I have! I got my first fig recently from a seedling Fig Seedlings- Controlled Cross
The University of California ran a program to create a replacement for Calimyrna, one that did not require pollination, it produced: Conadria, Excell, Flanders, Sierra, Sequoia, and a bunch of others. Texas A&M bred Alma. And then LSU wanted to start up a jam industry in the region so they bred and released a number: Tiger, Purple, Gold, O’Rourke, Champagne, there are some “officially unreleased” varieties floating around from that program as well. Unfortunately the jam plan failed because processing facilities never materialized.
Growing seedlings without knowing the pollen parent is very risky anywhere outside of wasp territory. According to available info the male is the only one that can pass on parthenocarpy (does not require pollination, aka common) to the offspring. So seeds from dried figs that are naturally pollinated may never produce any common female seedlings, only figs that require pollination…
Males are actually hermaphrodite and can actually produce seeds and self pollinate (with the help of the wasp of course).That means some caprifigs can have 2 dominant male genes, instead of only one, so a cross between them to a female (2 recessive female genes) results in all caprifigs with one male and one female gene. Science still has to yet explain the genes behind “edible caprifigs” and San Pedro types.
My seedlings are about twice as vigorous as most plants from cuttings, although there is some variation between them. I was rubbing out sucker and branch buds when they were less than a foot tall, they are beasts.
Are they sap beetles? I’ve seen them in a few figs recently.
