Barbillone Fig | My 2nd Tastiest Honey Fig
Updated: Nov 5, 2022
Barbillone is right up there with the best honey figs I've had. I really like this fig.
The word on the street many years ago on F4F was that Barbillone is a dark skinned mutation of White Marseilles. If that's true, how cool is that? Branches and even single buds on trees can mutate into something else called a chimera.
Chimeras arise when a cell undergoes mutation. This mutation may be spontaneous or it may be induced by irradiation or treatment with chemical mutagens. If the cell which mutates is located near the crest of the apical dome, then all other cells which are produced by division from it will also be the mutated type. The result will be cells of different genotypes growing adjacent in a plant tissue, the definition of a chimera.
The skin is the most obvious difference, but what others are there? I've been pleasantly surprised in the last few days that it does seem a bit more than just a dark skinned White Marseilles. It's truly a unique fig. Especially in texture. It's light. If a cloud could be a fig, it would be this one. It's kind of like a honey fig x sugar fig combo. I think it's right behind Zaffiro. And it didn't take long to become an instant favorite. It's that good.
I don't know the true origin on this variety, but this one was grown and made popular by Paully years ago on F4F. A grower located in BC, Canada. It also produces a nice breba crop that Paully relied on, an early main and is hardy.
Below is the second video I published on Barbillone talking about the texture:
