Some variety strains are attributed to this now closed nursery and have the BC, BN or Belleclare suffix appended to the variety names.

Sometimes called a Gateway Variety. It can refer to the fig fruit, itself. But usually refers to cuttings and or trees that have qualities that are good for beginners: widely available, common type, easy to root, cold hardy, inexpensive, and tasty. Some classic beginner varieties are Violette de Bordeaux and Chicago Hardy.

Some variety strains are attributed to this now closed nursery and have the BC, BN or Belleclare suffix appended to the variety names.

Also called BFF. A recently introduced pest to southern California, causing severe damage to fig crops. See PEST ALERT – Black Fig Fly and the Black Fig Fly article on Silba adipata McAlpine. 

A fig variety that produces two crops: the early breba crop in late spring/early summer, and the main crop from mid-summer through early fall.

Two-lipped.

The color "black" or "dark" is often in the name of fig varieties and can be translated from:

• Catalan: Negre

• French: Noire (feminine); Noir (masculine)

• Greek: Mávros

• Italian: Nero

• Portuguese: preta (feminine); preto (masculine)

• Spanish: negra (feminine); negro (masculine)

• Turkish: siyah

Also called BFF. A recently introduced pest to southern California, causing severe damage to fig crops. See PEST ALERT – Black Fig Fly and the Black Fig Fly article on Silba adipata McAlpine.

One of the family of fig varieties that are grouped into categories of similar characteristics. Sometimes called Black Madeira Type. A premium class of figs.

One of the family of fig varieties that are grouped into categories of similar characteristics. Sometimes called Black Mission Type. One of the most widely-grown commercial varieties in California.

In short, a caprifig type fig is the male fig that produces the pollen required to caprify (pollinate) female figs.

Unless you are located in very select regions of California that have the fig wasp (the only known natural means for pollinating female figs), you may want to avoid caprifigs. HOWEVER, some outside of wasp regions will elect to acquire caprifigs for manual pollination or to attempt to establish the fig wasp.

you may be interested in more detailed information in his book, Caprifigs and Caprification.

(1883–1981) was an American horticulturist who studied subtropical fruits, including the fig, the olive, and the avocado. His contributions to the fig community were extensive. In addition to his exhaustive fig research, testing, and breeding, he wrote a number of books on figs, including: The Kadota Fig, Fig Characteristics Useful in the Identification of Varieties, Fig Culture in California, The Fig, Caprifigs and Caprification, and the comprehensive tome, Fig Varieties: A Monograph.