Dark Portuguese

About

Dark Portuguese is a robust Portuguese variety with large, deeply coloured figs. The skin is a rich purple-brown to near-black and the flesh is a deep wine-red with a rich, dense sweetness and a pleasant earthiness. It is closely related to the broader family of Iberian dark figs and shares their reputation for high sugar content and strong productivity. A solid performer with excellent eating quality.

Growing Notes

• Vigorous, upright growth — benefits from open-centre pruning to allow light into the canopy.
• Good producer with both breba and main crops in suitable climates.
• Prefers warm, sheltered positions; wall-training suits it well.
• Some tolerance of cooler summers compared to other dark-fleshed Portuguese types.
• Cold hardiness moderate — mulch roots and protect branches below −7 °C (19 °F).

My Notes

A solid, dependable dark fig with genuine depth of flavour. Not as finicky as Black Madeira but with a similar dark, earthy character. Growing against the warmest wall in the garden and performing well.