Bountiful Figs

alanmercieca

Administrator

From: North Carolina - Zone 7a -8b

Registered: Nov-29-20

Posts: 106

Greek Isles (Fig)

'Greek Isles' (Fig)

It's an unknown variety. it produces large purple figs that taste great, top quality in flavor and in texture!

'Greek Isles' is named after a Greek eatery of the same name that opened it's doors in 2004, an eatery that was once on the South end of Charlotte, NC, the restaurant was shut down in 2015 due to the lease doubling, the shut down was intended to be just temporary, eventually they planned to move to 'uptown Charlotte'. Although the Photopoulos family had/has a restaurant named 'French Quarter' to run, a restaurant that the family has owned since 1986. Clearly life got in the way of the family reopening the 'Greek Isles' restaurant. Just the same their restaurant 'French Quarter' has a few Greek items on the menu.

The original fig tree was brought from Greece by one of the then owners of the 'Greek Isles' restaurant, 'George Photopoulos' (along with an olive tree that he kept in a heated pot at the entrance of the restaurant). The tree overhung the sidewalk, and so every now and then, people would grab figs from the passenger side of their cars.

The original fig tree was destroyed since a Mexican restaurant was supposed to take it's place, and one named 'Hot Taco', did take the place of the 'Greek Isles' restaurant.

Dragos rescued this variety and it's being distributed within the fig community. The original tree is still visible on google maps.

George's dad 'Panos Photopoulos' was the original owner, and is now the former owner of the restaurant. 'Panos Photopoulos' passed away on 'July 6, 2020', in Charlotte, North Carolina, at the age of 77 years old. This was about 5 years after the 'Greek Isles' restaurant had shut down.