I was looking at Petals from the Past website and noticed an LSU Black listed. They used the same picture for both the LSU Black and the LSU Purple. I called and talked to the owners who said it came from LSU as LSU Black. I wonder if it's the same as LSU Scott's black(which is what I am assuming). Anyone know anything about this fig from them? Thanks. 

FYI Tim. Maybe Dan knows Dr. Dave Himelrick from LSU.

-------- Original Message --------
Petals,

I have two questions: 1) Are the leaves on your O'Rourke single and tri-lobed or tri- and five-lobed? and 2) Is your LSU Black Fig the same as the fig known as LSU Late Black?

Thank you,
JD

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: Enquiry from Petals from the Past, Inc.
From: info@petalsfromthepast.com
Date: Tue, December 21, 2010 8:33 am

JD,

All foliage is off of our plants at this time, but I believe our Stock plant is 3 and 5 lobed. Both it and our LSU Black, which I have not heard of being called late black, were shared with us by Dr. Dave Himelrick from LSU.

Please let me know if I can help,

Jason

-------- Original Message --------
Jason,

I have learned that there are two LSU "Blacks": LSU Scott's Black and LSU Late Black. Can you tell me which one you have for sale?

I am also interested in your O'Rourke but I want to be certain that it is O'Rourke and not Improved Celeste. I have learned on the two Fig Forums that O'Rourke and IC are *not* synonymous. Improved Celeste has single-lobed or three-lobed leaves and O'Rourke only has three-lobed and five-lobed leaves. Here is what was written:

O'Rourke....ate the first one from my own tree. It is a very good tasting fig. Drum beat please........O'Rourke IS NOT the same fig as LSU Improved Celeste. Let me repeat that again. O'Rourke is not the same as LSU Improved Celeste. I have LSU Improved Celeste trees from two sources. The leaves on both trees are single lobed and tri-lobed leaves. Never have I seen a five lobed leaf on either of my two IC trees. O'Rourke, on the other hand, has three to five lobed leaves.

I will follow up with an email once Spring arrives to confirm the leaf lobes on the O'Rourke. Until then, do you have any other figs that are not currently listed on your website?

Thanks

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: RE: Inquiry from Petals from the Past, Inc.
From: info@petalsfromthepast.com
Date: Fri, February 18, 2011 5:54 pm

I will forward this to Dad to double check on the lsu black. I do know our
O'Rourke has 3 to 5 lobed leaves.

Thank you

Jason

If the original cuttings came from Dr. Himelrick (likely Dr. Johnston took the cuttings), it is most probably Scott's Black.  It is less likely to be the Late Black or St. Gabriel Black cultivars. I have private information about these cultivars that I will not put on the internet at this time.

Sounds like Petals From The Past has the real O'Rourke. However, do not underestimate the other LSU Improved Celete variety that I reported on. It is a FANTASTIC full flavored fig.....one of THE BEST. Some who thought they had purchased an O'Rouke may well have this fig.....they need to check the number of leaf lobes on their tree to find out which one they really have. Both are very good sibling figs.....but, different cultivars that came out of the LSU fig breeding program. 

Dan

Here Ya Go......Here is my O'Rourke and LSU Improved_not O'Rourke Celeste

Thanks everyone for your information. You guys are the best!

Tim,

Figluvah, hope this year you or some other fig friends can post some pic's on these yummie variants. Hopefully confusion solved. Feedbacks
from Dan thus far have been promising and that's GREAT.

Paully,

Here is a picture of LSU Improved Celeste figs that I took in mid November 2008. The leaf pattern is not very clear in this photo......I was aiming for the fruit.  Maybe I will find better pictures on my old computer.

Dan

WOW

Here is a picture of LSU Late Black and one of LSU Scott's Black that I took in 2008. Both are very good tasting figs. I am studying quite a few more promising LSU figs. 

Dan

Hi Cecil, no, you didn't muddy any water,friend. I know some are sticklers about pure threads, but I'm not that guy. In fact I have two O'Rourkes from JR and Bass, turns out Bass's came from JR too. According to Dan's good information, they are O'Rourke because they have 3 & 5 lobed leaves. The Improves Celeste has single and 3 lobed leaves. I noticed all three of the leaves you posted have 5 lobes. JR still tells me that O'Rourke and Imp. Celeste are the same(I guess his are?). Anyway we now know that is not the case. And then there are the pic's that Dennis posted last season of his O'Rourke that he got from Durios with their long stems. Still some confusion. I'll sure take pictures of mine and post this season. It'll be interesting to compare. Dan, that was a delicious looking fig---thanks for the picture.

Tim,

This fig nut "specializes" in the LSU bred figs and knows what the heck he is talking about.  Enjoy the pictures.

Dan 

Dan,

Dan, thanks for the pictures of the Late Black and Scott's Black. I have a small Scott's Black from JR but it sure is a slow grower about a foot high). I hope to get a taste this season. I've got Late Black and Native Black on my wish list . In your opinion, is the LSU Tiger anything different enough to be a must have?  Also, I bought Marseilles from JR and remember him calling it Yellow Marseilles when I bought it.  Do you happen to know if his is the same as the Yellow Marseilles you have mentioned. Mine ripened a few last fall that were yellowish with a yellow pulp kind of a medium size fig. I'm starting over with pictures this year on Photobucket---lost all mine due to computer crash. Thanks!

Dan, not doubt's here either. Always grateful for your information.

Cecil, thanks for pointing out the pointed tip on the Imp. Celeste. I didn't notice it before. I can't wait to be able to compare.

Tim,

I am not sure about JR's Yellow Marseilles. I got mine in a trade years ago. If it is the same fig as mine, it will have very LARGE unfertile seeds inside of the pulp. No other fig has seeds that are this large. The oil from these seed husks is what gives this particular fig a pronounced nutty flavor. It is an excellent tasting fig.

LSU Tiger is a large fig with an open eye. It cannot handle heavy rains. Mine is very tender and gets killed to the ground each year. I intend to keep studying it, however, thus far I am not impressed with its performance in my yard. One grower in a dry climate has reported back to me that he loves this fig for its great flavor.  Time will tell.

Dan

Thanks Dan. Sounds like the LSU Tiger is a no for me.

Dan,

I considered those bottom thingies on the fig leaves as like an extra spur and not a lobe even if they're larger.  They don't look like lobes to me, but what do I know from nuttin', Honey.  :)

On most leaves they are smaller, but the positioning of them is why I considered them not true lobes.

Tim, most everyone who sells figs around here thinks the IC and O'R are the same.  Just try and tell them different!  LOL!  They look at you like you're crazy.  I would like to talk to Dr. Mayers about that if I can catch him at his garden.  He said that all his Celestes died from a virus that went through here a few years ago, so he went over to the ICs.  Don't know if he's talking about FMV.  I hadn't been hanging around the forums at that time he told me that, to know to ask him the name of the virus.

I got an O'rourke from Dalton Durio just because it was there, but as far as I'm concerned, the ICs are delicious, unless, of course those were really O'Rourkes.  I need to go back soon and look at the leaves of those trees.  I hope Dr. Mayers still owns that huge garden nearby. 

Those figs were so delicious.  They were lighter in color than the ones Dan showed.

It will be interesting to compare the tree from Durio's to the one I got from Mark Simon.  I'm sure that the one from Mark is a true IC of some kind because it had some one-lobed leaves last year.

noss

Man, that pic by Dan on Improved Celeste looks GRRRRRRREAT. Wish it was going into my stomach. Looks so tempting.

There is a third LSU Improved Celeste being sold in South Louisiana. However, that one is yellow in color and does not look like any of the other LSU bred figs. I have seen this fig for sale at retail nurseries for the last three years. It is being propagated by a very reliable large wholesale Nursery in South Louisiana which propagates some of the other LSU figs too.

Thanks for posting the pics Dan.  A picture is worth a 1000 words.  I have a true O'Rourke, both leaf pattern are on my tree.  Mine came from Dalton 2 years ago.  The figs are a long greyish green color when ripe but so so sweet and just awesome.  See below.  I am glad you guys cleared the air on LSU Black and Late Black.  I posted the same question and just deleted my post.  thanks again.

Dan,
Can you share your  source for LSU Late Black?
Dennis, you have mail?
JD

JD,

Mine came from a very reliable collection....so did my LSU St. Gabriel Black. To my knowledge no one is selling either cultivar at this time. I am fairly certain that these and several other little known Dr. O'Rourke selections that I am studying will one day appear at retail nurseries.  These selections deserve further study since they come from the good genetics of Celeste and Hunt mother figs. Living is South Louisiana, I have "found" some of these little known figs growing in private collections. Some people do not wish to be identified on the internet and I will respect their wishes.

FYI, there are several strains of Golden Celeste too. One was "officially released by LSU as Champagne. The others are completely different sibling figs. Yep........even more fig confusion!!! The "amber pulp" Golden Celeste strain is a dynamite super sweet fig. However, it develops lots of sugar spots which make this fig look ugly. That is probably why LSU did not release this particular one to the public.  However, this fig is too good not to eventually become available to the public.  Same goes for Scott's Yellow.....which produces excellent tasting early "breba" figs (early June in my area). LSU had bulldozed their tree down and apparently did not see the potential of this fig. IMO, Scott's Yellow may turn out to be a great "early ripening" fig for northern growers. Time will tell.

At this time I do not sell cuttings or plants. However, sometimes I trade cuttings or plants for cultivars I do not have. All of my trades have been completed for this year.

Dan