Bethel Grove Gardens · Variety reference
Marseilles
Biological type: Common (persistent)
Pollination: Unknown
Reference estimates, not sale offers or mature-tree appraisals. Price evidence date not recorded.
Fruit & growing traits
- Biological type
- Common (persistent)
- Crop habit
- Bifera (some strains)
- Main crop ripening
- Average
- Flavor profile
- Honey
- Fruit size
- Small–medium
- Skin color
- Green-yellow
- Pulp color
- Amber
- Hardiness / climate notes
- Zones 7–10
Reported growth habit: Unknown
Origins & names
- Geographic origin
- Provence / Mediterranean — loose US catalog name
- Possible origin
- France
- Synonyms / alternate names
- See White Marseilles; Blanche
- Same or nearly the same
- White Marseilles / Blanche / Lattarula group
- Popular close brother
- White Marseilles
- Known parentage
- Blanche / White Marseilles family
- Reference year
- 1500
- First year (estimate)
- Renaissance Mediterranean white fig; US catalog shorthand
- What the year means
- First named or first widely circulated
Evidence & reference values
- Confidence
- Medium — nursery / forum / regional commercial sources
- Key sources
- Condit; Raintree Lattarula; existing White Marseilles row
- Condit page
- Unknown / not recorded
- Notes
- Bare 'Marseilles' in US nurseries almost always means White Marseilles / Blanche / Lattarula.
- Commonality
- Common
- Market availability
- Garden center
Preserved earlier research
These earlier notes have not been reconciled with every catalog field. Edit the full description to replace this section with a current account.
Monticello’s account cites Jefferson’s correspondence identifying France as the source of his Marseilles figs. It documents a historical source country, not the cultivar’s first emergence or this accession’s complete chain.
Preserved earlier research. The updated workbook fields above may differ; consult the cited sources when reports conflict.
