Purple, Brown, or Black Figs

This may be the heirloom fig Amato, sometimes incorrectly Amata, that was imported by Amato Tassa from Italy during his immigration from Italy. An article was written about his Mr. Tassa's 25' high fig tree in Washington, D.C. in the October 8, 1910 issue of the Washington Times as fresh ripened figs seem to be almost unknown from that area at that time. In Dr. Ira Condit's Figs: a Monograph he lists this variety as Royal with the synonyms: Obispo, Trojano di Napoli, Tassa Brown, and Geraci Black and suggests that it was imported several times and was given a variety of names. Dr. Condit states that it produces both a fair breba crop and a decent primary crop of medium to large, black, violet, to green, turbinate, or flattened and with little or no neck, with a modereately rich, sweet flavor and an amber to strawberry flesh. It has a medium to large eye and so may be best suited to drier climates. Amato's cold hardiness, as proven by its ability to apparently thrive and produce in the Washington, D.C. area, should make this a good fig to try in more northerly latitudes. These were kindly shared with us by Christine Jones. Item# 11450

The sweet dark figs of Mission are the number one favorite for drying. Mission is one of the most widely grown figs in California producing heavy crops of medium to large dark purplish-black pear-shaped fruit with a rich, sweet strawberry red pulp. Good fresh or preserved. Black Mission is self-pollinating and may produce a light breba crop. A good choice for the South as well. The small eye makes it resistant to spoiling. Item # 832.

 

Brown Turkey is the ultimate Southern fig producing large crops of medium to large, brown to maroon, turbinate figs over a long season that begins in June. The flesh is strawberry red and is sweet with good flavor. The Texas Everbearing fig is also known as Brown Turkey fig.  This is probably the most reliable and commonly grown fig in Southern regions but it is the standard bearer for hardiness tolerating the climate of zone 5. It is known to fruit if frozen to the ground as well. Resistant to spoiling and splitting and good fresh, dried, or preserved. Self pollinating and with a small but open eye. Item# 920.

Celeste is the standard by which all other figs are judged on sweetness and flavor. If you've ever eaten one you know why it is also called the Honey or Sugar fig. It produces small to medium sized pear shaped violet to light violet fruit with red pulp and white to amber flesh. Very reliable for the South and Southeastern US and excellent cold tolerance. Small productive and hardy trees for the home orchard. Item# 355

Chicago Hardy produces large crops of medium to small nearly black to brown or violet, pear shaped to turbinate figs with amber to strawberry flesh with a rich sweet flavor. Very similar to Brown Turkey. The eye is small minimizing spoilage. Hardy Chicago was found growing in the Chicago, Illinois area although it may have originated in Sicily, Italy. It has exceptional cold hardiness and is known to fruit in the same season even if frozen to the ground. Item# 9546.

This is a large to very large purple fig with good flavor. An heirloom fig that was brought to the US from Italy via Dr. Sam Monticello's grandmother. The soon to be Mrs. Decarlo was a 16 years old bride and on her way to meet her new husband. She wrapped the cuttings in newspaper to get them here as she traveled to the new world aboard ship. Dr. Monticello, a Lake Charles Master Gardener and retired physician, says that they have been grown in this area from the time his grandmother arrived here as well as in Kansas where part of their family migrated to. 

Florea is an early ripening type said to be  a cold hardy fig,  a great choice for colder climates with short seasons. It is a brown to purple fig with an amber interior. Item# 12691

The medium-sized purple, red, brown to near black figs have a thin skin with a  juicy, mildly fruity flavored, sweet flesh that ranges from deep amber or orange to a near strawberry heart typically ripening in September. Grise Olivette Fig is a French fig whose name translates to "gray olive". Expect it to be a smaller plant as this variety tends to have lower vigor which may lend it to use as a containerized plant. Item#13016

How can you improve on Celeste, the Honey fig? Well here you go, Improved Celeste produces good crops of very sweet, small to medium sized light violet to violet-brown fruit with reddish amber flesh. It may produce a light breba crop but the main crop produces a large yield of delicious fruit. The tightly closed eye makes it resistant to spoiling and so it is a good choice for the Southeast. Ripens with Celeste in June. A small productive and hardy tree. Item# 9033

An impressively cold hardy fig producing medium-sized amber, brown to near burgundy colored fruit with rich sweet amber flesh. Letizia Fig is sometimes compared to Chicago Hardy with which it shares exceptional hardiness into zone 6 but the fruit may be slightly smaller. It is also known to produce a breba or early crop along with the typical main fruit crop. This is an heirloom Italian fig that was brought from the Marche region of Italy in the early 1900's by the family of Steve and Peg Castorani and was named in honor of Steve's mother Letizia. Steve's family has grown and fruited this plant in Hockessin, Delaware since about 1965 and Steve brought cuttings to their North Creek Nursery near Landenberg, Pennsylvania where it apparently has done well in a semi-protected 'hot garden'. Burpee suggested that they name it and propagate and it quickly sold out. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a well-drained, average moist, fertile soil for optimum vigor and fruit production. Protect young trees for the first few years especially in zones 8A and colder while they become established. Item# 12727

Developed at LSU by Dr. Ed O'Rourke and company for fig production in the hot humid South, LSU Gold produces large flattened green figs that ripen to greenish yellow, yellow, or yellow blushed with red. The flesh is pink to amber and is very sweet with excellent flavor. The open eye of LSU Gold is typically filled with honeydew making it fairly resistant to souring and it is also split resistant. Produces a good breba crop and is very productive and vigorous. One of John's top 3 favorites.Item# 831. 

Imagine Celeste on steroids as Mega Celeste produces medium to large figs with a flavor nearly as rich and sweet as its namesake. The large pear shaped to turbinate figs have a dark violet skin with white flesh and a dark purplish-red pulp. The eye is small but open and the figs are resistant to spoiling and splitting. Mega Celeste is known to produce a breba crop. This is a likely, but as of yet unconfirmed, unofficial LSU release from Dr. O'Rourke's breeding program. Item# 9918.

The O'Rourke fig, a recent LSU release, produces a good crop of medium-sized brown to bronze turbinate figs with a partially closed eye and sweet and rich, amber to strawberry red flesh. O'Rourke was selected as one of the elite figs from Dr. Ed O'Rourke's breeding program for production, growth habit, hardiness, and disease resistance. Item# 9702.

these are about 15-18 inches tall, well rooted, in own pot, as of 2-8-21.

LSU SCOTTS BLACK FIG...Some comments from some fig lovers: The LSU Black that was circulated by LSU is the same one from Petals from the Past and was later ID'd as LSU Scotts Black (red interior and distinct leaves). Scott's Black has the tightest eye of the three and a flavor profile closer to VDB. It is not much of a splitter unless it rains days on end. We are anxious to try it at our nursery here in Louisiana. Let us hear your experiences! When fully ripe, it is said to have unbeatable taste. Item# 11070

A cold hardy, productive fig producing medium-small, dark black to purple, pear shaped figs with a rich sweet, strawberry-like flavor and a dark red-purple flesh and an open eye. Valle Negra Fig, which translates to dark valley, is a vigorous and reliably cold hardy fig selected from a tree in the Alps of Italy in the central portion of the Camonica Valley (Val or Valle Camonica). It was discovered and introduced by an Italian botanist who was, and maybe still is, reportedly in search of good quality cold hardy figs and it appears Sergio hit the jackpot with this one. It is considered by some to be one of the better figs for the Northeastern US. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a well-drained, average moist, fertile soil for optimum vigor and fruit production. Protect young trees for the first few years especially in zones 8A and colder while they become established. Item# 12923

Violette De Bordeaux, the dark purple form of Bordeaux, produces medium sized purple fruit with dark purplish-red flesh. The tree is dwarf and compact making it suitable for containers and is one the more cold hardy varieties tolerating zone 6 winters. Violette De Bordeaux is considered to be the same as Negronne according to Dr. Ira Condit's Figs: A Monograph. Item# 11127