Ronde de Bordeaux! Please share any photos or experience you have, and also post photos on the varieties index.
Another top choice for cold climate growers, Ronde de Bordeaux (RdB henceforth) is an excellent French variety translating to "Round of Bordeaux". It is the likely the hardiest French variety. The name refers to it's very round fruits, of course. It also has nice, long finger like lobes.
RdB is amongst the earliest main crop varieties, around the same time as Improved Celeste and Malta Black (70 days, mid-August in mid-Atlantic) and only after Florea. It is able to ripen good fruit even in cool summers when other varieties may not. A very vigorous grower (up to 6' per season!), it can be affected by FMV but seems to outgrow it easily. Some have stated it may be hardy through zone 5. Certainly able to be grown in ground to zone 6, but it will likely die back most years. It will fruit well (50+ fruits) even after being killed to the ground.
Very good, jammy sweet figs that are small. Purple skin with red flesh, it's taste is a favorite of many. Check out the top 5 thread, it is on at least half of the lists! That many figgers can't be wrong! Baud notes that some years RdB will set brebas, but it is uncommon and they usually fall off. kubota1 has said they are very good, better than many main crop figs.
I planted one out last year, but my only photos of it would be the pile of mulch and snow it is sleeping under! High hopes for this one in my yard.
Another top choice for cold climate growers, Ronde de Bordeaux (RdB henceforth) is an excellent French variety translating to "Round of Bordeaux". It is the likely the hardiest French variety. The name refers to it's very round fruits, of course. It also has nice, long finger like lobes.
RdB is amongst the earliest main crop varieties, around the same time as Improved Celeste and Malta Black (70 days, mid-August in mid-Atlantic) and only after Florea. It is able to ripen good fruit even in cool summers when other varieties may not. A very vigorous grower (up to 6' per season!), it can be affected by FMV but seems to outgrow it easily. Some have stated it may be hardy through zone 5. Certainly able to be grown in ground to zone 6, but it will likely die back most years. It will fruit well (50+ fruits) even after being killed to the ground.
Very good, jammy sweet figs that are small. Purple skin with red flesh, it's taste is a favorite of many. Check out the top 5 thread, it is on at least half of the lists! That many figgers can't be wrong! Baud notes that some years RdB will set brebas, but it is uncommon and they usually fall off. kubota1 has said they are very good, better than many main crop figs.
I planted one out last year, but my only photos of it would be the pile of mulch and snow it is sleeping under! High hopes for this one in my yard.
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