Celeste Fig Tree
Celeste Fig Tree is so sweet it is known as the “sugar fig”. Its incredible cold and heat tolerance as well as its compact form and amazing taste have made it a long time favorite for the Southeastern United States. Celeste has light brown to violet skin with a bright strawberry red flesh. It is excellent for fresh eating and is also one of the best figs for drying and preserves. The closed eye makes it difficult for insects to get in and its resistance to cracking makes it a great choice for areas with summer rainfall. Celeste puts most of its energy into the main crop which ripens from late August into September, but will occasionally produce a breba crop. We recommend growing Celeste in areas with long, hot growing seasons. Not recommended for cool, coastal regions.
One of the easiest fruits to grow, and a true gourmet delight, you should not live your life without feasting on this sweet, delectable fruit. To fully enjoy fresh Figs you must grow your own. When fully ripe and at their tender, shipping them long distances is virtually impossible. Another plus for Figs – deer don’t like them (most of the time)!
Click here to read our Fig Growing Guide.
Latin Name: Ficus carica
Site and Soil: Figs do well in a variety of soils, but require at least 8 hours of sunlight during the growing season.
Pollination Requirements: Self-fruitful.
Bloom Time: Flowers are not noticeable as they are inside the fig.
Bearing Age: 1-2 years after planting.
Size at Maturity: 10-15 ft. in height, smaller with pruning.
Taste: Sweet
Fruit Skin: Violet
Fruit Flesh: Bright strawberry red
Ripening Time: September
Yield: 30-50 lbs.
Pests & Diseases: Figs are not bothered by pests in our region. Cover plants with netting if birds are a problem.
Fig Mosaic Virus is a benign virus that exists in all cultivated fig trees. Yellow spotting of the leaves is a cosmetic symptom that shows more in container culture, but is quickly outgrown once trees are planted in the ground. The presence of FMV in all cultivated figs has become widely accepted, as even the national germplasm repository for figs maintained by the USDA has Fig Mosaic Virus. If the presence of FMV is a concern, then purchasing fig trees may not be the best option for you.
USDA Zone: 6