What are your favorite Unknowns?

[fitzski]

I've heard a little about some folks unknowns like coop's Dominick Italian, Mike's (Taverna78) Bi39 and Frank's (F. Bennett) Carini.

Are there any other unknowns out there that people love?

If possible, please share pictures of leaves and/or ripe fruits.

I'm going through fig withdrawal as we had another hard frost last night and all the figs lost their leaves.

Here's a link to story of Mike's Bi39 Unknown:

http://www.ourfigs.com/forum/figs-home/14862-ok-here-it-is-papa-tree-story-history-and-roots-please-enjoy

Here's a link to Coop's Dominick Italian:

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/my-fig-story-plus-cuttings-available-6399781?highlight=dominick+italian

Here's a link to Frank's Unk Carini.

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/fresh-carini-cuttings-available-for-purchase-7772607?highlight=carini

[Bigbill]

This is a good topic, Kevin. I think my top two unknowns this year would be Unk. Teramo and I guess ( if it would be classified as an unknown) Bisirri #3. I know Steve ( Rewton) really liked that one as well. The Unk. Teramo (pics 1-4) was bursting with sweet rich flavor and was found growing unprotected and neglected in Easton Md. The Bisirri #3 was written about a little on both forums. It was a larger fig with a very complex flavor. It was super productive and early-that is what I love about this one(pics 5-7).

[fitzski]

sounds like two figs that i might need to add to my list

[Kelby]

Sodus Sicilian is outstanding, I'm currently thinking it's an English Brown Turkey type (at least by fruit comparison).

[Bigbill]

Dang! I don't know how I forgot about that little beauty.

[fitzski]

Here's the link for anyone interested in this one.

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/sodus-sicilian-6525738?highlight=sodus+sicilian

[don_sanders]

I have yet to taste them but there is
Unknown Sweet Diana
http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox....pid=1285399879

[fitzski]

and another one that i might need to add to my list. It's amazing how many of these figs come over and do so well in the NE.

[joann1536]

The Unk Attilio Purple is pretty tasty.

[fitzski]

that's good to know, i received some unk AP cuttings in a trade.

[jkuo]

I'm curious to hear what unknowns others have liked. I'm currently only growing a local unknown (probably a Mt Etna type) and Owensboro Unknown, and they only set a few figs this season as first year trees. When it ripened under non-rain drenched conditions, Owensboro was pretty tasty for me.

[fitzski]

do you have any pictures of the unk owensboro? If not, what do the fruits look like? How big are they?

[jkuo]

I didn't snap a picture of the fruit. The first one ripened under torrential rain, and the next two disappeared at the dinner table before I thought about the camera. I'll try to take a picture if the last one ripens. Owensboro may be identical or closely related to Sal's GS: http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox....16&postcount=1

[figgary]

My 2 favorites are Unk Italian AS (may be Noire de Caromb/Kathleen's Black) and Unk Sultani. The Unk Italian AS (1st 3 pics) is a 50 year old tree that was started from a cutting brought from Italy. A great fig. The Unk Sultani (2nd 3 pics) was distributed by Aaron from SoCal, originating in Persia/Iran. Superb fig, thought to be a common, but not positive yet.

[joann1536]

Gary, I think your Unk Italian AS was brought over from Italy from one of my cousin's relatives!

[fitzski]

Gary, do you have the wasp in your area?

[figgary]

joann, Alidino Sbragia was a relative of your cousins? Small world!
Kevin, I believe there are no wasps in my area.

[eboone]

I have several unknowns that were misidentified cuttings from a good collection that were great, but of the 'known unknowns' I enjoyed BryantDark most.
I guess technically speaking my Brooklyn Dark is also an unknown and was my best fig this year, this one was an unknown named by Bass.

[fitzski]

i've heard good things about the BryantDark. That comes from Pete, right?

I have a small Brooklyn Dark that is probably going to take a few years to produce so I'll be patient with it.

thanks for sharing, Ed.

[eboone]

Kevin - yes Pete is the person who 'found' it and has spread this one around. It looks, tastes like a Mt Etna type, it was productive and the figs were on average a little larger than my HC or Sal's(Gene) or Old Brooklyn Italian or the unknown Mt Etna variety I have

[fitzski]

thanks, i'll keep that in mind.

[mountainfigs]

I've never had a bad Mt Etna unknown, by whatever name.

And a very large and dark fig called Martin's Unknown can be surprisingly good (sweet) for such size. Also very productive. I considered abandoning it last year. (Very sour when picked brown.) Now I wouldn't think of doing so, because not only is it unusually sizable and productive and otherwise visually striking, the flavor has come into its own. Overall, an unusual fig to my experience. Seems to appeal both to people who are passionate about figs and not so passionate about figs ... I suppose because of its unusual size, heft, and striking shape and deep color. Plus the big red berry sweet inside.

[fitzski]

thanks for sharing, Tony. That looks like a great fig! I like figs that are productive, taste good and are easy to maintain.

[Sarahkt]

I have a young El Molino Unk. from Igor with a few fruits on it that may or may not ripen this season. Greatly anticipated as I have heard and seen great things about this variety.

[figgary]

I also have this one, Sarah, but no fruit yet. I hope it's as good here as it is for Igor in SoCal.

[Sarahkt]

It does seem like pollination changes the quality of many figs, so I'm hoping to establish the wasp here. It may be here already but apparently not in abundant enough numbers to caprify my neighbor's Desert King main crop...

I have a little caprifig growing fairly quickly as the first step. It's already loaded with green figs! Next step will be getting some waspy figs to introduce to the caprifigs at the right time next year.

[Rafaelissimmo]

Let's not forget Art's unknowns, especially the Unk. Vibo Valentia which he thinks highly of and looks great. (That's Kubota for those who don't know Art).

[fitzski]

thanks for sharing. Maybe Art will chime in with a list of his own.

[kubota1]

Rafael, If I could have made to the SI fig fest, I had a nice Vibo Valentia for you. Maybe next year.

[newnandawg]

Lyndhurst White
Rose Marys New York Purple

[newnandawg]

Kevin, both of these came from KK

[fitzski]

ok, thanks. Are they a member here or only at f4f?

[newnandawg]

He is on F4F but not here unless under a handle I am not familiar with.
He sells a lot on Ebay and here is one of his current items http://www.ebay.com/itm/Live-Plant-B...cAAOSwstxVTpSR

[Tonycm]

Two unknowns from Art;
Chiappetta
Mittica
Two unknowns that I got locally;
One looks to be a Mt Etna type,
The other is a green Calabrian fig which I'm still picking figs from.

[fitzski]

thanks for sharing. I'll have to do some research on the Chiappetta, and Mittica.

[Bigbill]

Art rules! His chiappetta was very productive for me. I am still waiting on the mittica, but that looks outstanding.

[Posturedoc]

Another shout out for Unk El Molino. I only had two figs off of mine this year (the first fruits produced by any of Igor's distributed cuttings and trees outside of the mother tree, I believe) and it was outstanding. While it is difficult to compare figs rated more than a month apart, especially when one is so small, as my El Molino's were, it stacked up well against my CdDs and many of the excellent figs from Harvey that I ate at Gary's fig gathering in August. I am looking forward to many more next season.

[cis4elk]

Neil, do you have Union Berry Unk or Bonita Green Unk from Igor? I think they need the wasp, too bad, I really like the way Bonita grows and looks until..until the figs drop. Still a handsome plant.

[Sarahkt]

Do you have the wasp where you live? I'm wondering if your El Molino figs were caprified, or were outstanding without it.

[Posturedoc]

Sarah, no wasp at this time, though I'm working on getting a caprifig or two and overwintering them in my garage with the rest of my figs. I'm in zone 6b.

C-4, I have Union Berry, same age as the Unk. El Molino, both started by Igor last year. It did not put on fruit this year. I have one additional variety that needs pollination, so I hope the caprifig experiment works out. I didn't know Igor located yet another desirable fig. I'll have to do some homework.

[WillsC]

I agree Chipetta is great. My hands down favorite unknown is though Sangue Doce..best fig I have ever had.

[fitzski]

another vote for Chipetta. Where did Sangue Doce come from?

[WillsC]

Dom sourced it from ??? not getting in to all that. Year before last it was the fig I wanted to survive the most. 2 cuttings rotted the 3rd sat and did nothing for months in moss. Got tired of waiting so put it in a pot with soil and then finally pushed some odd thin weak roots and an odd U shaped bud.......yes I rooted it upside down In spite of my oops it grew at the rapid rate of about an inch a month. Looked like it would croak at any moment. In spite of my best efforts to kill it the lil guy survived and once put in the ground it grew great and is now over 5 feet tall and had maybe 60 figs on it.

[fitzski]

sorry, i didn't mean to sound like I was asking for a GPS coordinate

I was more asking which country you thought it came from like: Italy, Greece, Spain, France, etc.

I'm glad to hear that it survived and is thriving now.

[kubota1]

The first three are my Unk. Chiappetta, 2nd three white figs are Unk. Mittica, 3rd three are Unk. Vibo Valentia are the bottom figs on the plate. I have many unk's that are good. I just haven't showed them all.
The Chiappetta comes in different colors and shapes. I don't know from year to year what to expect.

[kubota1]

They are all local to my area.

[fitzski]

any idea on the country of origin for some of the unknowns? Italy?

[kubota1]

Chiappetta is from Calabria/Cosenza & Vibo Valentia is a town in Italy. The Mittica is from Italy.

[vito12831]

I think one of the best tasting fig was Chiappetta, nice size too. Thank you Art.
Vito

[kubota1]

Glad you liked it Vito.

[Bigbill]

Yeah, that chiappetta was really good, productive too. It is interesting the variety of figs you get from chiappetta. They all taste pretty much the same, but they really have some bizarre shapes sometimes. Art is the man, by the way.

[kubota1]

Lol. Thanks Bill