S. I'm on a quest to finally have/taste Green Ischia and if you have Green Ischia or if you happen to find one, please remember me around cutting season. I can send a PM and don't mind Green Ischia or Green Ischia DB as long as it is Green Ischia at last. : )

Sure I have a couple. One is 5-6 feet tall and just as big a diameter.
The point made to me is name confusion on the same variety fig.
I don't care either way, but what is good for one is good for all.
Imagine all the duplicate named figs we already have. Adding to it does not make
sense to me.
Nothing against the poster, but everybody will start doing it as well.
Many varieties have fmv for one person and not the next.
There are too many variables to consider to just say one is rare because it does not appear to have fmv.

Just my opinion and just common sense.


Doug

My suggestion Dennis, would be to put "unknown" in front of the name i.e. Unknown Black Ischia DJ.  It could very well be a healthy strain of Black Ischia but who really knows for sure?  This situation is a bit like when John Verdick found a fig that seemed like Pastiliere but had no idea what it really is.  So he named it Unknown Pastiliere or Unknown Pastiliere JD.  The naming stuff aside I'm happy for you that you found what appears to be a great fig!

Looks like Black Ischia. I agree. Black Ischia Unknown DJ. And send me a cutting ASAP! :)

[QUOTE=SCfigFanatic]Sure I have a couple. One is 5-6 feet tall and just as big a diameter.
The point made to me is name confusion on the same variety fig.
I don't care either way, but what is good for one is good for all.
Imagine all the duplicate named figs we already have. Adding to it does not make
sense to me.
Nothing against the poster, but everybody will start doing it as well.
Many varieties have fmv for one person and not the next.
There are too many variables to consider to just say one is rare because it does not appear to have fmv.

Just my opinion and just common sense.


Doug[/QUOTE]

I totally understand the frustration that comes with fig names- mislabels, synonyms or otherwise. The waste of time, money, and disappointment at the end takes a bit to get over. Rewton's suggestion of Unknown Black Ischia DJ seems like a good idea too. It provides the information of the source, the suspected cultivar and designates that it may be of different origin than UCDA. To my mind, it should prevent confusion, but I don't know how others think.

I' m just excited for Dennis and his find and hope it turns out to truly be a better strain of Black Ischia.

Wow. Nice find Dennis.

Hope your feeling better btw!

I think i feel a trade may be needed for i want this beautiful black fig. ;-) BBF UNKNOWN. LOL
Really look at this. Just beautiful to me

Hi,
The leaf looks strangely like the one of my Pastiliere.
But my Pastiliere is slooow ans is still due to fruit more than 2 fruits a year...
My 2 cents on Pastiliere.

Unknown's are just that. Unknown.
That is why I never put any unknown figs in my orchard.
If a fig produces something other than It's name and description, I dig it up and burn it.
It is just my preference.
If I give a fig away, I want the person knowing they got what it is supposed to be.
I could grow a bunch of unknowns, but why when I don't have to.
Looks like a tasty fig anyway.

Doug

For what it's worth, here are pics of my USDA Black Ischia. Whatever the new fig is, it looks like a keeper, for sure.


  
 

[QUOTE=SCfigFanatic]Unknown's are just that. Unknown.
That is why I never put any unknown figs in my orchard.
If a fig produces something other than It's name and description, I dig it up and burn it.
It is just my preference.
If I give a fig away, I want the person knowing they got what it is supposed to be.
I could grow a bunch of unknowns, but why when I don't have to.
Looks like a tasty fig anyway.

Doug[/QUOTE]
What if the unknown is the best fig you ever had.
Still burn it at the stake ??

If I don't know what it is....yes I do.
I have an acre and a half of orchard so I have plenty of room to plant what I want.
I call my figs what I was told they are called, then I prove it with the produce.
One fig was called LSU Scotts yellow, produced purple figs......
Before I burnt my 2 of them, I went back to the man who gave me the cuttings.
He researched where he got it and confirmed it was lsu Scotts black not yellow.
So it was spared. There has only been those 2 and one other so far that did not produce
the right colored, flavored fig.
Yup, burnt up the one.
Too many well known fantastic figs with background and their original name to be had for me.
It is only a matter of personal preference.

Doug

Very well put doug. I kind of wish my acre field had only proven variety and only one of each. I may gave to get my fire on !!!!! Thanks for your outlook on the matter. I probably have 50 percent of my collection names other 50 unknown. But some are really good. Some well not so much. I may need to evaluate but some are my favorite and they are unknown variety. But again like what you have done. All your trees are true to variety. Not,a easy task. ;-)

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't UC ischia have pink petioles?

I don't know, Brian. Might have to ask Neil (posturedoc), the source of mine. He was adamant that his was the real deal, so I believe him. He's kind of vanished since retiring, but I'll send him a note.

SCfig: Instead of burning trees perhaps post them on craigslist or on the forum.  Free fig trees are bound to catch someone's attention.  

Snaglpus: Great find, it must be nice to find rare cultivars in your area.  I never knew Charlotte was a great place to find figs.

Hi Dennis:In my opinion,is not Black Ischia,nor Galicia Negra.
I urge you to compare this new fig against Negretta,and Galicia Negra against Ischia black,and ,find your own answer.

PS: Tony in post # 9  got a good eye!.

tenne, I do with them as I feel.
I do not need suggestions how to take care of my orchard or whats in it.
Plain and simple.
Thanks anyway

Doug

Best unknown picture of the year so far. Winner for sure

Doug,
I agree with you. I don't have nor want unknown figs. People should stop
naming them, if they don't know what they really are.

Whatever this unknown fig is, it has an amazing flavor and taste. I use to have Negretta. It is similar. But my Negretta is not hardy. It was prolific. I left mine out every year but mine came from Martin years ago. Mine died years ago and the center was Amber,

Well Dennis keep me in mind since that tree can't be growing too far away and I am looking for good in the ground figs.  No rush as I have plenty to keep me busy!

I'm with Herman & Tony. Looks like Negretta to me! 

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/show_single_post?pid=1279529959&postcount=10&forum=0

Here is a photo of me standing under the unknown black. The short tree on my left is another unknown fig of hers. She said the small one is an extra large green fig with a dark red center. She's giving me one of theses trees in a few weeks. I'll ask for cutting from both of these this fall.

Lack of fruit's stem, leaf pattern (pic 4, leaves close to the ground), color and texture of fruit's interior- leads me to guess, it's a LSU Purple.

Just poking in fun.....at least it is a rare one.



Doug

Hmmmmmm, it does look like Negretta......leaves and fruit.

I have a Negretta in front yard in ground ,here in 6B,and it did not die down last Winter tho no Winter protection was given.
It was like three foot tall,i sold a few cuttings out of it,and the remaining 20 inches was alive in Spring tho we had 0 F low extreme a couple of nights.
So ,my opinion is,that the tree is about as cold hardy as Mt Etna type tho is different and got more ornamental leaves and pink leaf stem,in my climate.

Well whatever it is, congratulations on a good tasting fig.  You have to call it something and DJ #20 or whatever you're up to is as good as anything else.  :)

[QUOTE=nkesh099]Lack of fruit's stem, leaf pattern (pic 4, leaves close to the ground), color and texture of fruit's interior- leads me to guess, it's a LSU Purple. [/QUOTE]
Isn't LSU purple more of an oblong shape?

No, it's definately not LSU Purple. I have 2 different varieties of LSU Purple. But, this fig is neither of those. But it does look like Negretta versus Black Ischia. Figs are rich tasting! Wife ate half of those in pic. Remaining 5 are mine!

Like the sound of rare, I will use that word again. LOL..... years ago I used it, and the villagers came out with pitch forks looking for me. LOL

[QUOTE=brianm]
Isn't LSU purple more of an oblong shape?[/QUOTE]

Here is a bowl of LSU Purple. Not oblong.

This is a oblongated fig (not LSU Purple). In my experience, LSU Purple is not oblongated. Good find Dennis. All matters, if you like it or not.

Navid.

[QUOTE=nkesh099]

Here is a bowl of LSU Purple. Not oblong. [/QUOTE]
Thank you

[QUOTE=snaglpus]Here is a photo of me standing under the unknown black. The short tree on my left is another unknown fig of hers. She said the small one is an extra large green fig with a dark red center. She's giving me one of theses trees in a few weeks. I'll ask for cutting from both of these this fall.
Well you look very happy standing beside that beautiful tree. Keep me in mind also for cuttings. Really amazed by the black color with specks. I love dark figs.
[/QUOTE]

ARMANDO rare only = $


Doug