I've purchased "O'Rourke" from Petals from the Past.  The plants were in great condition and had great roots.  However after leafing out it became apparent that they didn't have the leaf pattern of the true O'Rourke.  I got to sample a couple figs from these this year and they didn't match the description of O'Rourke figs in color.  I know leaf patterns and fig color can vary but this was pretty significantly different (especially the leaf pattern).

Based on this, I'm thinking that Petals is likely a good, inexpensive source for LSU Improved Celeste, even though they call it O'Rourke.  Here's a link to their description.  They even quote that "O'Rourke is generally called improved Celeste" in their product description.  One of LSU's own publications even states something similar.  I'm certainly not trying to give anyone a bad name, just pointing out that keeping these cultivars straight is somewhat confusing.

I have some O'Rourke cuttings from a good source that I'm rooting this year.  Hopefully I'll be able to compare them side-by-side at some point growing in this climate to be more easily able to tell the difference.

Improved Celeste is different from O'Rourke.  Here's another link:

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/ORourke-Improved-Celeste-WHATEVER!-5925025

Dennis the link is no good. when i click on it it says it cant be found.

Here is the Mother of Dr O'Rourke fig cultivar,(top of pix,showing Southern Brown Turkey)
The bottom fruits are Celeste for comparison.
Notice the closed eye Southern Brown turkey has:That was what DR O'Rourke was after,Closed eye,and he successfully created O'Rourke cultivar very similar to Mother tree but with larger fruits.
Dr O Rourke used many different female cultivar in creating the hybrid selections,like LSu Purple,Scot's black,LSU Gold,etc.
However ,he did have only one male caprifig that he used in all crosses,so all LSU new selections are sister on father side,but not on mother side.
Nowadays LSU simplified,information,like they all come from a Celeste mother and a caprifig father,but ,I doubt.

You all talking about early main season figs?  Wouldn't RdB be one of the key varieties?

I have Ronde de B,but it is too young to know if it will be as early as the above.
So Far it was not.
I am talking facts at this point in time.

Vasile,

What is the leaf pattern(how many lobes) of your Improved Celeste(O'Rourke Not)?

Three lobes leaves.

Do any nurseries sell cuttings or only plants?  I am in zone 6 and would
like to try this Florea if it is that hardy.

How does Florea taste? It looks a little similar to brown turkey

Thanks Vasile.

How can it be similar to Brown Turkey,when it get ripe a couple of month earlier?
In My climate Brown Turkey,California and English ,start ripening at the end of August and trickle one by one trough November.
Most fruits remain unripe when frost come.
If it ripe properly in suitable climate Florea,it is a very good tasting fig,way better than BT.

Florea has done very well here in NH. I planted in the ground and cover it for Winter. A post called "Herman made me do it" shows what I did here to protect it. 
A friend bought a plant from me which is now 3 years old , she got 40 figs last season and is extremely happy with it. Doesn't even care to try another fig variety she is so happy with Florea.
She planted hers in the ground and for Winter covers it with a cardboard box , fills that with straw and puts a tarp over that.
Florea seems to set fruit easily here. When I go to pinch to encourage fruit set , it already has set fruit.
A great variety for this area , Thanks very much Vasile for sharing Florea !

I am looking forward to planting this outdoors. Thanks, Herman and Kerry!

Herman, I did not mean to insult you or Florea. I am anxiously awaiting my plant. I was just curious for a description of the fruit.

Bill, TN 7

O"Rourke fig look like  Southern Brown Turkey,fruit leaves ,all match ,closed eye too,so it is like comparing a mother and a child,they have similar feature,that is why ,it is clearly,Dr O 'Rourke work to improve it.
Improved Celeste ,has features like Celeste,so it is an improvement on Celeste,this can be seen if one grow them side by side.
My take:Dr O'Rourke worked to improve all existent cultivars that proved to resist ,Southern climate conditions,with the idea to make them produce larger fruits,and he did get some good results.
Not perfect every time but some are very good indeed.
For ex: Improved Celeste is a superior fig compared to Regular Celeste,but for very demanding climates ,with a lot of rain like Louisiana,is not perfect as it have an eye that is a little more open than Regular Celeste,as it was taking some genes from the male caprifig,yet is much better ,than Celeste,here in my climate,because it does not drop any fruits.

The Southern Brown Turkey in the above pix is from James Robin,and is very tasty.
The leaves and fruits are different,but the eye is just as closed as on a regular Celeste.
Look no farther ,James Robin has it.

Herman2,
Just wanted to post pictures of my 2nd year improved Celeste one of the earliest ripening potted cultivars this season. All my potted figs got off to a late start, Southern Brown Turkey and Celeste have already produced a few ripe figs. This improved Celeste looks like it will ripen most of the figs that are currently on the tree (over 1 dozen were already pinched, but over 4 dozen are at the stagnant stage), even with our cold rainy summer this year and a late start to the season.
Note: this improved Celeste was from Petals... and labeled O'Rourke. My O'Rourke was also from Petals... and was labeled Tiger. I did  get an actual "Tiger" from Petals also, but it has not produced any figs as yet.
Thanks again for the recommendations.

<edit> 9/9/13... I picked two of the figs, they were not fully ripe, IMO they needed at least 2 more days.

Yes it is a good fig Pete,especially for us in cold climates,good for a base fig,and then, try others that are more difficult to grow and ripe.

Thank you for posting very pretty photos. Can Herman2 or Pete please post the leaf photos of the Improved Celeste. Thank you.

Best,
Tam

Tam,
Attached are a few leaf pictures of the improved Celeste taken earlier in the year. There are additional photos posted under Celeste in the Fig of the Day Topic.  You're welcome.

If you look closely at the leaf nodes you will see the figlets forming. If you compare the dates on the photo to the dates on the photos above, you will notice that it took less than 70 days to harvest ripe figs from this cultivar, once the figlets had started to form.

Hi! Pete,

Thank you for posting your Improved Celeste Photos. Dan in Louisiana said that Improve Celeste has mostly single-lobed leaves. Your tree has three-lobed leaves. I have 8 Celeste trees that I need to know if they are Improved Celeste or not. This photo is Dan's Improved Celeste. 




Best,
Tam

Tam,
You're welcome.
In Dan A's Posts and comments on improved Celeste, he has always specified

Hi! Pete,

Thank you very much for your information on Improved Celeste. 

Best,
Tam

Herman, I know your looking for reports on the earliness of in ground figs.

But, I would like to make note that out of all our potted figs,Our Abruzzi selection ripened before Improved Celeste, this year, 2013.

Our potted Improved Celeste is still green. But, I have been picking Abruzzi now for over a week.

I hope this is going to be true also, when we place Abruzzi in ground.

I will know better next year.

Bob @ T. Pine zone 5b/6a Connecticut