I used to live in Melbourne & most garden center fig trees for sale are Black Genoa. This is a popular variety & it does well there. However, there is a huge community of Greeks living in Melbourne too & as such this community may have brought lots of differing greek varieties over.

Thanks Paully,
I think you're right it's very possible it's Black Genoa. I'm not sure if there's any sources here in the states.

{{gwi:835205}}

Here's another photo I took of the same fig. The size of the fig is really large as you can see.
I wish I was able to get some cuttings from Australia, but getting plants in and out of the country is very difficult. especially bringing any plant material into australia.

Bass

That fig should have Wilson or Spalding written on the side.....

Very good size. When I was living there it was very unfortunate that I had not come across fresh figs. Looks like I have to get my relatives to send some cuttings. I know theres lots of them there.

Bass,
Your Aussie fig looks somewhat similar to what my
dear brother has down-under. His is a little more
dark skinned, probably because of some better local
micro-climate; but I do sure remember him say that
they are big figs. Pity, I that do feel not to impose
by asking him to ship me some twigs (a customs horrid thing)...

P.S. I forgot to mention that on first seeing my
brother's big fig picture(s); and comparing with
what I have, the 2 figs that first came to my mind
(as close) were the Black Jack and the Guilbeau,
USA ones. Of course, one can never be for sure...

Gorgi,
I would imagine that sending cuttings from austrlia into US is much easier than shipping themm into Australia.
I have actually sent seeds of Pawpaw to Australia recently after speaking with teh agriculture officials there. They allowed them in as long as the pulp is all out. They got through customs and inspections with no problem.
I'm sure we have more diverse fig varieties than Australia.

Bass

Australia have an extremely strict policy on agri & meat imports.Even bottled powdered beverage mixes are not allowed. No fooling around. I know many Aussie friends on their home coming from overseas are given tongue lashing by their own custom officials.
Ethnic groups like greeks are huge in Melbourne & Sydney. I am very sure there are lots of greek/italian varieties there in private collection. Same overhere in Vancouver,British Columbia where varieties differing from the main stream ones are found. The challenge is 99% of such growers do not know their names but only the colour & taste.

Bass and Gorgi, do you recall if those figs ripen late in season, 1 unknown i have looks similar but is dark like George's and also very large , usual average is 3 plus ounce's and largest this year was 4 and 1/2 ounces and covered hand like yours Bass and also has the large eye , the inside od fig has that little hollow spot. The leaves are hard to tell is similar though.
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Martin,
From the color and the shape of what you have, I doubt that it's the same fig. The Aussie fig that I had in Australia, has more elongated shape, and more brownish than yours.
Gorgi's brother has a very similar fig to the one in my picture.
Your fig definitely looks good. I know you like hardy chicago for the sweetness, how do you rate that unknown?

Bass

Hi Bass ,
hardy chicago i like for the fig taste and the little sweetness blend together it has, unlike the sals and this unknown which are more sweeter taste but not to much fig taste,i rate this as nice sweet taste , for me its hard to explain as the Sals is sweet but its a different sweet if that makes any sense, this one melts more in mouth it seems to be juicier or more watery for lack of better description.and not as chewy as hardy or Sals. The last summer was its 5th season but i did notice this years taste for some reason did not have the melon taste of previous years perhaps we had to much rain but just real sweet and juciy but minus the melon taste i enjoyed in previous years.I sent out a lot of cuttings across country from Georgia to NY and west to Texas to North to Canada so it will be interesting to see how it does in other climates along with the taste, one thing though in my climate its a very late to get ripe and i only get about 30 each year from tree with many left to ripen before it gets to cold here. Next season i hope to have more sticks to send out as i chopped a lot from tree this year and now dormant for folks asking im sorry.
Martin

Martin -- I have a very similar fig like yours. Its known as Vicenzo. I have another that is also very close & it is called Enrico. I shall attempt to post pics soon. Maybe we could swap cuttings to check it out. The taste as described by you is similar to what I have. I would say a very balance & pleasant sweet taste, refreshing in a sense and a keeper for me.

Paully

Hi Martin,
My Vicenzo & Enrico Figs....
Close Similarities
Paul
[IMG]http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr313/kch234/100_1944.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr313/kch234/100_1937.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr313/kch234/100_1940.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr313/kch234/100_1794.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr313/kch234/100_1950.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr313/kch234/100_1953.jpg[/IMG]

Hi Martin,
My Vicenzo & Enrico Figs....
Close Similarities
Paul
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr313/kch234/100_1944.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr313/kch234/100_1937.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr313/kch234/100_1940.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr313/kch234/100_1794.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr313/kch234/100_1950.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr313/kch234/100_1953.jpg

paully22, here are your pics:

IMG SRC=http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr313/kch234/100_1944.jpg

For example, for the first pic I used the above
INSIDE

BTW, both are magnificent figs...

Thanks George.It was a challenge to post pic's. Caption for the pic's are as follows.

1st & 2nd - Vicenzo
3rd & 4th - Enrico

The fig would turn red & then almost black in colour. Taste wise very close.

Paully

I went through this "nightmare" of posting pictures here
myself! Once I had figured it out, I took notes and saved
them in a "how-to-file". Whenever I needed to post a pic,
I always HAD to refer to it; as it is very hard to
remember the (horrid) details.

Since then, I see that things have improved (somewhat?).

Speaking of the "photobucket" server, which I also use;
all one needs to do here on this GW/FF is to just click on
HTML Code (part of the Photobucket picture properties,
see a "copied" highlight, go back to GW/FF and rhen just
paste.

This procedure DOES NOT WORK on the F4F/FF.
There, one needs to click on the photobucket pic
IMG Code, copied, and pasted on the F4F/FF post.

One very GOOD feature of F4F/FF is that one can directly
UPLOAD from (own) PC (photobucket, or eq. not needed here!),
Just use the "Manage Attachments" button at the bottom
while posting, and one can upload various kinds of files
(with some size restrictions), including pictures!

While doing all this, it is always wise to "preview"
the post before "submitting" it. If one does not see
what was intended, then REVISE and hope for the best.
What one sees on the pre-view is what he/she gets...

Sorry for causing any hair scratching!
Just trying to help...

Paully, very nice figs you have there. I can send you sticks next season easily, this late fall i chopped a lot from tree and now its resting (dormant) Please send me a reminder or i forget. Its sure nice to see ripe fig pictures since we recieved couple inches last night of snow.
One thing though new for me i can look everyday under grow lights at new types i have with hope for future seasons.Paully glad to send next year as for recieving i just dont have the room anymore, i made more room in garage and it will be a challange once the little ones grow up to store.

Gorgi, yes the pictures were hard for me as well, also not much hair for me to scratch anymore darn it.
What i do not like and found out hard way was when i deleted some of my pictures from photobucket they also came off the fig forum aas im sure you new already another darn it!!
Best Health
Martin

>>> Gorgi, yes the pictures were hard for me as well, also not
much hair for me to scratch anymore darn it.

Yep! Most of my hair is gone too!

>>> What i do not like and found out hard way was when i
deleted some of my pictures from photobucket they also came
off the fig forum aas im sure you new already another darn it!!

Yes I DO see a LOT of MISSING pictures from multiple FF
users/posters (an annoying, innocent thing!).
Glad you brought
this subject around. Photobucket is just a server where
we store pictures to be viewed by the "general" public
by us providing a (horrid) code to access it.

All is well if the (pointer) code is right and the
ACTUAL pic is still there (on the photobucket
server/computer). If the picture is ever deleted,
then the 'pointer' would be pointing into some
unkown/empty/fake cyberspace!

Here is where the beauty of the F4F/FF feature comes along...
One can upload the picture DIRECTLY from the PC and then
forget about it; the pic will be permanently(?) stored
(for better or worse)
within the F4F/FF computer(s)...?!

I hope this doesn't seem like a stupid question.
Has anyone paid attention to the flavor of the figs on trees where all fruits are mishapen or not symetrical as opposed to the figs on trees where most of the fruits are relatively "pretty" or symetrical?

I ask because there are different reasons that people select the fruits they propogate - size, color, taste, productivity, easy to harvest, pretty, etc.

mrhappy