I have been considering picking up an improved celeste but I have been reading that it may be the same as O'Rourke. Anyone able to clarify this for me?

O'Rourke is supposed to be a Great Fig

I really hope so I just drove 256 Mi one way to get one!

Dan, since you have 2 that were supposedly different, any chance you can tell us where the difference lies -- like is it color of the pulp, flavour, shape of fruit, etc. Thanks. Looks like you have a specialise collection of LSU variants. This is very good.

I have 2 Improved Celeste.

One was bought as such, and has fruited.
For some pictures, comments and source see :
http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=2982584

The other I got from JR last fall and has not fruited.
It was bought as an O'Rourke. So far the leaves do not
look like those of an O'R, but was told (by JR) to be patient.
To me they look like those of a regular Celeste and also
different from my first one.