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darkman270

Col de Dame availability?

Darkman
12 years ago

I have been trying to loacte Col de Dame white with no luck. I prefer cuttings but if reasonable would purchase a plant. Does anyone know where I may acquire one?

Comments (13)

  • ejp3
    12 years ago

    I believe uc davis has cuttings of this and many others. Can also try encanto farms.

  • Darkman
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I have sent messages to Encanto Farms with no reply and I have checked the website for UC Davis and they no longer list it. I also saw several other posts where others could not find this variety for the last couple years.

  • igo4fish
    12 years ago

    Darkman,

    Col de Dame is still listed in the UCD Inventory. Unfortunately, they did not differentiate the color. I'm sure some members have grown it out and can tell us. If not, the consolation is that supposedly, there is no real flavor difference between the colors. Another unfortunate reality is that the chance to order for the 2012 season ended after 1 December last year (and every year). Good luck!

    Link to UCD: http://www.ars.usda.gov/Main/docs.htm?docid=12871

  • herman2_gw
    12 years ago

    Col de Dame white ,are very rare because the cuttings coming from UC Davis are infected with Fig mosaic virus,and so,They will root very hard,and if some do,they can die in a couple of years outside ideal warm climate.
    If they do not die,then,they will grow so slow that cuttings is impossible to take out of them,only after many years,it can be done.
    So that is why is scarce.
    Col de Dame Black and grey,were imported from Spain,after 2004,and they are much more healthy,yet they also grow slow.
    If someone have cuttings they will first give ,them free to people that ,they have obligation ,because they got free cuttings of other cultivars before from that person.
    At least this is my experience.
    I took a handful of cuttings from my young Col de Dame trees this year,but like I said they went to people I had obligation to them.
    Yet,my trees are getting stronger ,more powerful in ground roots every year,and so,they grow larger every year so ,soon I will have cuttings.
    And so will have other people likethe owner of East coast figs,in Washington DC,the person,I got my cuttings from.
    So,if you have patience they will start surfacing on Ebay in about 2 years.

  • Darkman
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    igo4fish said
    Col de Dame is still listed in the UCD Inventory. Unfortunately, they did not differentiate the color. I'm sure some members have grown it out and can tell us. If not, the consolation is that supposedly, there is no real flavor difference between the colors. Another unfortunate reality is that the chance to order for the 2012 season ended after 1 December last year (and every year). Good luck!
    Link to UCD: http://www.ars.usda.gov/Main/docs.htm?docid=12871

    igo4fish,
    Thanks for the link. I thought I had checked there and now I wonder where it was that I checked. In researching this I have found varied opinions as to if the taste varies amongst the colors. There were some that said the growth habit differs with the color.

    Herman2 said
    Col de Dame white ,are very rare because the cuttings coming from UC Davis are infected with Fig mosaic virus,and so,They will root very hard,and if some do,they can die in a couple of years outside ideal warm climate.
    If they do not die,then,they will grow so slow that cuttings is impossible to take out of them,only after many years,it can be done.
    So that is why is scarce.
    Col de Dame Black and grey,were imported from Spain,after 2004,and they are much more healthy,yet they also grow slow.
    If someone have cuttings they will first give ,them free to people that ,they have obligation ,because they got free cuttings of other cultivars before from that person.
    At least this is my experience.
    I took a handful of cuttings from my young Col de Dame trees this year,but like I said they went to people I had obligation to them.
    Yet,my trees are getting stronger ,more powerful in ground roots every year,and so,they grow larger every year so ,soon I will have cuttings.
    And so will have other people likethe owner of East coast figs,in Washington DC,the person,I got my cuttings from.
    So,if you have patience they will start surfacing on Ebay in about 2 years.

    Herman2,
    Thanks for the reply. I guess that is something to look forward to. I had read about the UC Davis Col de Dame figs being infected.

    Is there any known stock of them in the USA in white that are not infected?

    Are there any Spain stock from 2004 that are available for cuttings?

    I would think that those would be fairly good sized trees by now. My experience with figs is limited to the SE USA common varieties which seem to grow quite fast. I�d be happy trying any Col de Dame but especially Spain varieties in any color.

    Two years is awhile to wait and if they grow as slowly as everyone says it might be ten years to get a fig! As good a reputation as this fig has I�m surprised noone has tried tissue culture with them. Does anyone know?

  • scott_ga
    12 years ago

    I also was worried about fig mosaic initially when I ordered from UC Davis and many cuttings were obviously initially affected. After growing a few years in this warm climate, I can't see evidence of infection in most UC Davis figs and figs growing next to them have not become infected (to my eye). My UC Davis Col de Dame white cuttings were about the easiest to sprout and it is a very desirable fig.

    Scott

  • scott_ga
    12 years ago

    Encanto Farms will have a listing of its scion wood available around the first part of February.

  • igo4fish
    12 years ago

    Darkman,

    Col de Dame (CdD) Blanc has been in the U.S. since at least 1883. I'm sure there are many distributed within the country. It's likely that people have it and do not even know it. It has probably been renamed as a new variety several times over. As for variations in growth habits, I would not know and take any comparisons about the different colors with a grain of salt until the identity of the compared plants had been ascertained. My original comment was about the flavor of the different colored CdD figs as cited in Condit's monograph, not growth habits. Take care.

  • gorgi
    12 years ago

    I lost my (UCD) CdD_Wht 2 years ago due to cold.
    (Luckily, I still have the other 2 color variants).

  • herman2_gw
    12 years ago

    I had a couple of fruits from Col de Dame Grise,this Summer,and I can state that they were better tasting than Col de Dame white.
    I think one of the reason it has better flavor and taste is the fact that is much healthier and grow much stronger.
    Col de Dame Black had fruits but they did not ripe,in this very cold seaSON WE HAD IN 2011.
    tHEY ARE ABOUT 4 YEARS OLD BOTH,OF THEM.
    hOPING FOR BETTER RESULTS IN 2012,AS i MOVED THEM IN THE MIDDLE OF YARD FOR MAXIMUM SUN EXPOSURE.

  • scott_ga
    12 years ago

    Gorgi,

    If you want Col de Dame white back, trade you some white cuttings for some gray cuttings??

    Scott

  • axier - Z10, Basque Country (Spain)
    12 years ago

    I am surprised, Coll de Dama an slow grower??!!
    I don't doubt you say according to your trials is true, but my Coll de Dama Black is a healthy and vigorous grower.
    In Spain, in different climates, from Mediterranean to Oceanic (mine) it becames a big tree.
    Of course, the drier the climate the slower growing.
    P. Baud also says in his books that it is a vigorous grower (not a very vigorous).

  • herman2_gw
    12 years ago

    Axier:OK,I think Baud Description,is better than mine.
    Col de Dame Black and grise are ,healthy plants ,and not a very vigorous grower.
    This description,is also valid for a young plant,and it might become a vigorous grower after maturity,and about seven years of age.
    So Far my four years old were ,not very vigurous,but way better than other premium quality, slow cultivars ,like Madeira black,and Ischia black,