By: Carolina di Basilicata

In 1902, at age 19, my great grandmother Carolina (pronounced caroleena) immigrated from Albano di Locania Basilicata, Italy to NYC. She brought a cutting of her family fig tree from her southern Italy garden to her new home in Corona Queens, NYC.

My Dad recalls scooping horse manure from city streets left by horse carriages for his grandmother’s fig tree. He also remembers being told to scatter old grape scraps around the tree after the men were finished making wine. My Dad claims that this was her secret for healthy, strong and productive fig tree!

My family has cherished this tree and passed it down from generation to generation.
The “mother tree” is now in Riverhead, NY. She has survived countless hurricanes and snow snowstorms. The tree traditionally grows one crop of figs. Last year the tree produced 2 crops (breba and main crop).

Carolina di Basilicata (CdB) figs have dark skin, like eggplant. There is moderate seed crunch and sweet fig flavor. It is a very vigorous and productive varietal. This tree is easy to propagate by rooting cuttings and air-layer.

CdB appears to be similar to Mt. Etna figs. When dried, the figs taste like Fig Newton Cookies.

Carolina di Basilicata is named after the young brave Italian girl who loved figs!

Pamela Maino
Back Bay Buddy Gardens
Newport Beach, CA