Marseilles Black VS

[OurFigs]

Marseilles Black VS
aka MB VS
aka M vs B


Descriptions:

The Louisiana Department of Agriculture was growing it in the beginning of the 20th Century and it was trialed at The Maryland Department of Agriculture. In both places it was the most precocious cultivar in their trial, but the size of the fruits was not big enough to be selected for Commercial production. (2)

In checking the historic weather data for the area were this fig grew for over 60 years, it looks to me this fig has experienced temperatures as low as minis 18 degrees Fahrenheit, in 1984. Research suggest the fig was planted some time during or right after world war II, in the Columbia Maryland area. Every country or rural family in very cold parts of the country, should have at least ten plants of Marseilles Black VS, for a reliable supply of figs through out the year.

Marseilles Black VS is a (FAN) "Feed a Nation" plant". Bug resistant, disease resistant, a heavy producer, and easy to grow. Marseilles Black VS, has a slight mulberry flavor. But, yet enough fig flavor, to make it a recommended cultivar by us. This year our potted plant started ripening breba figs, about August 10th. What a pleasant surprise, as for taste. Our maybe three foot potted plant has about 50 figs on it, and still the breba figs taste good, our breba crop figs were about 30% bigger than main crop figs. (3)

Pictures:



Pictures:



Additional Info:
http://figs4fun.com/Var_M_info.html#MARSEILLESVS


Additional Pictures:
http://figs4fun.com/Thumbnail_Marseilles_VS.html


References:
1. http://figs4fun.com/Varieties.html
2.
3.

[hoosierbanana]

Zone / Region:
zone 7A, USA

Cultural practice:


Leaf descriptions:
Etna type.

Fig descriptions:


Growth habits:
vigorous, productive.

[brettjm]

Afraid that all I can add is that it was very tough to root for me, as most Mt. Etna varieties were in my hands (<50% success getting roots with Hardy Chicago, Sals EL, MS VS Black, and an unknown Mt Etna variety, while over 80% with all others). I got 1 out of 3 cuttings to root, and it took 8 weeks to do so. Its not much, but its something. Probably don't need my zone for that :-P

[HarveyC]

Zone / Region:
9b Near Sacramento, CA USA

Cultural practice:
Grown ground with drip irrigation

Leaf descriptions:
See photo. Very thick and rough leaves.

Fig descriptions:
Nice sweet/rich fig, medium size.

Growth habits:
Vigorous and productive

[Rui]

Harvey, those photo captions say MBVS.
Anyway, I'll take 6 dozen

[HarveyC]

I already fixed it, I was having a hard time last night getting my computer to display what I was uploading.

[JD]

[Gr8Figs]

Similar to taste and cold hardiness of my Hardy Chicago when grown in the ground.




Zone / Region:
7b NE GA,USA

Cultural practice:
Grown in ground and rarely watered when fruiting.

Leaf descriptions:
Rough leaves

Fig descriptions:
Jammy sweet, medium size.

Growth habits:
Good

[CliffH]

Picture of ripe fruit. Grown in Houston, Texas.



This tree was grown from a cutting off a MBVS tree that was was in turn rooted by Vasile off his original mother tree. So, only one generation off the original MBVS tree.

[Bodulfr]

Very nice! I hope to taste some of these this year.

[Bellefleurs]

Beautiful!!
I grafted my cutting (Harvey) to an Olympian and it is leafing out and producing figs already.

[JohannsGarden]

'Marseilles Black' (VS) has not been in ground long enough for me to fully evaluate eating quality in my area, but I will say it has shown above average vigor and managed to ripen some figs this year (poor quality due to being young, experiencing drought stress this summer and being planted on poor soil). I've got my eye on it as potentially really being a winner after another year or two of establishment. I had no issues with splitting despite frequent rainy weather during its ripening time (though I suspect the rains did contribute to a loss of flavor).