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dancinglemons

Potted Italian fig from Colasanti Farms

dancinglemons
15 years ago

I just purchased a fig with the tag label "Italian Fig" - nothing else. The tag says the plant is a "Product of Canada" and Colasanti Farms Ltd.

Anyone have info on Colasanti Farms? Any info is greatly appreciated. I know I have given scant info and if you need a photo I can provide that.

Cheers,

DL

Comments (33)

  • dancinglemons
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Photos of the "Italian" fig.


    Anyone have a clue what fig this is? Thanks!

    DL

  • chills71
    15 years ago

    Colasanti Farms is a nursery in Leamington, Ontario. They were once a great place for American gardeners to visit (they have a great selection) and they would write you a phytosanitary certificate right on the spot (so you could bring your plants back to the states with you).

    They no longer can issue phytosanitary Certs. (thank you department of homeland unsecurity...though DHS in case you're wondering these are not the kinds of "plants" you should be worrying about).

    Someone last year posted on this site about plants they had gotten at Colasnati's (specifically figs). I do not, however, recall the varieties. I can tell you that Colasanti's does return email (or at least they did the two times I've emailed them).

    btw...where did you get them?

    ~Chills (40 mins from Colasanti's)

  • dancinglemons
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Hi Chills,

    Thanks for the info. I will email Colasanti.

    I got this fig from "The Great Big Greenhouse" in Virginia. Now if I can get Colasanti to tell me what variety it is. The tag only says "Italian Fig".

    DL

  • chills71
    15 years ago

    Colasanti's is actually in Ruthven not Leamington (though the two towns are actually very close).


    ~Chills

    Here is a link that might be useful: Colasanti's

  • rob5020
    15 years ago

    Hey Scott,
    If you're looking for a colasanti's fig plant go see George over there at Telley's he has 4 left Italian Purple figs but there pretty expensive 19.99 for a small plant ask him for a better deal say Robert sent you.The colasanti's Italian Purple's he has look like Hardy Chicago.I've been trying to email you Scott but not sure if you email works Thanks and God Bless

  • chills71
    15 years ago

    Rob,
    I emailed you back yesterday telling you that I'd be happy for you to come by. I have church on Wed and a concert on Fri (both in the evening) but otherwise, just let me know. Summer vacation is great....

    ~Chills

  • dancinglemons
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Hello all,

    The Colasanti Italian fig that is pictured above now has 3 tiny figs about the size of a pencil eraser. I know I will have to pluck them off in order for the tree to prosper. Is this unusual for a fig this small to have fruit?

    Thanks,
    DL

  • ottawan_z5a
    15 years ago

    DL
    It is not unusaual. One of my cuttings rooted in mid February this year had 4 tiny figs in the beginning of May. These dropped in mid July because of cool cloudy and rainy weeks and this has been a not good at all kind of summer for all edible plants here.

  • figlady08
    15 years ago

    I would leave the figs on, if the plant cant support them they will drop on their own.
    what I would do if I was you is repot it, that pot is way to small for that fig
    sue

  • dieseler
    15 years ago

    DL, here is a picture of my Hardy Chicago leaf in its 5th year. Martin
    {{gwi:801860}}

  • dancinglemons
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks everybody!! I will repot the fig right away AND I will leave the babies - just in case.........

    Cheers,
    DL

  • nude_gardener
    15 years ago

    please, could someone tell a bit more about Italian fig?

    like; fruit colour, how many times a year it fruits, hardy,
    fast grower, fig size, etc.

    thank you all

    *****
    is leaf big enough to be used with nudists:-)

  • dancinglemons
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Hello all,

    I know this is an old post but I just HAD to come back and tell how this fig tastes. The 3 baby figs did ripen in 2008 but the birds found out before I did. This year I have about 15 really small figs on this Italian Fig tree and one of them got ripe yesterday. It was the size of a gumball and dark purple in color. That fig was soooooooooooo sweet!!! I am going to take a cutting from this tree so that I can have 2 of the same tree.

    Happy figs,
    DL

  • bonsaist
    14 years ago

    Thanks for your input. I got one also, but I wasn't sure what color it was. After contacting Colasanti and showing them a picture of it they said it was the dark fig by looking at the leaf photo.
    They told me it was a Sicilian fig. I'm naming it Colasanti dark for now until I know what it actually is.

    Bass

  • Nelson E.
    14 years ago

    I too have one from Colosanti not sure if its dark or white but my leaves look a little different than the above pic.


  • dancinglemons
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    bonsaist,

    Thanks Bass for that tip - Colasanti Dark it is!! I can't wait for more of the miniature jewels to ripen. It was so sweet, too sweet for words!!!

    nelson20vt,
    Your leaves look almost identical to the leaves I have now.

    DL

  • Nelson E.
    14 years ago

    Thanks dancinglemons I put my plant outside last weekend and it looks like theres 2 little figlets starting to form I doubt I will be able to eat them but would be nice. If its dark Colasanti Dark it is.

  • chills71
    14 years ago

    one thing about the Colasanti fig I bought is that the leaves are remarkably clean; thick and very dark green.

    i've got a couple small fruit on mine and i'll post leaves if it turns out to be the green (light) version.

    ~Chills

  • Nelson E.
    14 years ago

    Any one of you get atleast one leaf that looks like a spade shovel? The leaves from the above pics are all darker and thicker now its been growing real nice since we got the nice weather here in Toronto.

  • jo_h_fe
    14 years ago

    Late this spring I bought an Italian Fig (Colasanti Farms tag) for 10 dollars in local grocery store. This was to replace some of the figs lost due to winter damage. So far this fig tree has surprised me, I don't know if its white or purple. Hopefully the figs will ripen in time and I shall discover what I have.

    Joe
    {{gwi:801849}}

    Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:801849}}

  • bonsaist
    14 years ago

    They told me that the the tree that has the brunswick shaped leaves is the white one. It looks like you've got the white one.

    Bass

  • gorgi
    14 years ago

    Can please somebody post a direct URL link to Colasanti
    Farms true fig/plant site? So far what I got looks like
    just an amusement park...

  • Nelson E.
    14 years ago

    gorgi I dont believe they have one. I too checked and there was nothing there I emailed them and they told me they had them in stock and sell them to Stores all across North America but no pics or info on their website.

  • bonsaist
    14 years ago

    It's a park and they sell plants also.
    Here's their link
    Colasanti farms

  • chills71
    14 years ago

    Colasanti's used to be a great place for me to visit and shop for plants. Their main location is in Leamington/Ruthven Ontario (about 50 minutes away for me). They have a small amusement park, a petting zoo (really cool one) a campground, an ice-cream-candy shop, a couple restaurants and a GREAT nursery. If you bought plants, they would write you out a phytosanitary Certificate on the spot so that I could bring the plants back over the border.

    They have a second location here in Michigan (from what I've heard its much smaller and has none of the additional attractions).

    I remember Orchids for 3.50-5.00 Canadian as well as Musa Basjoo for $4.95 Canadian (in a 1 gal pot and standing 2+ feet tall).

    I loved it because I could go and wander to my heart's content while my wife took our son to the zoo or whatever...It was a yearly day trip we enjoyed which we stopped doing 3 years ago when the US customs Dept withdrew permission for on the spot certificate issuance.

    ~Chills (who sometimes wonders if I'd be more free 15 miles away with a Canadian phone number)

  • rafed
    14 years ago

    Chills,
    The Michigan location is in Milford on Milford rd about two or three miles south of M59

  • organic_mescalito
    14 years ago

    Hey DL, The Great Big Greenhouse is very close to me- Perhaps we're neighbors. I'm going to check and see if they have any fig trees this year.

    My late Aunt Sarah's yard has two old Italian fig trees of the same variety, with very tasty purple figs. The skin is tender, small eye, and rich, sweet flavor. They were brought over as a gift from Italian friends many years ago. The trees are very tall and in need of care, but produce a lot of figs (five Greek women showed up with pails the other day for their annual picking). I'm going to take plenty of cuttings before the property is sold, as this fig is very special.

  • rafed
    14 years ago

    Correcting myself on the Milford, Mi location.
    It is on Milford Rd. about 1/2 mile south of M59 on the west side of the road.
    You will see a small pond in front of it with Peacocks, ducks, geese etc.
    It's been several years since I've been though.

  • organic_mescalito
    14 years ago

    I should clarify that when I wrote two figs of the same variety, I meant both figs are the same in the yard, not that they are the Italian fig offered by Colasanti Farms (though they could be).

  • dancinglemons
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    OMG - I just picked fig #2 from the Colasanti Dark. I just learned a 'newbie fig grower' lesson!! Figs are not ripe until figs are ripe!!color>

    I gently pressed the fig which had turned a nice shade of purple. I thought - it's not as soft as the first one -but- it is nice and purple. I pulled it off (should have known it was too hard to get off tree) and rushed inside to eat it. As soon as I cut it open I knew :-(( I ate it anyway and had a mouth puckering experience.......... wah wah wah.........

    I won't do that again!! This fig is off the chart sweet when ripe!!

    organic_mescalito

    Definately get some cuttings from your Aunt's tree. I was in The Great Big Greenhouse last week and did not see any figs inside. They sometimes have them outside and I did not go outside.

    They have their 15% off sale (only with coupon) until end of August - everything is on sale.

    DL

  • jo_h_fe
    13 years ago

    Hi everyone...

    My Colasanti Farms fig, w/ leaves like Brunswick, is definetely a white/yellow fig. This year it has fruited over twenty figs, medium to large size, the fig is turbinate, with open eye, the skin has some ribs, the flesh is amber/pink. It is sweet. Initially a friend gave me cutting of what he called Italian Honey fig tree bought at nursery in Canada. I am finding out that the Colasanti Farm fig I bought is exactly similar in leaves and fruit. From reading the Italian Honey/Latarulla is a green/yellow skin fig w/ amber flesh. The Colasanti Farms white fig is slightly different. Could it be a White Genoa, or White Trianna?

    here are pics of my Colasanti Farms white fig:

    {{gwi:801864}}


    {{gwi:801865}}


    {{gwi:801867}}

  • Nelson E.
    13 years ago

    Hey John thanks for posting those pics, My plant didn't produce any figs this season hopefully I can taste some of the the Colasanti White figs myself next season. How long have you had your plant now?

    My Colasanti Dark has been an excellent producer this season so far I have ate about 2 dozen figs from it and my parents have been eating figs since the last week of July and there are more ripening as we speak. Definately an excellent fig to grow in Canada.

  • zombaateen
    9 years ago

    Hi,
    We bought a Colasanti fig plant earlier this year. It's doing well. About 5' tall with one little fig. It's that time again - getting cold. I have read all kinds of info re putting figs to sleep for the winter. I had planned simply to bring it indoors. Our house is full of light. Is there anything wrong with doing this? Thank you very much.

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