Black Violette

[ers8891]

Hi everyone,

I am curious to know if anyone knows any information about the black violette fig. I bought my tree from century farms orchards in Reidsville, NC. Is black violette a synonym for another fig? Pictures are of the main crop. Thanks in advance.

[Posturedoc]

I'd like to see more pictures of leaves and the tips of growing branches, but my first impression from what you've shown us is RdB.

[rayrose]

It's Violette de Bordeaux

[wellingtonbill]

Hello Ethan,

Now that I have a Black Violette from the same vendor/orchard give me until early summer and we will find out the most common name for this variety. The leaves and fruit do look like Ronde de Bordeaux. However, coming from the antique apple grower selling the fig trees as Black Violette from an outside vendor - l would be surprised if the Black Violette was a RdBordeaux. The Violette de Bordeaux is much more common. The mystery will be solved.

[cis4elk]

I think it also looks very similar to RdB but agree that it is most likely not and is probably something more similar to VdB, which under the right conditions the fingers on the leaves can elongate. Are the fruits always round like that or do you get more teardrop shaped fruit.
Regardless, it looks like a keeper.

[ers8891]

All the fruit that I have picked look the same. I will add a few more pics.

[ers8891]

[Posturedoc]

The figs in your new photos, especially the middle photo, resemble VdB more than RdB, which generally is small and round as in your initial photo. I thought about VdB too when I made my first post, but the round fig and the greatly elongated fingers on the leaves (as compared to your typical VdB leaf) led me toward RdB. VdB figs vary in size from small to medium, but are usually elongated as in your middle photo. I rarely see anything but round figs off of my two RdB trees. Either way, it appears to be a nice fig, so you win regardless.

[Harborseal]

The dark figs seem to consistently have white spots. I haven't had many RdB and no recent VdB but I don't remember either having a lot of white spots like that.

Bass thought Jason's Unknown was Black Ischia because of those spots.

[pppldj]

For what it is worth, here is a some text from email I received in Oct 2014 concerning Black Violette:

"Hello pppldj, I spoke with David at Century Farm Orchards on the phone and asked him if it was VdB. He said yes and used a French pronunciation for Violette. It does not have a closed eye. David told me he asked the man at Paradise Nursery what would be good for his area, and the varieties he sells are what he recommended. He only sells trees he personally grew from cuttings off trees on his property."

[wellingtonbill]

David Vernon and I shared conversation on "Black Violette in 2015." At that time he did not know another name for his "Black Violette", but accepted my "guess" that it could be a VdB. He told me Paradise Nursery called it "Black Violette." I failed to revisit a potential name difference with him this past November at his yearly orchard open house. I picked up a large "Black Violette" to compare to my VdB. At that time he was still labeling it "Black Violette." VdB may have been put in his memory from several fig folk. No big deal! Mystery solved??

[Snaglpus]

Violette de Bordeaux