Improved Celeste Fig Tree

Improved Celeste Fig Tree

Another incredible introduction from Louisiana State University and likely the most valuable one for short season fig growers. Improved Celeste fig ripens one of the earliest main crops of any variety we’ve grown, ripening its delicious figs in early September here, sometimes even late August if it’s been a hot season. Figs have an especially sugar sweet caramel taste, similar to Celeste. Bred to withstand warm season rain, humid temperatures and to resist splitting in those conditions. Skin is a beautiful brownish red or violet and the flesh is a bright strawberry red. Never formally released by LSU, but this one was so precocious, delicious and early ripening that it made its way into fig collecting circles and has been circulated far and wide. This one is sure to become a mainstay in the PNW and other areas with short, cool growing seasons.

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.
Hardiness: Figs are hardy to between 0° & 5° F.
Bearing Age: 1-2 years after planting.
Size at Maturity: 10-20 ft in height, smaller with pruning.
Taste: Sugar-sweet, caramel
Fruit Skin: Brownish red to violet
Fruit Flesh: Bright strawberry-red
Bloom Time: Flowers are not noticeable as they are inside the fig.
Ripening Time: Late August-September
Yield: 10-15 lbs. or more per plant
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: 7, maybe 6?