Col de Dame Additional Information

Color plate by Anon. (1878) shows a yellow fig with red eye scales; both Estelrich and Simonet give an outline drawing of the fruit. See also Condit (1941a, fig. 2, O). In his account of Figue des Dames, Risso refers to previous descriptions by Garidel, Bernard, and Duhamel; the first two, however, made no mention of Col de Dame, but describe Trompe-Cassaire (Verte), a distinct variety. Since Risso described this fig as Figue des Dames in 1826, and a similar name is used by Simonet in 1945, the variety is designated in this publication as Col de Dame. It is widely distributed in southern France, and especially in Spain where, as Mazieres (1920) stated, it probably originated. On Mallorca the figs, both fresh and dried, are used for hog feed, and at Palma the fresh fruit is common in the markets. It has long been grown for drying at Fraga, and at Barcelona the fresh figs are used for preserves. Col de Senora Blanca was imported from England in 1883 by John Rock, of Niles, California; in 1894, it came in as P.I. No. 18,891 of the Chiswick collection, also obtained from England. Fraga, P.I. No. 96,439, originally from Lerida, Spain, proved to be identical to Col di Signora Bianca. P.I. No. 69,011, received from a French nursery in 1926 as Col de Dame, was found at Riverside to be a different variety, having small, green fruit, small eye, and dark-strawberry pulp. It is very similar to Verte, and may be identical with that variety. At Fresno, Col de Dame is inferior to Adriatic (Verdone) for drying, on account of poorer production of the tree, smaller size of fruit, and darker color of pulp. At Riverside the figs are subject to spoilage, owing to insect infestation and splitting. The tree is vigorous, upright in habit, with dingy-green terminal buds. Leaves medium, glossy above, rather stiff and harsh in texture, 3- to 5-lobed; upper sinuses fairly deep, margins of lobes often overlapping, lower sinuses shallow; base subcordate to truncate; margins coarsely crenate. The following description is from fruit produced at Riverside since 1930; and at Los Angeles and Fresno in 1953. Brebas none, or very rare. Second-crop figs variable in size, from small to medium, up to 2-1/4 inches long and 2 inches in diameter, short-pyriform to spherical, or even oblate-turbinate; average weight 41 grams; neck prominent, thick; stalk short; ribs fairly broad, slightly elevated, but hardly prominent; eye rather large and partly open, scales commonly brightly colored, contrasting strongly with the yellow skin; surface dull, with faint bloom; white flecks large, conspicuous; color yellowish green to lemon yellow; skin sometimes checking at maturity, as shown by Condit (1941a, fig. 8, C); pulp strawberry, almost seedless. Flavor sweet, but insipid; quality fair; season late. Caprified figs above medium, green; pulp dark red; seeds fertile. (Plates 12; 20, D). (701)

Col de Dame
Additional Information
USDA / UC Davis Accession Data
Color plate by Anon. (1878) shows a yellow fig with red eye scales; both Estelrich and Simonet give an outline drawing of the fruit. See also Condit (1941a, fig. 2, O). In his account of Figue des Dames, Risso refers to previous descriptions by Garidel, Bernard, and Duhamel; the first two, however, made no mention of Col de Dame, but describe Trompe-Cassaire (Verte), a distinct variety. Since Risso described this fig as Figue des Dames in 1826, and a similar name is used by Simonet in 1945, the variety is designated in this publication as Col de Dame. It is widely distributed in southern France, and especially in Spain where, as Mazieres (1920) stated, it probably originated. On Mallorca the figs, both fresh and dried, are used for hog feed, and at Palma the fresh fruit is common in the markets. It has long been grown for drying at Fraga, and at Barcelona the fresh figs are used for preserves. Col de Senora Blanca was imported from England in 1883 by John Rock, of Niles, California; in 1894, it came in as P.I. No. 18,891 of the Chiswick collection, also obtained from England. Fraga, P.I. No. 96,439, originally from Lerida, Spain, proved to be identical to Col di Signora Bianca. P.I. No. 69,011, received from a French nursery in 1926 as Col de Dame, was found at Riverside to be a different variety, having small, green fruit, small eye, and dark-strawberry pulp. It is very similar to Verte, and may be identical with that variety. At Fresno, Col de Dame is inferior to Adriatic (Verdone) for drying, on account of poorer production of the tree, smaller size of fruit, and darker color of pulp. At Riverside the figs are subject to spoilage, owing to insect infestation and splitting. The tree is vigorous, upright in habit, with dingy-green terminal buds. Leaves medium, glossy above, rather stiff and harsh in texture, 3- to 5-lobed; upper sinuses fairly deep, margins of lobes often overlapping, lower sinuses shallow; base subcordate to truncate; margins coarsely crenate. The following description is from fruit produced at Riverside since 1930; and at Los Angeles and Fresno in 1953. Brebas none, or very rare. Second-crop figs variable in size, from small to medium, up to 2-1/4 inches long and 2 inches in diameter, short-pyriform to spherical, or even oblate-turbinate; average weight 41 grams; neck prominent, thick; stalk short; ribs fairly broad, slightly elevated, but hardly prominent; eye rather large and partly open, scales commonly brightly colored, contrasting strongly with the yellow skin; surface dull, with faint bloom; white flecks large, conspicuous; color yellowish green to lemon yellow; skin sometimes checking at maturity, as shown by Condit (1941a, fig. 8, C); pulp strawberry, almost seedless. Flavor sweet, but insipid; quality fair; season late. Caprified figs above medium, green; pulp dark red; seeds fertile. (Plates 12; 20, D). (701)