We were out running errands last weekend, and the wife and daughter wanted to stop at a small craft fair setup at a local park. One the vendors was also selling fig preserves that were obviously homemade. I just assumed it was made from Celeste. I bought a jar, and as I was paying for it they told me that it was a fresh made since their tree had produced fig early this year. That their tree normally didn't produce until September, even in Houston, and might even still have a few ripe figs. Definitely not a Celeste then.

I asked some more questions, and their tree is a late ripening green fig with red pulp. The lady said that their tree originated from a tree belonging to her great-great grandfather. From sometime in the late 30's or early 40's. Every generation her family has rooted a cutting or sucker, and still grows this fig. They don't know if the original tree was on the property they grandfather bought the land or if a neighbor gave him the tree (he was not an immigrant).

I collected cuttings this last week. It turns out they have 3 trees of this fig. I would liked to have waited until dormancy, or to set an air-layer now (they were interested to learn how). But these people are moving within the month (home already sold). So I took cuttings now and will maybe make friends with the new owners later. The current owners have already removed two rooted suckers to move with them.

The figs I collected were good but nothing special in flavor. But they were the last figs on the tree at the end of the season, and just after the rains of Harvey moved through. But you have to love a fig that has been grown by the same family for 4 generations.

I have no idea of the variety beyond the standard "Green Ischia or Verte type". Oh, and they gave me a couple more jars of perserves and their recipe along with the cuttings!


       


CliffH

They look really good,nice find!

My fig tree from an Austin Nursery has been sitting in pot for the past eight years.
I lost the tag, but looks close to your tree. It's a very productive tree.
I just picked a semi ripe fig to show you the inside. It's the second crop on this one this summer.
I have a couple trees putting out a second crop this year.

Thanks for the input and pictures Sas. I do have a few nursery purchases that look similar to your fig too.

All that I do know about this fig is what I stated. The variety started with this family close to 80 years ago. So, it goes back further than that. It ripens very late in the summer here in zone 8b (they said usually Sept).

I have also been getting a second main crop on many figs this year. Almost all my early ripening varieties are now ripening a second crop of mains. Figs like Celeste, IC, RdB, and LSU Purple.

A little more new info on the parent tree for this variant of the "green fig". My interest in the fig sparked some renewed discussions about the tree in the owner's family. The original tree was in Schertz, Texas (just east of San Antonio). In their discussions on the tree they found an old photo of the house that shows the original tree, and they think the picture was taken back before WWII. So, that would fit with the tree probably being planted in the 1930's. They are now fairly sure that the tree was already growing on the place with their great grandfather bought the farm. 


CliffH