Shiny Black Figs

19 years ago

Greetings All:

I'm a new member to this forum and really appreciate all of the information exchange that takes place in the discussions here. I've picked up a lot of useful information in this forum, in Jon's figs4fun site, and raysfigs site. Thanks to all for making such good information available.

I personally got hooked on figs about three years ago when I tasted my first LSU Gold fig grown on my tree. I did not know a fig could taste so good! My prior experience with figs was from a supposedly Celeste tree that had what I would call "fair" tasting figs. Thanks to this forum, what I now know is that this supposedly Celeste tree was not a true Celeste as the figs had red eyes very early in the figs development.

Anyhow; after tasting my first LSU Gold, I planted an LSU Purple and a Celeste fig. After tasting the fruit from these two varieties I soon realized that I've been missing out on the wonderful world of figs all of my life. After tasting these three good tasting varities, I wondered just what other varieites were available that I might be missing out on. That lead me to an internet search this past summer where I discovered this forum and the other sites mentioned earlier. I now have a passion for figs like many of you and my fig collection now numbers 20 trees with 15 varieties......with more to come.

About a month ago I made a trip to a local nursery in South Louisiana. The guy who runs the small nursey had advertised 22 different varieties of figs. He propagated all of his trees from cuttings. One fig that caught my eye was labeled "Sicilian Black, Large, 2 crops". One of these trees had two ripe figs on it that I was allowed to taste. The figs were jet black in color with a small amount of brown/green mixed in. The figs were round in shape and about the size of a golf ball. The eye was closed. The skin was very "shiny" and not split. The inside was dark red and the taste was very good. I purchased two of these trees because of the good taste, closed eye, and not splitting when exposed to rainfall.

I inquired about the lineage of this particular Sicilian black fig tree and learned that my tree came from a cutting off of a tree that grows in the ground in El Paso, Texas. The grandmother to my tree came from a grower in New Jersey (don't know if it was grown in a pot or outside). The great gandmother to my tree came from Sicily.

Now for my question:

It is usual for a black fig to have a "shiny" skin? By shiny I mean you can almost see your refection in it like a mirror. My LSU Purple has what can be described as "glossy" skin when the fruit is ripe. But this black fig skin is more shiny than glossy. Does this characteristic help in idenfitying a particular fig variety? Or is this characteristic more likely due to the environment in which the fig grew? At the nursery the fig was grown outdoors exposed to the elements and connected to a drip water system.

Dan

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Comments (9)

pitangadiego
19 years ago
Wish I could help, Dan, but I haven't seen anything that would compare with that description. Sounds very interesting, though.
bjs496
19 years ago
Hi Dan,

Italian Fig Trees, in Clinton, NJ, has a variety called "Sicilian". I don't know if it is the same variety as yours, but Al may be able to provide you with some information about it.

Oddly enough, I was thinking about paying Al a visit on my next trip to NJ and picking up this variety. Perhaps I should pick one up in LA as well. Where in LA is your source?

~james
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dannyboquet
19 years ago
Sounds like you went to James Robin in Opelousas. He has quite a good selection of figs for such a small nursery.

I may have to go back and get one of those figs. I also want a Conadria and a Black Mission. I'm just not sure where I would plant them, as I already have 7 fig trees in the ground. But then, 10 is such an even number! See, you can justify almost anything, if you really want to. ;>)
leon_edmond
19 years ago
Dan, please email me. I have a question about your Sicilian Black fig. Thanks, Leon
danab_z9_la
Original Author
19 years ago
Sorry for the delay in responding to these inquiries. I've been busy taking care of the damage two deer did to my car the other night when they decided to commit suicide.

James and anyone else interested..... you can still purchase this particular Sicilian Black variety (as well as several other varieties) directly from the grower. He has great prices. Contact James Robin at 337-407-0188. He ships anywhere in US.

Leon, I received your e-mails and responded accordingly. Thanks for your offer to send me a rooted cutting of one of your trees.

Dan
ejp3
19 years ago
I spoke to Mr. Robbins, quite a character. My guess is that it's Sals fig and the "shinyness" is environmental, but I dont want to start that "is this Sals fig?" debate again. You are right he has great prices and the shipping is done economically.
gorgi
19 years ago
Hello,

Last week I called Mr Robin and ordered 2 Sicilian Black
figs (same shipping cost for 1). I received them
today. Nice bare-rooted ~2' trees for a very good price!
Now I have at least 3 Sal's to compare next year
(including the one that originated from EL).

If some LOCAL person wants to PICK up my spare
one (at cost), plus some cuttings of other
varieties (free), please email me privately.

Here are the descriptions.

James Robin description:

SICILIAN BLACK (I have 2 of this one)
Medium to large with dark red pulp 2 crops
(other names) Sal's, Corleone, Fico di Capo, Fico-Nera

Belleclare's descriptions:
(2 types - that is where the confusion probably is!)
1. SICILIAN BLACK (I have one)
  (Sal's)(Corleone) (Fico di Capo) (Fico-Nera)
  medium to large, dark red center, (2 crops)
2. SICILIAN BLACK (I do NOT have this one)
  (Sal's) (Fico Nera)
  medium large, dark black, red center, very juicy & sweet
  (2 crops)
George (NJ)
gorgi
19 years ago
James,

>>> Oddly enough, I was thinking about paying Al a visit
>>> on my next trip to NJ and picking up this variety.

ItalianFigs of Clinton, NJ, do not carry the
"Sicilian" variety any more...

George (NJ).
gorgi
19 years ago
Hello,
Whoever recently bought figs from Mr. Robin because of
THIS thread (and more so, if it is the Sicilian Black),
please contact me privately at
gorg2@att.net
There is a potential serious problem that I think you
should know about...
George (NJ).