Cold hardy figs

Barry, I think you will be OK. Most winters for me I would only lose the tips and I am in 7a. If you get a bad one it may die back while your other figs don’t, but that won’t happen very often.

I recently picked up Valle Negra. A professor from Italy sent cuttings to a few people. here is info I gathered about this one. At the end is notes from seller to me.
Valle Negra figs mean " black valley " but more specifically the Vallecamonica valley where these cuttings were taken from the hill above the town of Breno, Province of Brescia, region of Lombardia (Lombardy) Northern Italy. The Valle Negra is a beautifully leafed fig variety. 2009 will be my first summer with this variety and I am very excited about it. Black fig… Some important and beautiful cities in the Lombardia region of Italy include the City of Milano.
Ciao, Just today I correspond with Sergio, in Liguria to dig more information of his tree he introduced to a few of us in the U.S. (Valle Negra) I found the information very interesting. For the most part he aquired this fig from a mountains above the town of Breno, which is in the Valle Camonica, The Romans named this valley for the original Italic tribe (inhabitants) of this valley, the valley is nicknamed by locals of Valle Negra because in the winter the mountains shadow the valley and it is dark, so why valle negra name, this is all within the province of Brescia, Lombardia (Lombardy). This area is very very mountainous, Ihave not traveled much up there, only once in Milano, which is in same region, but the actual landscape is very different, it is very aired soil and dry, very very dry, it is actually the Alps mountains… This fig grows spontaneous in this area and it is an area which is very very very cold in wintertime, of course up there the usual Italian heat is not previlent. In winters it is not uncommon for this area to receive much snowfall and much rain and very cold temperatures
From the seller:
Yes, these came directly from the founder, Giuseppe Tozzi. They came from my dormant trees that I store in the garage (50°F). I see no problems with them being stored at 35°. I pruned them this morning and the milky sap was dripping everywhere, just to give you an idea how fresh they are. If you need more in the future, I will take care of you. This variety has been very vigorous for me.

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Beautiful variety of nascent leaf patterns on the figs I’m rooting.

Brunswick (middle cup, second row down from the top)

Alma, Nero 600m & Marseilles Black VS (third row down from the top: left, middle & right cups)

Panache (middle cup, fourth row down from the top) AND (cup at bottom left)

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Awesome Matt! I’m probably going to want cuttings of some in a couple years!

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The Panache looks the best :wink:

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Longue d’Aout has my favorite leaf, really neat.

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Yeah that one is on my want list, I almost bought one, but room is an issue now.

On F4F a grower offered them for 5 bucks (including postage), I couldn’t resist for that price.Where I’m going to put it? I have onions, peppers and tomatoes to plant soon argh! I need the lights! The figs are going in the cold frame early!

I had to up-pot Panache because it’s been throwing out roots like crazy!

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I got mine in, big stems and wow, cool looking bark on the bigger pieces. I can’t wait to grow this plant out. I could use to up pot some, but don’t have the room to do so so i cut back growth. I need to get these outside argh!

I found cuttings for Black Madeira at Amazon. I got two for $20. Panache sounds interesting too. I’m ready for spring! I can’t help but to be rooting cuttings and planting cuttings.

Cool, I hope it comes true to type, and the cuttings are not too old. Down the road we can trade cuttings. I picked up a fig that is not Black Madeira, but looks just like it. An unknown found in Point Loma San Diego. It is good eating and looks just like BM, but the guy has BM and says it’s not the same. Interesting rarity for sure. Cuttings will be here any second, 2 cuttings.
Also not a well known cold hardy but from reports I read it is one of the best cold Hardy called Stella. Everybody raves about how good the fruit is. and it is very cold hardy. I had to pick one up!
Matt the B Green is growing like crazy! Outpacing just about everything else. Considering the good reports a real winner, thanks much for the cuttings!


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Sounds good Drew. I have to get them to root first. Are you using grow lights or fluorescent lighting?

Wow! The cutting I gave you almost looks bigger than the mother plant I took it from!

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I have a 4 foot 4 bulb grow light (A very nice T5). And then you average 4 foot 2 bulb shop light too.

I wish I could figure out why? Nothing I did! I swear I think it is the soil. It’s soil I made in 2014. I recycled it. It appears to get better with age. Although some of the others are in that soil too, and are not growing like that. It just is one of those things! What’s nice is you can see my T5 VHO light provides plenty of light for the plants. The stalk is the same size as the cuttings. I also keep a fan on them as the VHO type light throws ton’s of heat. Next light will be T5 HO (not VHO). i was looking at a 6 bulb one $174.00 though. The 4 bulb is $132.00 a little better price. The one I have sells now for $192.00 (And it throws less light than the 6 bulb, which is a better buy). I think when I bought it 3 years ago it was $170.00. Lamps are original, none have burned out yet. I better though buy bulbs this summer. At the place I bought it, they want way too much for VHO lamps, Another place has them 1/2 as much. Maybe I should look at the fixtures there! OK, they do have the 6 bulb T5 for $152.00 (on sale regular $187.00) So not much difference in price. I cannot buy it now though no way!

My Black Madeira cuttings came today. They were shipped really nice. They had their ends dipped in wax then raped in tin foil. They cut cardboard to the exact size of the two cuttings and taped it together like a box. It looked like a cigar pack almost. At first I thought they had mold on the ends. I smelt them and it smelt like pineapple banana orange juice. I went to wash them off right away and then realized it was wax. I’m putting them in the basement by the furnace were it’s warm. I’m using tupperware and leaving the lid cracked open. I used fresh snow to moisten the sphagnum moss.

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I just want to ad that the fragrance disappeared right away after opening them up. I could only smell it as soon as I put it to my nose. The second wiff it was gone about a minute latter. Makes me wonder if the figs smell like that?

They look good, and fresh, good luck with them!

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Drew if I get them going I would like to trade cuttings for the panachee

Ditto yeah cool, if it takes as I’m in the same boat. I just got it. It looks good so far. Cool fig for sure.