I've tried the NC-1, Susquehanna, and a seedling variety from Red Fern farm in SE Iowa. They each had a noticeably different taste.

-stu_tv

Wayne, thanks for your comment about different varieties of fig tasting the same. I'm new to growing figs and am debating whether I should acquire more varieties or simply propagate the one Chicago Hardy that I'm growing, to get more plants.

You said you now have 4 plants. Why did you keep these 4? Do they taste differently from each other? What variety are they?

I don't have any answer regarding paw paws, sorry.

Daren

So million dollar question, what Figs did you keep, why, and describe their tastes. It would be a benifit for those who want figs and have no experience. As you said the descriptions wernt all too reliable.

I've probably tasted somewhere from 6-10 named pawpaw varieties, and I haven't found them all that difference in taste. They may differ a little in texture, but I think they differ more in size and pulp-to-seed ratio, a little in ripening time. On the other hand, I've sat in on a pawpaw varietal tasting (and heard about several other events), and I was amazed at how some people really loved some varieties and found others vastly inferior. But one person's love has another's vastly inferior and vice versa. I came to the conclusion that people have unusually strong random preferences when it comes to pawpaw varieties.

I, too, would like to hear about how you winnowed your figs down to four.

I am in Floyd's camp, they all seem pretty similar to me. If you think figs are mostly similar you will think pawpaws are all really similar. The one pawpaw I can really tell apart is Wabash, its definitely sweeter and has a different consistency to the flesh than my other ones. Get a Wabash and one other and you are covered :-)

Thank you all for the valuable inputs!I guess I will just go for two Peterson varieties and a Mango.

As for figs, the four I kept in ground are:

Ronde de Bordeaux (Dark purple fig, very productive and hardy);

Hardy Chicago (Brown fig, very productive and hardy);

LSU purple (Purple/reddish fig, very productive and hardy);

Yellow Giant (Golden yellow figs, large size, average >100g).

These are all excellent in terms of taste. Many of the ones that I removed are actually also excellent varieties, which make me feel sorry sometimes. But, planting figs in zone 6b is a sucker's game. I was really tired of having to protect them in recent winters.

I do still have one fig left in pot, a Black Madeira. My daughter likes it, so I kept it as a toy.

I'm in zone 5 and just planted a Chicago Hardy...I hope it does OK

Ok but how does the flavor differ from cultivar to cultivar? Im I basically better off just selecting based of ripening date?

would you be kind enough to start a fig thread? In very interested and I have the feeling others are. And we don't want to derail the pawpaw thread too much

Hi pip313, if you go to the fig forum, you can find many discussions on fig varieties/flavors. Some hobbyists grow several hundreds of different fig varieties, and can distinguish them. I 100% respect them. Unfortunately, my taste bud isn't so good, and all I can tell is whether a fig is sweet or not-so-sweet, with a strong fig flavor or a mild flavor.

Pawpaws differ in flavor first by their intensity, yes they all pretty much taste the same but some are stronger or sweeter. Then it is all about the after taste. Some can be bitter, and others have a melon after taste. Pawpaws like the Peterson varieties don't change the flavor profile as much from start to finish. I actually like the ones that taste like melon, just me but every one is different. The after taste is not a trivial component of the fruit, I think the majority of people can distinguish the fruit based off of the after taste especially if it is bitter. Looking back if I was to start over growing new trees I would focus on fruit size, one that is said to have good flavor and fast growth rate.

Thanks, Greg, for your great insights! Could you recommend a few varieties that you like the most, in terms of fruit size, after-taste, and growth rate?

I haven't tried these but many people like Mango and Wabash for size and flavor. Mango is said to be the fastest grower there is. The 2 yo Wabash I have in my yard has been the fastest grower but I don't have Mango to compare it too. I don't think you could go wrong with either.

Thanks, Greg. This is very helpful.

creekweb - Are there particular varieties that you find prone to the off-flavor and the bitterness (aftertaste?) you mention? I saw a KSU taste-testing chart from several years ago and there was a pretty clear distinction between the "top" and "bottom" performers; however, by their own admission, the design of the "experiment" was pretty loose.

http://www.pawpaw.kysu.edu/PDF/Nutgrowers%20Newsletterfall08fincorr.pdf

In that taste test I think that the most valuable information is the ranking by ratio of melon to bitter aftertaste. It is noteworthy that all the varieties had at least a few tasters that found them bitter. My experience has been that I've tasted spectacular fruit without any noticeable bitterness from a particular variety, but also fruit with some bitterness from the same clone, so clearly the genetics is just one part of the equation. I've found in general that the Peterson varieties have a higher percentage of acceptable fruit than most others, though I have some seedling pawpaws that perform as well.

In my opinion you cannot go wrong with any of the 6 Neal Peterson varieties as well as the varieties 'NC-1', 'Overleese', 'KSU Atwood' and possibly 'Sunflower'. 'Sunflower' is the favorite of many and it has won lots of taste tests but it has a strange quality in my experience in that while a fruit may be very good another fruit from the same tree may leave a slight bitter aftertaste. I have noticed this trait for at least 15 years. Overall it is still a good variety with usually large fruit, good seed to flesh ratio and has very good dense texture. Varieties that are not so great in my opinion are 'mitchell', 'wilson', 'wells', 'taylor', 'Rebeccas gold, 'prolific' and 'taytwo'. These tend to be small fruited full of seed, or tend to consistently have bitter aftertaste. Or they have very soft flesh which I tend not to like.

shane11, thank you very much for your expert opinion!

Do you or anyone else have any experience with the "Halvin" variety and the "Summer Delight"
variety? I am interested in extending the pawpaw season and these two were claimed to be very early ripening pawpaw varieties.

Seems that Summer delight is very early
with small-medium size fruits. It is a bit difficult to understand
"Halvin" though -- "large size" and "early ripening" were claimed for
this variety at
the same time.

I am sorry but I do not have either of these growing nor have I ever tasted them. I have only read that they are quite good and I would guess they are considering where the info came from.

Wayne,

I am not sure I would put a lot of stock in time of ripening as there is lots of overlap. It will likely differ from year to year depending I guess on the weather. For example some years my 1st ripe fruit of the season is overleese, other years it will be mango or rappahannock or pa golden#1. There does not seem to be a great deal of difference. One thing I have noticed consistently from year to year is that sunflower will be my last fruit to harvest for the season, some years I may harvest sunflower fruits up to 2 weeks after all others are gone. Also it seems most varieties will ripen over a 3 to 4 week period. I am in NC zone 7 so obviously this is based solely on my climate. They may behave differently in other climates.

Thanks, shane11.

What's the earliest ripening variety in your collection then? If I want to have a long pawpaw season, what varieties would you recommend to have?

Allegheny is an early ripening variety but my trees of this variety are too young for me to say with certainty. Of my producing trees I guess I would choose rappahannock. It has large and very good fruits and is also very productive. KSU and growers in OH report this variety as producing small fruit but not in my climate and likely it would do very well for you in MD. In fact I know a grower in MD with this variety and his also produce well with large fruit. He has plans to add many more to his orchard. But keep in mind like I said earlier there is no ONE variety that sticks in my mind as being the "earliest" as it will differ from year to year. Pa golden is also usually early ripening but it is not the best quality, too many small fruit, too seedy and too soft flesh.

Thanks, shane11! Your comments are very very helpful.

So, Allegheny won the taste test? Anyone got some Allegheny seeds?