Does anyone have Bécane in the USA?

[GregMartin]

I'm hoping that since Davis has this in their collection (DFIC 221), that one of you might have it as well. So far they haven't responded to my e-mail so I thought I'd check in with you guys to see if any of you might have it and be able to spare a cutting this fall. Thank you in advance.

[Rafed]

Mine is linked to Baud.

http://foodplace.info/Bountiful_Figs/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=289

[GregMartin]

Very glad to hear you have one Rafed! It's the cold hardiness and early ripening that got my attention. Will this be one of your plants that you're keeping?

[Rafed]

I don't know, Greg
I do need to move many more figs. I just don't have a list. Everything is random.

I let you know when I comeback home next weekend.

[mountainfigs]

Rafed, Did you ever turn up Becane? Photos of the leaves and some photos of the fruit make it seem that this is the fig known as Brooklyn White in the US.

[GregMartin]

Does BW demonstrate similar early ripening and hardiness? Mine is too young to have learned anything from.

[mountainfigs]

This year Brooklyn White breba ripened about a week before Ronde de Bordeaux main. So, in that sense. Brooklyn White main ripened 3 weeks after Ronde de Bordeaux main. Curious that BW seems to be one of the most prominent and adaptive cultivars that has not been traced back to Mediterranea. And maddening how little information and how few photos Baud provides about Becane and most all his cultivars. Becane is not listed in his little book Le Figuier. Nor does Pons list it in his massive book Les Figueres. I think neither of these books lists or pictures Mongibello either, so these may be considered unworthy figs that grow in marginal climes. Precious to us! I think Becane is French for "bike." A cheap fig sold on bikes? An awesome fig here, and amazing. Sweet, flavorful, cold robust, beautiful bright color, and the biggest of my top five figs so far for short seasons, bigger than the Mt Etnas, Bordeauxs, and Improved Celeste. Also has quality breba, which of these only the one Bordeaux regularly has as well.

[Tonycm]

Some info I found about Becane states that older wood has survived -10 F.
Rafed - Do you have any experience on winter survival with this tree?
Vasile states that it didn't produce for him so he discarded it. Maybe with a better strain it might be a keeper.

"Here there is a very cold hardy fig That grows on the Langres Plateau in east of France, it survived -23 ° C / -10 ° F without injury, except the one year wood, the variety is Bécane, it s'intitule fig Langres too.

http://www.fig-baud.com/cataloguefiguiers/catbecane.html

It is a bit Earlier than Round Bordeaux and shoulds be OK for your area with the first protection Some Few years."

[mountainfigs]

More on Becane:

http://www.fruitiers-rares.info/articles87a92/article91-figuier-Langres-Ficus-carica.html

http://www.fruitiers.net/fiche.php?NumFiche=4224

Everywhere this short season fig is described as small, except at Fruitiers, 2nd link above, where it is described as "large". I'm increasingly beginning to think this fig may actually be Brooklyn White, aka Naples White. Brooklyn White is large compared to early dark figs, but it's relatively small, usually, compared to many light figs. It's prolific too so that can reduce fruit size, as can growing in marginal climes.