My orchard

General Fruit Growing
9

Had to remove the pictures but will try to add them later. Copy/Paste:

        T. PINE - GROWERS OF RARE - NORTHERN CLIMATE - COLD HARDY & EXCEPTIONALLY COLD HARDY  FIGS

            This is a small, back yard,  mail order, retirement business.  Inventory levels can fluctuate greatly, from day to day. Please, contact me at:
             robertcharper@gmail.com for current  inventory levels, before ordering.  

                                                                                            Our disclaimer on fig mosaic virus.

Our mother trees originate from all over the world. So, like UC Davis, and others with large collections, we assume our figs have one strain or the other, of the fig mosaic virus. The starter trees of some of our more requested varieties have even arrived here, showing a mosaic virus. Then, after improving the plants nutrient requirements the fig becomes a robust healthy growing plant, showing no symptoms. Of course a lot of our new accessions arrive without any signs of FMV. But, we do not feel there are any figs that do not carry the FMV virus. I believe even hybrid figs that have been created in sterile environments, will become infected once they are planted outside. Or, if they are left outside in a pot, during the summer. We try to ship out plants that do not have, or show FMV symptoms. But, plants that are showing no symptoms one year, can show symptoms the next year. All of our plants are robust growing plants when we ship them out.

We ship fig plants year round. Potted plants during spring, summer & fall. Then bare root during winter months.

Cannot ship out of continental United States.
.
Bayernfeige Violetta – Main crop - fruit & leaf - picked in Connecticut on10-26-10

1.Bayernfeige Violleta – Discovered growing in Bavaria. A very large, very sweet, beautiful brown, fig. If the soil is kept dry, it will keep on ripening sweet figs at our location, even after leaves have fallen off. It needs mosquito netting protection to keep the flies off of the very sweet fruit. Ripens here the end of October. A heavy, heavy bearing fig. Here it needs at least 80 percent of the fruit removed by July 15th. But, will still leave over 100 fruit left on the tree. Cold hardy to around minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit, to minus 6 degrees Fahrenheit? Because it ripens late, it needs to be planted in a location that gets at least 8 hours of direct sunlight, a day. Our 2010 taste test winner. This is a wonderful tasting English Brown Turkey. But, it does not produce each and every year in our zone 5b.6a. I wished it would. Zone 7b/7a?
Brooklyn White - Some over ripe Brooklyn White figs at our house in Connecticut on 10-20-2013

  1. Brooklyn White —Discovered growing in Brooklyn, New York, winter uncovered, by an avid fig collector. A heavy bearing, large, no fuss, easy to grow, cold hardy late ripening honey type fig. A really beautiful landscape plant, when fruits first starts to ripen, in early fall with its large golden colored fruit, and green foliage. It’s thick skin helps to greatly reduce yellow jacket damage. Ripens about two weeks after Sal’s EL. To late for New England, when we have a early fall frost. Zone 6b/7a?
  2. DANNY’S DELIGHT – Main crop starting to ripen at our house in Connecticut, on 9-25-13

Danny’s Delight – Some over ripe main crop figs to be made into fig jam ,for our winter use.

  1. DANNY’S DELIGHT – As the story goes, a plant seller purchased 100 rooted wholesale plants from Hartmann’s Plant Company, in Michigan, sometime around 2004. They then repackaged the plants and sold them to different fig collectors, and retail nurseries under the same cultivar name of, Danny’s Delight. But, apparently not all of the 100 rooted cuttings were the same cultivar. A lot of growers who purchased the rooted cuttings complained about the fig being a shy bearer. Some growers also complained about the fig not being the same color of the fig that Hartmann called Danny’s Delight. But, some collectors thought their Danny’s Delight produced very good figs. This was very confusing to us. But, we still wanted it because it was discovered growing in a Michigan zone 5b/6a location. So, we contacted collectors who had plants of what they thought was the correct cultivar, and tested them here. Then we had a well known fig collector who was good at identifying unknown cultivars, look at the pictures we sent to him. He confirmed that we indeed had the cultivar that Hartmann once sold as, “Danny’s Delight”. For us, it has been an outstanding tasting/performing fig. Even though 2012 was a year with a lot of soil moisture, it was our taste test winner for the 2012 season. Having extra moisture in the soil, doe not seem to affect the fruit flavor. Plus, it has the ability to handle rain while it is ripening without splitting. It was our earliest fig to ripen in 2012. Could be cold hardy from around minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit to around minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit. It seems to be able to handle more soil moisture then most. Plus, it is very prolific at an early age. In 2012, it ripened it’s figs about 4 days earlier then Marseilles Black VS. Our selection is a heavy bearing fig. It produced 80 fruit on a four foot tall, three year old bush, in 2012, and produced around 150 main crop figs, in 2013. We think ours is the true Danny’s Delight. Zone 5b/6a???

    Hardy Hartford – Main crop at our Connecticut location on 10-15-10

    Hardy Hartford first year in ground one year old plant, with nice crop of main crop figs.

  2. Hardy Hartford —Some thirty years ago, we first discovered this fig growing uncovered in a protected location, in Hartford Connecticut. It appeared to already be an old planting. I have watched this tree every since we discovered it, and have never seen it covered with anything. Cold Hardy from between minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit to minus 6 degrees Fahrenheit? A good tasting cold hardy fig, for those who want good tasting figs right away. Not as heavy a bearer as Danny’s Delight. But, bears really good tasting figs first year in ground. Has a taste profile very similar to Sal’s EL. Appears to be another Mount Etna (Mongebello) type fig. Our taste test winner for 2009. Zone 6b/7a?.

       Hardy Chicago – Dripping fig honey here at our house in Connecticut, with use of slit plastic cups 2013

HARDY CHICAGO - GROWING SOUTH SIDE OF OUR HOUSE IN CONNECTICUT, 2013.

  Hardy Chicago -With the help of slit cups drying like prunes, on plant in Connecticut  - 2013

  1. Hardy Chicago —Also known as Besonhurst Purple. Discovered growing out side in a suburb of Chicago, by long time fig lover, Fred Born. Considered a standard for flavor for cold hardy, midseason figs, by many well know fig collectors. Cold hardy to around minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit to minus 6 degrees Fahrenheit? Most have at least 8 hours off direct sun light to produce a decent crop of figs. Does not like rain while ripening. If it rains while it is ripening, the fruit most be covered or the rain will dilute the flavor .Considered a standard for flavor, among many fig connoisseurs, for mid-season cold hardy figs. Also, it’s strong berry profile makes an outstanding fig candy when rain and dew are kept off the ripening fruit. See above picture of dried fruit. We used slit cups to keep the rain and dew off of the ripening fruit. The original finder of Sal’s EL, does not think Hardy Chicago is as hardy as Sal’s EL, and culled his test tree in place of Sal’s EL. We agree that Hardy Chicago does not appear to be as cold hardy as Sal’s EL. But, a lot of fig collectors we know think it’s great enough to keep in their collections any way. Zone 6b/7?

  2. Marseilles Black VS —Discovered by an American World War II veteran, in Europe. If it is shielded from late winter and early spring sun, it may able to survive minus 18 degrees Fahrenheit, in a protected location, once it has matured (5 to 7 years). At least the American mother tree has withstood that low. New all around fuss free standard for cold hardy figs, for the north. We think this may be the zone 6a fig, for the beginner who wants great tasting figs without having to winterize, once it becomes mature, and is planted in a protected location. Produces good tasting figs here with less then 6 hours of direct sun light a day. Also, has produced well in cold wet ground. But, it does not like cool rainy spring weather. Our test figs were in the ground for three years, before they produced decent tasting figs. But, well worth the wait, for a fuss free cold hardy fig. Has a figgy tasting profile similar to Sal’s EL, and Hardy Hartford. Zone 5/b/5a??

  3. Ronde de Bordeaux - Comes from France. High ratings for taste. Suppose to be cold hardy. Maybe to around 0 degrees Fahrenheit? A very strong grower. First to show signs of the American strain of FMV. But, will still put on 6 feet of growth in a summer here, and throw off FMV symptoms. Not as cold hardy as some of the American cold hardy figs. But, highly rated for flavor by most fig collectors. The French consider this a very cold hardy fig. But, there is a big difference between what the French consider cold hardy, and American cold hardy. Ours grows outside in a very protected location. So, I do not believe this fig can be grown uncovered, anywhere colder then a zone 7. Zone 6b/7a?

      Sal’s EL – Dead ripe main crop figs after a very wet & cool spring at our house in Conn. on 10-3-13

  4. Sal’s EL —Found growing near Huntington Station, on Long Island, NY. An old cold hardy, gold standard for Connecticut’s zone 5b/6a. A good sweet, reliable fig. Ripens good sweet figs, even when it has been a cool summer here. There appears to be some confusion about Sal’s EL and Hardy Chicago. Even some people who run nurseries have made comments about the two, being the same fig. We wanted to make sure we got the right Sal’s EL. So, we obtained our start from the person who introduced this fig to fig lovers. After growing Hardy Chicago, and Sal’s EL side by side, with Hardy Chicago, for some eight years, I do not feel that Hardy Chicago, and Sal’s EL, are the same. Sal’s EL has a strong sweet, figgy taste profile. Hardy Chicago has a nice berry taste profile. Plus, Sal’s EL ripens ahead of Hardy Chicago. Has been tested in Connecticut since the middle of 1990’s. In my opinion, anyone who thinks a fig should have sweet figgy taste, verses a berry taste, then this is the fig to grow, were the summers are cool. Zone 6a/6b?

       Sal’s Corleone – First fruit on plant in 2010 – 2010 was a just right fig summer. So, it had time to ripen.

  5. Sal’s Corleone —A large old Sicilian, cold Hardy fig to maybe around 0 degrees Fahrenheit? Because it originates from Corleone, Sicily. Some call it the Godfather fig. Late ripening with high sweet flavor. May not be able to ripen every year in New England. May be to late for our zone 5b/6a, to ripen every year. But, is a very strong grower, and is over ten feet tall at our location, in Connecticut. Has been tested for around five years here, without any fruit. It is a late bearing fig. To late ripening for us except when we have long hot summer. Has a berry profile. Zone 7b/8a??

      Abruzzi – leaf & fruit

Abruzzi fruit protected from rain while ripening, with slit cups.

  1. Abruzzi – Another very sweet, old, cold hardy Italian fig. Appears to be cold hardy here, in Connecticut. But, we’re still testing it here, to see exactly how cold hardy it is. It does have the sprawling habit of some of the old cold hardy Italian figs, of the Abruzzi Alpennines. It has been grown and tested for twenty years or more, for cold hardiness in Ridgefield, Connecticut, by the author and gardener, Aldo Biagiotti. It’s also being grown as far north as zone 5 in up state New York, with cover. Needs protection against rain while it is ripening. This fig was my 2013 favorite for flavor. DNA testing has shown it to be related to Hardy Chicago, Sal’s EL, and Dark Portuguese. It should have about the same cold hardiness as those three. Has a figgy taste profile similar to Marseilles Black VS, but with stronger, more complex sweeter taste profile. Zone 6b/6a?

  2. Fortisi - Comes from New Jersey. This fig is for those who want an outstanding tasting pot grown fig. Not recommended for lower then a zone 8, without winter protection. Does not handle rain while ripening.So, either cover the plant, or use slit plastic cups. But, if you want a pot grown fig with outstanding flavor, this is one. Some think it is comparable to Kathleen’s Black in taste ratings. Zone 7a/8b ?

  3. Hanc’s English Brown Turkey. Some fig experts think it is really a very cold hardy mutation of, Southern Brown Turkey. Which some collectors believe is a Celeste mutation. Comes from the state of New York, through Long Island. A very kind friend/collector who received his specimen directly from Hanc sent to us our start. We just started testing this one this year (2011). So far, it has been a very strong grower, and has very good resistance, to the American strain of FMV. It has been reported to able to be grown out side with winter protection, as far north as 4b. It comes from the late Hanc Mathies’s collection. Hanc serendipitously found it, decades ago, at Miller’s Nursery, in New York State. Miller’s Nursery buys their Brown Turkey figs from a wholesaler in the south, and have no control over what strain is shipped each spring. So, Miller’s Nursery lost the strain that Hanc had purchased from them decades ago. After hearing about the fig Hanc purchased from Millers, a lot of collectors, included my self, bought the Fig, that Miller is still advertising as Brown Turkey. We all thought it would be the same as the one Hanc bought from Millers, decades earlier. But, to every one’s disappointment none of the Brown Turkey figs Miller is now selling, turned out to be like Hanc’s English Brown Turkey. Hanc was the person who imported the now famous Atreano fig from Italy. It is said that Hanc tested some 40 figs at his Long Island location. But, as the years passed he became tired of winterizing that many figs. But, he kept this fig, and Atreano as his only two or three figs in his collection. Because of it’s Celeste size fruit, it will dry very easily on the tree here, even without protection from dew, and rain. Has a figgy tasting profile. Zone 4b/5a?

  4. Atreano. From an Italian breeding program. Then imported by the late Hanc Mathies from Italy. Considered by many to be the best tasting cold hardy green/yellow fig, for the northeast. Or every where growers have a cool fall. Some growers in the south have reported that this fig produces a better fall crop then its summer crop, in areas where it would produce 2 main crops. We just started testing this one this year, 2012. But, think it should be cold hardy to at least 0 degrees Fahrenheit. May need winter protection in zone 7 and colder. Has a honey tasting profile. Zone 7/a/7b?

LaRadek –Winter in Kyjovich, Czech Republic. – Zone 6a. Photo made by owner of original plant

LaRadek – Only one limb of breba crop after a low of minus 18 degrees Fahrenheit. Photo made by owner of original
 Plant.

Bowl of breba fruit of LaRadek’s EBT – Photo taken by owner of original plant

Pear size LaRadek breba fruit on 1 year old plant at our Connecticut location

LaRadek’s English Brown Turkey. This fig was discovered in a zone 6a location, in the village of Kyjovich, in the Czech Republic. It has been grown there in a protected location for 18 years. But, grown without winter cover, and still produces a breba crop. It is reported to be able to survive minus 18 degrees Fahrenheit, once it’s has reached maturity. In the brutal European winter of 2012, it lost 70% of its top at minus 23 degrees Fahrenheit. We don’t know for what reason it was 70% top killed at that temperature. It could have been heavy rains during the fall. Or, since the owner does not pinch out new growth and figs after the 6th leaf, it may have been carrying to many figs going into winter. Since figs grown in the north should be pruned back to 2 to 3 feet each spring any ways, you may still get a good crop of figs, if the temperature drops to minus 23 degrees. We just started testing it here in our zone 5b/6a location this year, (2012). So far, it has been a strong grower and starts producing figs, the same year it is rooted. In 2012 our newly rooted plant produced three figs. Newly rooted fig plants produce late figs. They also should not be allowed to bear fruit the first year or two. But, I could not wait to see what they tasted like. The taste was surprisingly good for a fig that fruited the same year it was rooted. This fig produced for us, in late July, 2013, in a pot, two very large breba figs. So far it seems it might also be a good breba producer for those who cannot grow figs in ground. The breba fruit are so large, that I don’t think the average person could eat more the 4, at a time. Zone 5a/6a?

  1. Niagara Black – Discovered in the Niagara area. We just stated testing it here this year, 2012. So, we have no cold hardy data yet. But, Niagara is a zone 6b, and the soil in the Niagara area is not noted for having dry soil. It has been reported that it is a very good tasting fig, by collectors who have tasted many different figs. It does seem to be effected easily by the American strain of FMV. But will still put on five feet of summer growth. Has not fruited for us yet. Flavor profile unknown. Hardiness unknown. Maybe a zone 7a/7b??

           15. Gino’s This is another old, cold hardy, no fuss, dark Italian, fig that is reliable in the northeast.      
                 We just started testing it this year, 2012. So far, I’m impressed with it. It starts to produce
                 figs it’s first year of rooting. It is among our latest figs to break dormancy, in the spring.
                 So, it’s good for areas that have problems with late spring frost. Plus,
                 it seems to be highly resistant to our Connecticut strain of FMV. During the disasters overly 
                 cold, wet spring of 2013, this fig had no problem producing ripe main crop figs.  Has a figgy 
                 tasting  profile similar to Marseilles Black VS.  Zone 6b/6a?

16.Kathleen’s Black – Some fig collectors think this may be a very, very rare, cold hardy
Mission type fig. Discovered by Gene Hosey. We have been winter testing this fig now for over
three years. It is suppose to be one of the best tasting figs there is. Gene Hosey, once told me that
once I tasted his Kathleen’s Black, I would feed my Hardy Chicago to the pigs. So, far it has died
back to the ground three years in a row, even with winterizing. Gene, said that is what happened
to his also, the first two years. Seems to be susceptible to FMV in it’s early years, and it’s wood
seems to be very brittle, making it difficult to bend down for winter protection. But, it seems to
overcome FMV with very strong growth, once it starts to matured. In 2013, it put out a
combined vertical growth of over 40 feet, when it was only three years old. Three of the
verticals were over 6 feet tall each, for a total of over 18 feet. This has been a very difficult fig
for us to grow and propagate. But, this figs determination to grow strongly even in our cold zone
5b/6a, makes me wonder how great it could be, once we understand it’s needs here in the north.
Since Gene Hosey’s fig orchard was is in a zone 7 location. We think it is cold hardy through
zone 7 only, without winter cover. But, that’s not bad for what may be a cold hardy variant of a
Mission type fig, for the cold north. Zone 7a/7b?

            Celeste figs on a plant that has been in pot for only one year. Very impressive for a Celeste fig


   17. Improved Celeste – Celeste has been one of the gold standards for cold hardy figs, for over
         one hundred years. But, the fig breeders at LSU wanted a Celeste that was not only bigger, but a Celeste 
         that would not drop its fruit in its early years, like most Celeste figs do when stressed. The breeding of 
         this fig was to produce a better Celeste. There seems to be a lot of confusion as to which is the true
         Improved Celeste. So, to make sure we had the true one, we got our start from a well known
         knowledgeable fig collector. We have only had this one for a year. Since we still only have one tree, 
         we will keep it inside its first winter, until we can make a back up. We will be testing it to see if it is as
         cold hardy as the original Celeste sugar fig trees are. It did hang onto its very first three figs the summer
         of (2012), and they appear to be at least one third larger than the standard Celeste fig fruit. This is a
         very impressive new type of Celeste tree. Cold Hardy To: Unknown at this time.

  1. Florea – As far as we can tell, this fig and Improved Celeste are the two earliest figs to ripen main crop fruit, in the northeast. Fruit is ripe some two weeks ahead of Marseilles Black VS. Brought over to America from his European ancestral home, by an avid fig collector. He named it in honor of his father. It’s top is reported to be able to take a winter low of minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit or more, once it is mature. Some growers of this fig in America report that it does not taste as good as it does, when grown in Europe. But, some growers of Florea say it is a very good tasting fig grown at their location, in the states. Ours has not fruited yet. We, think its taste may have a lot to do with how much lime is in the soil it is planted in, and how dry the location is during the figs ripening stage. We suggest if possible, planting this fig on a large mound of 50/50 sand/compost, and lots of lime. If it is being grown in a location that gets a lot rain during the summer, use slit cups. Having a another fig that can be grown outside without winter protection, through 6a, is another gift for us northern gardeners. Zone 6a/6b?

  2. Valleiry- Discovered growing in the village of Valleiry, in Haute-Savoie, at around 300 meters in a cold mountainous area of France. Just rooted by us in spring of 2013. Have maybe five nursery one gallon plants available, for 2013. We are testing them to see if they can handle the American strain of FMV, as well as Ronde de Bordeaux does. So far, it appears to be a Brown Turkey variant. Said to produce very sweet, perfumed fruit. Zone 6b/7a?

    Sodus – Growing in a very shady spot, in upstate New York – Photo courtesy of discover

  3. Sodus Black Sicilian - Discover and named by a fellow fig collector. It is growing in a shady location, winter uncovered, in upstate Sodus, NY. Said by the present owners, to have been brought to America over 120 years ago, by their family. So, it has had plenty of time to adapt to our cold winters, and all the different American strains of FMV. It appears to be a super cold hardy English Brown Turkey. After being planted in several different locations in America, it finally ended up in Sodus, NY., sometime around 1960. The closest weather station for Sodus, is Rochester, NY. Their historical weather data indicates Rochester, NY., has gotten to a low of minus 17 degrees Fahrenheit, in 1994. It has also gotten as low as minus 12 degrees Fahrenheit there, as recently as 2004. This might be the fig needed by upstate New Yorkers, and others trying to grow figs in a zone 5 location. Could be as cold hardy as LaRadek’s English Brown Turkey. We just got our start in 2013. So, one gallon nursery pots may not be available, until 2015-2016. Zone 5a/5b?

  4. Black Madeira – Of the thousands of figs growing in the world, Black Madeira is considered one of the top12 best tasting figs ever, by most fig connoisseurs. A late ripening fig, and will have to be grown in a pot, in the north. Then brought inside in the fall before the leaves fall off. But, a very knowledgeable F4F member, fig collector, who lives in the suburbs of Chicago, states his Black Madeira ripens to perfection, before frost, in a pot setting on his driveway pavement. So, I’m going to try growing one that way. If that works for us, then it may allow growers in the north to also be able to grow some of the best tasting figs in the world, without a green house. We got our strain from a collector in the south. We wanted only his particular strain. Because, although he got his start from UC Davis, and the mother tree at UC Davis has Fig Mosaic virus, his plant has been a very healthy and vigorous grower in the south, for him. We figured if a strain of Black Madeira can be grown with success in Georgia, it must be a healthy, strong fig. We rooted this fig for the first time in 2013. Over half those cuttings produce plants that did not show any signs of FMV. So, we are propagating from a Black Madeira that is not showing symptoms of FMV

  5. Maltese Falcon – Rooted the first time here in spring of 2013. This is a very healthy, strong growing fig, so far. One gallon pots may be available in 2015-2016. Hardiness unknown at this time.

  6. Maltese Beauty – From the same fig collector who introduced Maltese Falcon to American
    growers. Almost as a strong grower as Maltese Falcon. Rooted for the first time here, spring of 2013.
    One gallon pots maybe available in 2015-2016. Hardiness unknown at this time.

  7. Col de Dame Blanco & Negra – Rated by many fig connoisseurs to be of the same high quality as Black Madeira. Rooted here for the first time in 2013. One gallon pots maybe available again, in 2015-2016. Hardiness unknown at this time.

  8. WHITE TRIANA – This fig is from Joe Morale’s collection, in Boston. Joe rates this fig as a fig that can be grown into a northern climate cold hardiness zone 5b. This is one of the fastest growing figs I have ever seen. We received our rooted cutting around March 15th, of 2013. By September 15th, it has grown almost five feet, while still in a 5 gallon pot. But, this was not why I wanted this fig. I wanted this fig because I like figs that are very sweet. I was told by fig tester, Cajun Dan, who has a very large collection of figs in Louisiana, that the only fig that is sweeter than White Triana is his Cajun Honey discovery. He says that Cajun Honey is the sweetest fig he has ever tasted, and that White Triana is 2nd. That has got to be a very sweet fig, if Dan rates it as number 2 for sweetness. Zone 5b/6a?

  9. NERO 600M – From the foothills of the Alps in Italy. Its breba crop has survived upstate New York winters, in a pot inside a detached, unheated garage. It is said that it is very cold resistant, and tolerant of rains during the time it ripens. Some fig collectors think it could be comparable to figs like Madeira Black in taste. There is a lot of great hope that this extremely cold hardy fig will end up being the best outdoor fig that can be grown in the northeast. Hardiness unknown at this time. But, it may be a fig that can easily handle the cold through zone 6a. We are presently testing it now. One gallon pots should be ready maybe around 2016/2017?

We are always looking for newer, northern climate, more cold hardy, uncovered fig discoveries. We are willing to trade or purchase any new discoveries. If you have found a northern climate, cold hardy fig, growing in a zone 5/6 or colder without winter cover, we would like to hear from you.

Bob Harper @ T. Pine

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