The Black Madeira Family of Figs

This fig family is named after the Black Madeira fig variety.

A few families can have a similar appearance: Black skin and red pulp. However, what makes the Black Madeira family stand out is the flavor! It is often described as “exotic”, “complex”, or “elegant”. It just simply must be experienced to be appreciated. This is why Black Madeira has come to be known as “The King of Figs”, or “Queen”, for some.

One draw back to most all of the Black Madeira family varieties is that they tend to be pretty late. This can be a limitation for those growing in shorter seasons. Black Madeiras also tend to have tougher skin. Though some may not appreciate this texture, it helps with rain, insects, and transport. In spite of the negatives, Black Madeira family varieties are highly valued and most fig growers with shorter seasons will just do the fig shuffle, use greenhouses, etc to get a taste from this premium family of figs.

Many varieties from the Black Madeira family tend to produce spade leaves, but established trees can produce 3-lobed and even 5-lobed leaves.

Black Madeiras are not known to produce a breba crop. However, for the first time in 2022 we actually got a small crop of quality brebas from our well-established Black Madeira (UCD).

There has been some debate in the fig community as to whether some of the different named varieties in this family are merely synonyms for a classic European variety, Violeta (Lampo). That debate will not be settled here. But there is a recent addition to the Black Madeira family that is clearly different than the others: Colonel Littman’s Black Cross, which we grow. It is definitely earlier, and more aggressive in its growth than other Black Madeira family varieties.

Some Black Madeira Fig Family Varieties

Our Black Madeira Fig Family Varieties