Now that the excessive heat has moved on, it's now raining and projected to rain every day till the weekend.  A few of my trees have ripening fruit.  About 2 years ago, I bought 2 O'Rourke trees from Dalton.  Growing the figs in a container the first year, the figs looked grayish in color with a long neck and very sweet.  Since I place the tree in the ground, the fig have turned to a brown fat bell shape and are sugar sweet.  I picked these today.  These figs came from 2 different trees because I was not sure if my O'Rourke was a "true" O'Rourke.  It was single lobe, 3 lobes and 5 lobes which I thought were common in O'Rourke figs.  I was wrong.  Turns out, O'Rourke has Brunswick type leaves.  So, these trees are Improved Celeste, not O'Rourke.  The figs weighed 18, 23, and 28 grams and were very very sweet.  My wife loved them and so did I.  Maybe one day I will get a true O'Rourke.  And BTW, Almost Eden do not have the true O'Rourke.  They are all Improved Celeste but a very good strain and I am happy!

I'm hopeful that I'll get to taste at least one Improved Celeste this year.  I have a few plants

Does anyone know who might have the true O'Rourke?  I'd be interested in a small plant or cuttings this fall/winter!

James Robin is selling them this year. ordered one a few days ago

I'm waiting on cuttings of Celeste to arrive right now,
I'd be interested in cuttings of the improved celeste also to see what the difference will be if anyone can spare a few cuttings. Thanks!

Hello Dennis, Can you show pictures of true ORourke Leaves. I have one from a good source, but want to make sure. Like in your case, mistakes are made. It happens sometimes with confusion. If I can confirm it's O'Rourke, Will start a airlayer for you. Don't get all excited yet, cause it could be Improved Celeste or whatever.


luke

Luke, sorry but I do not have the true O'Rourke.  My effort to get one failed.  O'Rourke is suppose to have Brunswick (long finger) type leaves.

Noss I think the answer to you question on "why is it so hard to get a real O'Rourke" lies in the fact that the two have been mixed up from the beginning. Also I have never seen anything about LSU releasing the Improved Celeste. It may have just walked off campus and got into the trade and when LSU officially released the O'Rourke many thought it was the same fig. Just my guessing but I wish someone had the complete answer.
"gene"

Noss, there are so many people and nurseries out there that say Improved Celeste fig trees are the same as O'rourke.  Dalton, Almost Eden, and JR sell a fig called O'Rourke.  I do know for a fact that Dalton and JR trade trees and cuttings.  I got my trees from Almost Eden, Durio, and Petal from the Past.  A few weeks ago, Almost Eden sold O'Rourke and IC completely seperate.  After I order a few trees from them, I asked Jon of AE to send me pics of the leaf patterns of his 2 trees.  He told me, they look the same!  I checked my order and sure enough, they were the same.  He changed web site and removed the O'Rourkes.   I'm not mad or angry, I just want the confusion to end but it doesn't look like it will.  According to Petals from the Past,  they are calling their O'Rourke, Improved Celeste!  Go to their web site and you will see.  ARGH!!!!!  So, all of my trees are nothing but Improved Celeste but an excellent tasting fig!  All of my trees including th 2 gallon trees are ripening at the same time and they are Improved Celeste.

My picture were there and now they are gone.  Here they are once again.

Hi Viv,

If I lived as close to JR as you do I would go to his place NOW and pick out me a O'Rourke (You already know he has the real deal!and what the leafs look like.

That is what I would do.

Good deal Viv,

Tell JR & Betty that Dorcas and I said Hi..

Good day!  This past weekend, I did a high level inventory of some of my container fig trees and guess what I found?

I found 4 TRUE O'ROURKE fig trees!  HA HA!  They were growing right next to my Improved Celeste trees.  HA HA HA!!!!!!  I AM BUSTING WITH JOY!

Early Summer, I bought several figs from John at Almost Eden.  Back then he had listed on his web site both Improved Celeste and O'Rourke available.  So, I bought several of each but not in one shipment.  After my in ground Improved Celeste fruited this year, I was in love with IC figs.  So I emailed Jon asking for clairifaction on the difference between the 2 trees.  He said they were the same!  ARGH!  I was confused!  So I started this post.  Some members emailed me pictures of their O'Rourke and IM leaf patterns.  WHat I learned is some members do not have the true O'Rourke!  What they have is an Improved Celeste!  Heck my big container IC was sold to my by Dalton years ago was called O'Rourke and I labeled it as such.  Dalton thinks they are the same and they are not!  I was confused until many forum members showed me where I was wrong.  So, this weekend, my so called "O'Rourke" fig trees were labled Improved Celeste, their correct name.

I am tickled pink!   I am so happy I got the true O'Rourke now.  I got 4 figs from my little trees but that's alright because they will grow into big trees!  I thought about digging up my 3 IC fig trees but I won't.  They are growing solid in my orchard and each are at least 8" thick in diameter at the base.  I emailed Jon at AE and explained the difference between them.  He said somehow he got the labels mixed up.  I know it's an honest mistake.  I will definately buy from him again.  I'm glad he took down the O'Rourkes from his web site.  As it turns out, he did get the labels mixed because I got several shipments from Jon back in the summer and O'Rourkes came when I only ordered ICs.  And I got a mismatch in both orders!  I know Jon had the true OR becuase the person that gave it to him emailed me showing the correct leaf patterns of his tree before he lost it!  

HA!  I am so glad......I am busting with joy!

Congratulations!!

here you go Noss!  Here is a pic of 3 of them.  They are slowing loosing their leaves even though it has 3 figs on.

cheers,

Hi, I'm in southwest VA, in a cool 7a. I was wondering what might  be a better fig; Celeste  or Improved Celeste.
O'Rourke sounds good also, but not much time tested.
Mike

Yep,

Those leafs look just like the ones of my O'Rourke that I posted in 9-09

Condgrads Dennis

Mazway ,
For me up in cool NH the O'Rouke has been much more productive and better tasting than Improved Celeste.
For me O'Rourke ranked 9 out of 10 in taste
Improved Celeste ranked 7.5 out of 10

Kerry,
O'Rouke  sounds like a good one. I'm starting to miss those fresh  figs  already.

I just wish I had a fig from my own tree, you all are making me very sad : (

Noss,

I moved to Houston this summer and finally have a house with an open yard to plant.  I just planted a Celeste last week and have a Smith coming this week.  I'll catch up to all of you soon, but for now will have to take care of my fig "fix" looking at all these great photos and reading the stories.

Steve