Louisiana State University Fig Trees
(LSU Figs)
Developed at Louisiana State Universities fig breeding program, mainly bred from the Celeste fig. I grow the ones that are fairly early ripening. The LSU trees are some of the strongest growers, they have good looking leaves that are more rust resistant than many other varieties, and small eyes so they often do not spoil.
LSU Tiger
Champagne
Improved Celeste
LSU Purple
Celeste
Louisiana State University fig breeding program released some great new figs to the public without patents to share with the world. Other figs were disturbed after the mid 1960s when they closed they fig breeding program and research centers. There were hundreds of different cultivars and people acquired some and traded them after the program closed down. They bred the fig trees to grow well in the the Southern States. Many people have also traded their non officially released cultivars for years. Most of these figs were originally propagated with the Celeste fig as the mother tree. Celeste is an old reliable sugar fig tree that dominates southern culture because it is a beautiful tree, grows extremely well, and produces great main crop sugar figs in the South with little to no care. It has no issues with humid weather, disease, and bugs. It is a wonderful sugar fig, but is known to always drop its breba crop. The newer cultivars were chosen for their even better growing habits, including earlier fruiting such as Improved Celeste, berry flavor with LSU Tiger, continued fruiting and nemote resistance with LSU Purple.
LSU Purple
LSU Purple is a purple skinned sweet honey fig that keeps producing throughout the season. It is said that its roots are nematode resistant, which is extremely important in Florida, and other parts of the country.
The fruit is said to get much better after several years. If left untrimmed it will grow into a bush shape but can easy be trimmed into an attractive small tree. It is very prolific.
LSU Purple
(LSU - P)
LSU Champagne + LSU Purple
Improved Celeste
(IC)
Improved Celeste Leaves
Fig trees leaves can come in different shapes on the same tree. My Improved Celeste has spades shape, and 3 lobed leaves, and 5 lobed leaves. The younger and lower leaves on the tree are often spade shaped. More mature leaves are like the one on the right. Since Improved Celeste is so similar to the O'Rourke fig tree, people try and tell the difference and often say the O'Rourke normally has five lobes leaves, while Improved Celeste has 3 lobes. Problem is both of them can have either type of leaves. Some people refer to their abbreviations as (IC) or (ICON) meaning Improve Celeste O'Rourke Not, because they believe they have the Improved Celeste and it is a better tree than the O'Rourke. |
A mature Improved Celeste leaf
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Improved Celeste
Improved Celeste (IC) is an unofficial LSU release. It is said that the fig grows 30% larger and produces up to two weeks earlier in the season than Celeste. For me it has been the earliest LSU fig which makes it good to own in a Northern state like Michigan. But in 2023 is was later than LSU Tiger, Hardy Chicago, and Many other Mt Etna figs.
It is often confused with O'Rourke another LSU fig with similar attributes named after the famed LSU fig breeder, Dr. Ed O'Rourke.
LSU Tiger
(LSU - T)
LSU Tiger
LSU Tiger has a light berry profile which I prefer over the other LSU fig.
LSU Tiger really does not have a bold striped skin like a Panache fig or Martinenca Rimada fig. But the striped tiger skin makes this fig taste 78% better than the other LSU figs. I simply prefer many berry tasting figs. LSU Tiger grows really well, has good looking leaves and fruit, but with a slight red berry flavored pulp and is early often ripening around September 1st for me.
Champagne
(LSU - C)
(LSU - C)
Champagne leaf
Champagne
Also known as LSU Champagne. This fig was developed and release by Louisiana State University. It is the fastest grower of all of my fig trees. It produces a yellow-champagne colored skin with brown sugar spots. It tastes light and sweet and is best when they develop the brown sugar spots on the outside of the skin. I prefer this yellow fig over any of the other yellow figs. It normally produces early and well. It has a small eye so it doesn't spoil, and it has a pleasant taste and is easy to tell when they are ripe.
This tree likes to grow tall into a more conical shape. In its first year it grew over 9 feet tall for me, and produced wonderful very sweet figs.
Also known as LSU Champagne. This fig was developed and release by Louisiana State University. It is the fastest grower of all of my fig trees. It produces a yellow-champagne colored skin with brown sugar spots. It tastes light and sweet and is best when they develop the brown sugar spots on the outside of the skin. I prefer this yellow fig over any of the other yellow figs. It normally produces early and well. It has a small eye so it doesn't spoil, and it has a pleasant taste and is easy to tell when they are ripe.
This tree likes to grow tall into a more conical shape. In its first year it grew over 9 feet tall for me, and produced wonderful very sweet figs.
Celeste
I also currently grow the Celeste fig tree and have two copies. I have not been impressed by the fruit production, size, or quality in my climate. It is the most commonly grown fig tree in the South of the United States and people still rave about how good it is for a sugar fig. I keep saying one more year to test them out, but I believe I will cull them soon.