Hi MJ -- the lack of responses is not because we're rude, it's because the topic of the white Marseilles variety(s) generally ends with everyone agreeing to not to talk about Marseiiles anymore and just accept they have a fine fig :) There's a sort of spectrum of light figs (some of which are termed honey figs) that include (a) Lattarulla, Latarolla, Peter's Honey, Italian Honey, the white and yellow Marseilles, with synonyms that include Lemon & Blanche, and perhaps a dozen more. Akin (but unrelated?) are (b) Dottato/Kadota--which on second thought may be one or none of these. (c) LSU Gold is another similar but unrelated variety. The first group -- and I'm not saying they are the same --are prevalent in the SouthEast, and have over many generations been mislabeled and mixed so that we have often have difficulty knowing what is what and which are the same. How can one person's Marseilles be pink inside (like in the Forum database) when most SE strains are clear or with a pale touch of amber??? This has been the topic of much discussion and usually ends with a peaceable acceptance -- at least with #snaglpus -- to raise them all, and not think on it too much :) Marseilles and their buddies are readily available throughout southern nurseries. The Dottato/Kadota types (b) are generally more popular on the West Coast...and this may be due to climate issues. In short, while several reputable nurseries provide Marseilles that seem recognizable to those of us who think we know the cultivar, when placed beside several similar cultivars--like Lattarula, it's becomes harder to make a firm decision that Marseilles is actually a separate animal. Am I even making sense (?) Perhaps I should have taken my fellow members' cue and remained silent :P
Marseilles Black VS appears to be a different animal -- possibly linked to Mt Etna types (like Sal's and HardyChicago) but maybe not. MBvs/MvsB was discovered by a very well respected forum member and collector who discovered/adopted/rescued the cultivar from Maryland --- it has a wonderful story attached to it that a military man brought it home to the States after the war in Europe. It is available through fig collectors and, unlike the white Marseilles with its light skin and light honey flavor, is a darker fig with deep red meat and berry flavor.
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