Fig 'Italian White'

Ficus carica 'Italian White'

Italian White Fig

Italian White is a classic light-skinned fig valued for its sweet flavor, attractive fruit, and long history in cultivation. Also associated with names such as White Marseilles, Blanche, and Lattarula, this family of figs has been grown in Europe and North America for generations and is particularly well known among Italian-American gardeners.

The fruit ripens green to yellow-green with a soft, translucent amber interior. Its flavor is pleasantly sweet and mild, leaning toward honey and sugar rather than the intense berry character of dark figs. When fully ripe, the flesh becomes soft, juicy, and richly sweet.

Type: Common fig (Ficus carica)
Fruit: Green to yellow-green skin
Flavor: Honey, sugar, mild fruitiness
Pulp: Amber, light golden honey when ripe
Season: Breba, Main crop; late summer into fall
Synonyms/Associated Names: White Marseilles, Blanche, Lattarula, Brooklyn White
Cold-Climate Note: Italian White belongs to a longstanding group of light-skinned Italian/Honey-type figs with a strong history of cultivation in the northeastern United States. Experienced Zone 6 growers have reported Italian Honey/Lattarula/White Marseilles-type figs among their most productive northern light figs, with both breba and main crops ripening relatively early. Our Northeast Ohio accession has likewise ripened main-crop fruit into the cool conditions of late September. Its combination of productivity, relatively early cropping, and cool-climate performance makes Italian White particularly interesting for northern growers.