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Looking for improved Celeste cutting.

First off this community has been very helpful to me thus far and for that I thank each and every one of you. I am looking for a cutting from an improved Celeste as they seem to be a good variety for my needs. I have looked online and while I can find the Celeste cuttings I can't seem to find one of the improved varieties. I have read a lot about the LSU and O'Rouke and they seem to be popular. Also I would like a clean disease free variety. Does anyone have a lead on where I can obtain one of these cuttings? I am only looking to grow one of these trees and therefore I want to get the best possible one. Thanks so much for the help.

PM sent.

I would not swear to it but I remember Dr. Johnson saying that there was not an "Improved Celeste" but if there had ever be one it would have been the O'Rourke.  You can do searches on the LSU Fig Field Day and there was a pretty good discussion on the subject.  Ever once in a while, people will ask or state about a Celeste leaf without the "thumbs" was an "Improved Celeste".  I do not believe there is such a thing as an "Improved Celeste" based on what Dr. Johnson said, but my memory may not be as clear as some other people who were also there.  Look for a posting by "Noss" (Vivian), I think she made a very good post on the subject.  "Darkman", "CAJUNB", "Bobby" and "Omotm" were also there so you might search on their posts as well.

A good research task.

Chris,
  You'll have to do a lot more investigation to get the story straight on this.  There are some threads on this forum that have pieced the story together pretty well.  There are also some really good sources not on this forum that corroborate the info and add additional information (e.g. how to tell O'Rourke apart from LSU Improved Celeste.)
  I believe the summary is that the O'Rourke is the tree that LSU released as "an improved version of Celeste."  However, years before the O'Rourke was officially released, other trees from the LSU nurseries used in the hybridization programs unofficially found their way out into the public.  There is one in particular known as "LSU Improved Celeste."  To differentiate them from the O'Rourke (the official release) they are sometimes referred to as ICON -- "Improved Celeste O'Rourke Not".
  I won't say more than this for fear I'll get it wrong.  Hopefully what I've said so far isn't wrong!
Jim

Thanks for the info. So then I would ask where can I find an O'rouke cutting? Any ideas would be appreciated.

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Originally Posted by chrisw
Thanks for the info. So then I would ask where can I find an O'rouke cutting? Any ideas would be appreciated.


CAJUNB can probably help you with that.

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Originally Posted by Charlie
Quote:
Originally Posted by chrisw
Thanks for the info. So then I would ask where can I find an O'rouke cutting? Any ideas would be appreciated.


CAJUNB can probably help you with that.



Great thanks!!!! And where or how do I find him/her?

Imp Celeste will have 1 to 3 lobes, O'rourke will have 3 to 5 lobes. Both are developed from Celeste but O'rourke is not Imp Celeste.

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Originally Posted by chrisw
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Originally Posted by Charlie
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Originally Posted by chrisw
Thanks for the info. So then I would ask where can I find an O'rouke cutting? Any ideas would be appreciated.


CAJUNB can probably help you with that.
Great thanks!!!! And where or how do I find him/her?


http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/profile/1944640

Thanks everyone for the help!! I will message cajunb!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie


CAJUNB can probably help you with that.
Great thanks!!!! And where or how do I find him/her?


http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/profile/1944640


The profile link say User has been deleted. Is he still a good source?

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 I bought an O’Rourke from Petals from the Past last year because I was told on the fig forums it really was the Celeste Improved (Improved Celeste). This seems to be correct. The leaves emerging now are one lobed, three lobed, and a few with the three lobes with "thumbs" . The first year fruit were very good. I’m looking forward to more this year.

I also bought a Celeste Improved from Almost Eden. The leaf is different from the other CI and all the new leaves are three lobed with the top "thumbs". There are no one or three lobed leaves. It hasn’t fruited yet so I really can’t say what it is. 

All my trees are leafing out now so it's too late for cuttings. 

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I am trying to find an article from James on the Improved Celeste release. Buried in one of my email accounts.

I had the same question when I got O'Rourke cuttings from him and wondered about the label "Improved Celeste O'Rourke".

The release, I believe, was Improved Celeste, Improved Celeste O'Rourke and Improved Celeste Tiger, from LSU in 1957.

My recollection (October) is that these three were released at the same time, and different as described above.

Maybe James will see this and post the release info he sent me, it was informative and specific. It may have been in my work Email and not recoverable.

I have seen a couple questions lately referring to this and was hoping to find it.

 There is also Golden Celeste which is different, and not an Improved Celeste, just to mess with you. Giant Celeste too.

LSU/Celeste figs rooting; Celeste, Improved Celeste, Improved Celeste O'Rourke, Golden Celeste, Hollier, LSU Gold, LSU Purple.

Hope James posts.

 Good Luck, Mike

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It appears my memory sucks sometimes, lol.  Champagne, O'Rourke and Tiger

Here is the link James sent me.

http://www.lsu.edu/departments/horticulture/new_figs.pdf

Hope it helps, Mike

 

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Mountain figs has the break down on this reference. I cannot access it through my current server.

If you search Mountain Figs Improved Celeste, Improved Celeste O'Rourke, you will find the other post James sent me, that explains it better.

I would post the direct link if I had access here.

  Mike

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The article by Mountain Figs is here: https://mountainfigs.net/answers/orourke-and-improved-celeste-2-distinct-cultivars/

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