Corio Provence Fig | Comprehensive Variety Review

There are 1000s of fig varieties in existence, but fig varieties like Corio Provence are worth learning about. Check out the other comprehensive variety reviews I’ve created on other fig varieties on the variety directory page found here:

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Varietal Characteristics

• Origin: France

• Categorization: Unknown

• Similar varieties: None

• Taste grouping: Sugar Berry

• Texture: Jammy

• Size: Small - Medium

• Ripening period: Likely midseason

• Vigor: Average

• Rain resistance: Above average

• Shape: Pyriforme

• Hang time: Below average

• Split resistance: Above average

• Climate preference: Well adapted

• Hardiness: Unknown

• Taste rating: 4.7/5

• Light requirements: Unknown

• Productivity: High

History & Other Information

Corio Provence was made popular by Arizona fig grower Justin Patten. It comes from another collector’s garden in France, but lots of credit to Justin for making it popular in the US!

You can follow him on Facebook under the name AZFig.

Here’s what Justin had to say about it. “Corio Provence fig update: no splitting in the rain, just cracking. Honey oozing from the cracks causing sticky fingers. This fig should do good in the humid south. The tree can freeze back to the ground in the winter and still produce a huge crop. I’ve trialed several and this is a top variety for sure.”

When Justin first mentioned this variety, I thought it could be similar to another popular French variety called Sucrette, but I was wrong. There's no fig quite like this one. However, when cut open and at the eye, Sucrette and Corio both display some strange coloration of the fig flowers.

Below is a photo of Sucrette's strange fig flowers near the eye:

Corio is one of the new fig varieties that I was impressed with last year and this year it got even better.

Figs do that. Every year they can be different and usually, they improve. Even one Corio Provence tree to another can showcase slightly different fruits. Even each fig on the same tree can be different. Location, soil, microclimate, and so many other factors are what determine these differences. There are a lot of variables when growing fig trees, but that's what's exciting about them. They're always something new to observe.

This year Corio displayed a short hang time. The figs also have an exceptional eating experience with a medium berry flavor. Overall, the fruits are complex and I enjoy eating them. Like always, there's still more time needed to evaluate performance, but a short hang time is usually a strong indicator of performance in humid weather.