Sweetest fig varieties?

[Simongrow]

Hello everyone,

I was wondering what are considered the sweetest fig varieties? Actually, what is the sweetest and best tasting fig varieties?

it would be great if you can recommend the sweetest and best tasting fig varieties when grown in SoCal without caprification for each of the flavor categories like Berry figs, sugar figs, honey figs, figgy figs.

I’ve seen some threads with Brix readings from various fig cultivars but is there a list somewhere with all the sweetest figs with their Brix readings? Thanks in advance!

Simon

[mwhight34]

Black Madeira and it’s (alleged) synonyms are usually very sweet figs, according to taste reviews I’ve seen.

[PBfigs]

My YLN tc tastes like a spoon full of honey. Almost too sweet.

[FigTex]

Wills says that Siblawi is his sweetest. I have Siblawi and tried it for the first time last year. It was quite productive, but I couldn't personally call it the sweetest yet. It may take a few years to mature.

[pyroelfears]

Sweetest and tastiest are two different things. Tastiness is often depends on alot of things other than pure brix, like acidity, flavor components, berry flavors, aroma. It is highly personal. Imo, the sweetest figs are honey figs, but i dont think they are the tastiest. But some people think they are. Your best bet is to try a bunch and see what you like!

[RosyPosy]

I believe Izbat An Naj, Pingo de Mel, and Sbayi are all noted for their sweetness. Also some of the GM figs are listed as being very sweet. I like reading through Harvey’s info on varieties on his website. He doesn’t give brix ratings, but he often mentions if a variety is very sweet.

figvarieties.com also has brix ratings listed for certain varieties in their descriptions of figs. I see it a lot in the Pons fig varieties. For example, Del Sen Jaume Gran has a brix rating of 28.

But of course, sweetness can be affected by growing conditions. It seems like honey figs are often some of the sweetest.

[don_sanders]

I love sugar and sweet stuff. I use too much and put it on everything. I’ll add sugar to sugary cereals like cocoa pebbles. I even tried putting sugar on my girlfriend...it didn’t help.

I think every variety of fig I grow is very sweet when properly ripened and never thought of them needing more. If you’re only accustomed to store bought figs and their lack of sweetness, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with just about any variety.

Taste can be a whole different ballgame.

[It Could use another day]

Y'all going to give her a yeast infection then she gone be tangy lmao

[rbernys]

don_sanders lol! - I can just imagine your girlfriend singing "pour some sugar on me" to the tune of the '80's song...

[KDAD]

Sprinkling sugar is ok but pouring sugar does the trick.

[Simongrow]

I’ve asked this question in the International Tropicalfruit Forum regarding Mangos, Cherimoyas, Dragonfruit and many other fruit.

it’s a great point that the sweetest may not be the best tasting and that’s why I asked for the sweetest and best tasting fig, I love sweet fruit.

in the TFF, I mentioned that sweetness is highly subjective and Brix readings would give a more accurate representation of true sweetness but Brix readings are affected by multiple other variables such as the skill of the operator taking the Brix reading, the refractometer used and especially the skill of the gardener.

the first few figs I grew were very watered down but extremely large. I was very new to figs and I’m starting to understand how rapidly fig trees uptake water and disperse it into the fruit. My last several fig fruit were allowed to swell up and towards the end of swelling, I backed up on watering the plants.

I didn’t stop watering but instead gave it about 50% of the water I would normally give it. I didn’t want the remaining fruit that were still sizing up to stop growing. By watering to 50% of saturation, I have to water more frequently and the size of the fruit were smaller but the flavor and sweetness significantly increased.

I have several thread on the TFF regarding how to thin, water and fertilize fruit trees in order to grow larger fruit and also threads on how to increase the Brix of fruit but I don’t know if all the principles hold true with figs, most of them probably will but cutting back the water on figs has given me the largest increase in perceived sweetness. I say perceived sweetness because I find figs extremely difficult to test for Brix because of the lack of juice in the fruit. I’m just going by taste most of the time in regards to figs.

I do have a digital and cheaper hand held refractometer and I need to mess around with this years crop of figs to find a protocol that works well to get a Brix reading for figs.

in some of the videos I’ve seen where people dilute the figs in water, they often take a Brix reading of the diluted fruit juice but the juice has lots of tiny bits of fruit in it. This can give a false high Brix reading.

please keep the suggestions coming. I will post pictures and Brix readings of some top tier and new figs that are supposedly very high Brix later this year assuming they fruit for me.

Simon

[venturabananas]

It is my impression that many California growers do not water their figs at all (relying solely on rainwater remaining in the soil from winter/spring). Or only supplement with an occasional watering in severe drought years, like this one. My point is, do you actually need to give them 50% of normal water? I mean, I guess 50% of zero is still zero.

[Figology]

The best figs I’ve had come from old neglected trees.

[Figland]

Maybe its like "dry farming" grapes, they can get intense flavor with less water.

[pyroelfears]

Figs are hard to brix. They don't have 'juice', in the same way apples, oranges, and most fruit do. The brix of the honey is very different than the pulp, or the skin, which are all important parts of the 'fig' experience. Acid can also reduce the perceived sweetness, and it often brings balance to fruit. (drinking lemonade w/o lemon juice is sickening). I like acid in my figs. And all this is highly affected by watering, which you have discovered to really dilute your figs flavor. And it's all a mute point if you cant get your figs to ripen in the wrong climate! Asking locals, and trying a bunch out is the best teacher.

[venturabananas]

I just measure the brix of the honey in the middle, not the fruit tissue. Of course, this doesn't work too well for varieties that don't have much/any honey!

[Rickyv101]

Cheap refractormeter works on fig flesh, I use it all the time, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GCpIp_xt_4
it is tricky on sweetness, Like honey figs, even their brix is low at 15 at late fall cool season, it is still sweet and people like it, Some woman love it even as low as brix 12.
For berry figs, It is not the same, tree needs work harder using photosynthates to convert tartness to tasty sour where results can be different, many factor effect its results like no rain, hot weather, strong sun high KWh. etc.

[drbud]

Thanks for this tip! Finally another use for my refractometer beside specific gravity of animal urine!

[hambones]

I got a good laugh out of this. For this case, maybe buy a second one?

Reminds me of the joke about the difference between a rectal and oral thermometer. The taste.

[eboone]

I have wondered if the honey flavored figs are really sweeter - that is, has a higher sugar content - than a fully ripened top ranked fig with a more complex flavor, say a Smith or Bourjasotte Gris. Could the more complex flavor elements ’cover up’ or mask the sweetness of the sugars? Accurate brix readings would answer that question. I have not really seen a lot on brix readings in figs.

[venturabananas]

They are not. They just don't have any other interesting flavor components to balance the sugar, notably acids. You are just left sensing sweet.

[WVMJack]

You need both Brix and Acidity measures to really compare, people dont really talk about acids in figs but you wont have much of a berry taste without some acids to balance the Brix and give a balanced taste. Sugar and Honey figs are often one dimensional with the sweetness and some flavor but little acid to balance, you are lucky if you have one that also have some body to it, just like wine, balanced sugars and acid with the right amount of body makes a great wine. Of course Terroir and the ability of the picker to pick at the right time make a big difference. Its hard to beat a shriveled up candy like Chicago Hardy

[LQfig]

The 80+ grams of sugar in a regular 20 oz coke are only palatable due to the very acidic pH. Maybe complex fig flavors can be attributed to a greater acidity of the fruit? Pure speculation on my part.

[Simongrow]

My YLN tc tastes like a spoon full of honey. Almost too sweet.

Hey Peter, not sure if YLN is the same as Golden Rainbow but here’s one of my GR fruit that is getting to be a nice size for a young tree.

[PBfigs]

They do look similar. My YLN tree is a year old tissue culture that never went dormant. It still has an original fig on and it that looks very much like your GR. I believe it ripen 9 figs so far and sent 6-7 suckers of good size. I could AL a sucker if you want one. LMK

[shawnjames70]

A spoon or a cup??? Lol

[fruitnut]

The thing about figs and brix is that in a dry climate the fig dehydrates much more/faster than most fruits. I can end up with 45 brix fruits just by leaving them hang on the tree. Most fruits don't dry out that much. The 45 brix was measured by adding figs to an equal weight of water, mixing in a blender, and reading a brix on that solution of 22.5. With most tree fruits reducing water in the months/weeks before harvest will result in increased brix and often much higher flavor, not just sweetness. In my greenhouse by watering at about 50% of full irrigation all summer I can increase brix by 50-100%. In humid climates it's difficult to get brix above 15 in nectarines. In my greenhouse or in dry summer climates like CA nectarines can be grown at 24-30 brix, apricots to 26, sweet cherries to 32+, pluots 24-30, blueberries to 26. Often above 30 brix off flavors can develop. My next project: 30 brix mango.

[Bellefleurs]

Try Carrie mango

[KMH]

@fruitnut
30 plus brix mangos done here in California. My sweetest mangos are ready by Thanksgiving with brix 32-34.

[cvarcher]

hmmm, i wonder what good persimmon brix would be?

[shawnjames70]

This is one of my sweetest, black mission not? Not sure what it is, it was a gifted cutting.

[SDFigs]

looks like a zaffiro

[2AngelsMushrooms]

I've heard that Iranian Candy is super sweet.

[Finodejete]

Sweetest I’ve tasted is YLN. This one ripened 3 days before Halloween.

[Bluemalibu]

Prasinosika Kalamatas is hands-down the sweetest fig from among the 450 varieties that I'm growing here. It is not a sugar fig, but rather Mandarin/Berry flavored.

[Givemefigs]

I would sure like to taste that fig.

[FiggySurfer619]

Beautiful fig!!

[Carrie Jo]

Wow very pretty!

[Simongrow]

Cheap refractormeter works on fig flesh, I use it all the time, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GCpIp_xt_4
it is tricky on sweetness, Like honey figs, even their brix is low at 15 at late fall cool season, it is still sweet and people like it, Some woman love it even as low as brix 12.
For berry figs, It is not the same, tree needs work harder using photosynthates to convert tartness to tasty sour where results can be different, many factor effect its results like no rain, hot weather, strong sun high KWh. etc.

Rickyv101, I agree with you.

eboone, I believe the figs that lack much acidity(titratable acid-TA), is perceived as sweet by our palate and perhaps influenced by our sense of smell.

without the acid balance, our taste buds easily picks up on the sugars. A berry fig on the other hand has that acid balance that seems to tone down the perceived Sweetness.

the ratio of the sweetness Vs. the acidity is a fine balancing act that can be tilted one way or the other by growing conditions such as plant nutrition(fertilization), Daily Light Integral, Heat units, and other plant husbandry such as pruning and watering.

there are other factors to consider and sweetness is probably more easily controlled than acidity unless you consider picking figs less ripe in order purposefully decrease Brix and increase perceived acidity.

Focusing on increasing fruit quality, I often try to think of ways to increase Brix. Some ways I do this is by ensuring each variety of fruit I grow is getting the nutrients it needs.

for Figs and many other fruit, increasing the amount of Potassium and Calcium can increase the Brix by a couple percent or more. Figs may also taste better if given sufficient Magnesium and Iron on top of the K and Ca.

Simon

[Simongrow]

The thing about figs and brix is that in a dry climate the fig dehydrates much more/faster than most fruits. I can end up with 45 brix fruits just by leaving them hang on the tree. Most fruits don't dry out that much. The 45 brix was measured by adding figs to an equal weight of water, mixing in a blender, and reading a brix on that solution of 22.5. With most tree fruits reducing water in the months/weeks before harvest will result in increased brix and often much higher flavor, not just sweetness. In my greenhouse by watering at about 50% of full irrigation all summer I can increase brix by 50-100%. In humid climates it's difficult to get brix above 15 in nectarines. In my greenhouse or in dry summer climates like CA nectarines can be grown at 24-30 brix, apricots to 26, sweet cherries to 32+, pluots 24-30, blueberries to 26. Often above 30 brix off flavors can develop. My next project: 30 brix mango.

Fruitnut, the 30% Brix mango is well within your future. I grew a 32% Sweet Tart and a lemon Zest that was about 34% Brix. I had to get multiple refractometers because the lower reading ones only goes up to 32. It’s much drier here in San Diego but you can control you watering. Due to the fungal issues with Lemon Zest, I would recommend Sweet Tart if you’re going for 30+ Brix.

Simon

[Frankenberry]

Add sweet tart mango to my wish list...

[fruitnut]

Do you think mango will have fungal issues in a warm, low humidity greenhouse? Grapes are the only fruit I've had powdery mildew on in the greenhouse. Most fruits have no disease issues with low humidity and no rain.

[Simongrow]

Peter, thanks for the offer but I also have a YLN. It’s in a one gallon pot now so I need to up pot it. I had a larger tree that fruited last year but I gave that tree away. I think I overwatered the GR fruit, hopefully it will be edible.

Simon

[Simongrow]

Sweetest I’ve tasted is YLN. This one ripened 3 days before Halloween.

Finodejete, with a name like that, I hope you like Cherimoyas! Wow, that fruit looks amazing! It looks like it may have been caprified?

Simon

[Finodejete]

Love Cherimoyas. I was thinking it may have been caprified although YLN takes on a different appearance when the temps start getting cooler at night in my area.

[Simongrow]

Prasinosika Kalamatas is hands-down the sweetest fig from among the 450 varieties that I'm growing here. It is not a sugar fig, but rather Mandarin/Berry flavored.

BlueMalibu, is that a common fig? If it is, does anyone know anyone selling cuttings or small plants? That fruit looks incredible and to know it gets that sweet is just amazing! Thanks for the information!

Simon

[Bluemalibu]

Simon, it has been reported to be common, but figgary lacks the wasp at his home and he grew this cultivar for several years, with every fruit dropping for him. I purchased that exact large tree from him and moved it into my orchard that has the wasp present. It now performs wonderfully. So, although this is but one example, I feel that this is pretty telling that the cultivar most likely is Caducous or Smyrna.

[Fig Gazer]

I have a few figs and a sweat touth, tend to let figs rippen to edge of fermitation in search of sweatnes and max flavor ,in 10 a upper so cal . GET A UNCLE CORKIES HONEY DELITE !

[Fig Gazer]

Put in ground put in sun

[2AngelsMushrooms]

Uncle Corky's is my favorite breba.

[Fig Gazer]

Got about a dozzen fatening up right now yum !

[It Could use another day]

Celeste is very sweet, but it's also the only variety I've tried so take it with a grain of salt. That will change this year tho😁

[acerpictum]

The most delicious fig will be the one in which the process of natural anaerobic fermentation takes place. A prerequisite for this is the absence of contact with the external environment - the closed eye of the syconium, as well as the warmth of the sun and some time. In such conditions, the bacteria inside the figs in the process of life-work break down sugar / glucose with the formation of a certain amount of new substances and elements / accents of taste - acids and aromatic substances appear - esters with the smell of fruit-berry essences. But if a fig variety has an open eye, it must be eaten immediately when ripe, otherwise fungus mold penetrate into the syconium together with the outside air and moisture and not only spoil the taste, but also make the figs inedible. This, incidentally, was a problem in the trade of dried figs from Turkey in the 19th century. I don’t remember exactly which part (in%) was inedible, but there were many such "delicacies".
It also seems interesting to me that sugar (also starch and cellulose) of plants is a way of storing and preserving solar energy. The more sun, the sweeter the figs, and the sweeter the figs, the more complex its taste will be after fermentation and solar energy is available to humans in more subtle forms and gradations of matter. Conclusion - the natural fermentation of figs on the branches of the plant gives us not only a gamut of new taste sensations, but also makes us a little lighter and health
I hope that from the point of view of chemistry, this is a correct understanding of the process of transformations of organic matter, and I was not mistaken