Hanc Mathies once told me that the DiPaola's, friends and owners of the Belleclare Nursery in Plainview, NY, somehow tracked the Bensonhurst Purple fig to it's origen on Mt. Etna, Sicily, where the variety is known to have been growing at about 3000ft above sea level.
It apparently gained a reputation in New York where it earned it's local name and, like most things, eventually found it's way to Chicago. There, a sailor stationed at Great Lakes Naval base, by the name of Fred Born, propagated a tree given to him by an Italian man who lived on the south side of the Windy City. The tree flourished without any protection by all accounts, despite the harsh Chicago winters. Fred eventually migrated to Florida, taking his tree on a long and winding road. He called the fig, Hardy Chicago, for obvious reasons. Eventually the variety reached the retail industry and now you know the rest of the story.

Leon, did DiPaola ever discover the original Italian name?

And, what is so unique with HC as one can say ... ?
George (NJ).

Leon,
It seems that this fig has lots of history.
What makes the chicago hardy unique is not for its flavor, eventhough flavour is good, It is not hardy necessarily. The branches do die back at same temperature as other figs do. It is because of it's early main crop. In my opinion it should be called Early Chicago.

In a recent article in the nafex magazine pomona, a member wrote that Sal's Fig is ripenning around the same time as hardy chicago in Virginia. And the fruit is very similiar to HC. Any feedback on that?

Bass

Gene:
I have not heard about any info regarding an ethnic name for Hardy Chicago but another synonym is Italian Everbearing (I have an L.E. Cooke Italian Everbearing which is more like Blackjack than Hardy Chicago).
The fruit and leaves of Sal's fig are different from Hardy Chicago even though both varieties have some similarities. Both are quite hardy and productive.
Gene, what has been your experience with these two figs?

Leon, I set my HCs out in the spring of 2003, and they first started maturing figs this past summer. The orchard is somewhat out of my way, and I didn't take any notes in regards to ripe dates, etc. -- I plan to do better this year tho. HC is a good fig, but if forced to pick between the two, I'd go for Sal's. Of course I've had Sal's longer and am more familiar with it. I think Sal's has an edge visually; it's also very productive, and hardy.

I'm surprised to read that HC and Italian Everbearing are the same. I don't have IE, but the pictures that I've seen posted seem to be larger fruits...are you sure? Or perhaps the name "Italian Everbearing" has been applied to several different varieties?

I'm disposable to find (from here) the original name of "wild fig that lives up 3000 ft on Etna mountain".
Sergio

Sergio,

That'd be great, if you could.

"Sal's" fig is supposedly a Sicilian fig too. Ray Givan's web site lists these as synonyms for Sal's: Corleone, Fico di Capo, Fico-Nera.

Ok, Gene, and Leon, I'm moving for this.
If synomym for Sal's is "Corleone" is sure that is Sicilian, Corleone is a small town, very known in the West Sicily in the internal country, near Palermo.
Frequently the name of variety is the same of the region where is cultivateed.
This town is very know for emigration in USA for a lot of people of law, come from Sicilia, and also ...against the law, in beginning of 1900.
Fico di capo may means "Fig of the Cape" but also "Fig of the heat", Fico-nera, may be simply means "black fig".
Bye, S.

Thanks Serg.
Appreciate the information. How's the weather there in your country?

Leon
I live in warm region near the Mediterranean sea in North Italy (upper Z9b).
Instead my zone is limit for figs because from the sea starts high slopes of hills and then south side of mountains, that are sunny but progressively more cold and very harsh.
Downside the climate is frequently wet and warm in Winter, or may be cold but not only for temp. but for an ennojing quite cold but also strong winds from NE.
Now it is raining and temp. is about 50°F, sky fully covered.
Rain needs because flowers (violets etc.) begins to flower and acid cerries begins to sprouts.
Ciao, Sergio

wiwet

I just bought a HC from Lowes today......I hope it does well for me.....

Rich