This fig (12 gallon potted) is always first to produce a main crop and tends to set the bar quite high. One of (if not the) best figgy tasting figs. It is a jammy dense tenor saxophone-like fig. It is reliable, productive and is in the top 1% of figs here in 8B in terms of tolerance to heat, humidity, rain and gardener neglect.

EDIT: I changed the name of this thread (from LSU Improved Celeste 2014) to Improved Celeste 2014 and when I can, I will rename the images to reflect the same. Here's why: I believe the name "O'Rourke" refers to the official release of LSU Improved Celeste with five lobes. I do not believe it refers to the other misnamed and excellent cultivars (like mine).

  

Thanks for the nice pictures and fig description! 
I hope mine is the same, I have a small plant but no figs yet.

As a container plant in Wisconsin, it is the first to ripen fruit and is really the only variety I have that ripens all of its fruit before the onset of freeze.  I've been selling a lot of figs to people locally, so it's the variety I get the beginners to start with.

Mine died to the ground this winter but it sprang back and has figs on it...great variety in my book

JD, thanks for taking the time to post pictures and describe the taste of the LSU improved Celeste. One question have you had a chance to compare this fig with a "regular" celeste ? and if yes how different was the flavor and ripening time.
 
   Peter

Thanks for sharing your report and photos JD. My Improved Celeste came from James Robin, not sure if we are growing the same fig, but my plant has many green figs. The plant is vibrant now that it is in the ground, I can't wait to taste them for the first time this year. I'll have to take some cuttings and give one to my Mom.

Mike in Hanover, VA

Thanks all.

Looks like a good one for sure. I'm ready for my IC to grow more so I can taste these.

JD: Does your Improved Celeste have only single and three lobed leaves? My Improved Celeste has only single and three lobed leaves, I have not seen five lobed leaves on mine. Thanks for sharing.

Best,
Tam

They look great. My IC isn't a really good grower, I doubt that it is the 1/3 lobed IC-O'Rourke Not that I was wanting when I acquired the cuttings last year. It's getting one more year then its either curtains or a give away.

They look great! I'll have to add it to my growing list (no pun intended).

Thanks for the great info!

JD, thanks for the information!

  Peter

Very good figs.