Noticed today at the nursery that they have a 5 gallon Osborne Prolific. What do you guys think of this one? They're delivering my trees on Saturday, so it's not too late for me to throw in one more...or should I save the space?

I would just get one Osborne Prolific, Mine produced great looking fruit, but I had it in partial sun and it was OK, not sweet. It got maybe 3 hours of direct sun, needs at least 6 hours of direct sun. Hopefully it will be a lot better this year, also when a tree matures it gets sweeter.

Brix test done in Hawaii shows it is one of the sweetest fig. It is a reliable fig
for me & productive. Hardy variant.

Oh great!! hmm, maybe i'll try it then! thank you!!! (And Armando, i have plenty of full sun spots, so it should be fine - i hope!)

I have no personal experience yet( but have cuttings to root), but I was reading about this variety in the F4F database and it is described as not doing as well in hot climates. No idea if that is true or if that applies to your locale, jujigirl, but thought I would point that out.

Good luck with it if you try it!

yes. Osborne Prolific worth every bit of space it uses.

Okay, I added it to the order! With my 4 fig trees in containers, I'm starting "Fig Alley" in my backyard. :)

I would recommend planting a Conadria -- Richard Watts strain. Five or 6 yrs ago, R.Watts told me it is his most
reliable, high productivity and yum, yum variant. There is a pic in F4F variety page on RW Conadria. I saw the plant
at R.Watts home & it was loaded.

My trees arrived! Osborn Prolific even has a fig on it! that will be my first official (though breba) fig - even though I can't really take credit for it. Still, very exciting! then tomorrow, provided the rain has let up, they'll go in barrels. (also got an apple with tons of little apples - woohooo, fun day!)

I wish folks wouldn't use the name "Osborne Prolific" (Osborn Prolific) as it applies to two different cultivars!  Here is what Condit listed in his 1955 "Fig Varieties: A Monograph": 

Osborn = Archipel, 414

Osborn Prolific (Rust) (C), 420

Osborn’s Prolific = Archipel, 414

It would help to know which variety people are talking about when they say "Osborne Prolific" (Osborn Prolific)!

kiwibob,   Seattle

wow, that could explain why I kept getting different descriptions! lol. The one I bought is Osborne Prolific. This one: http://www.davewilson.com/product-information/product/osborne-prolific-fig

Bob,
I can't say I understand exactly what you are asking. I'm more then happy to adjust if it helps clear up any misunderstandings -- I just don't get what you're asking for. Please clarify and do so in a clear and concise manner -- u kno as if ur talking 2 a kid -thx

The question is did jujigirl buy an "Archipel" or a "Rust" Fig tree?  Both have been called Osborn Prolific since some time before 1955!

It's always nice to know what you are buying, particularly here in the Puget Sound Region where only the Breba crop ripens in August-September but few if any Main crop Figs will ripen.  According to Condit, "Rust" seldom produces Brebas while "Archipel" produces a good Breba crop.  Osborn Prolific is an irrelevant name as it doesn't identify the Variety (cultivar)!

Happy Growing,   kiwibob   Seattle

Visit my website:  http://sites.google.com/site/kiwifruitsalad2

kiwibob - I guess a question for you is if you have personally seen 'Rust' fig tree labeled as Osborn/Osborne, or know of a nursery perpetuating this old confusion?  I don't have any idea what nursery she got her plant from but all of the nursery sites I have seen on line (discounting old books) list Neveralla and/or Archipal as synonyms for the Osborn fig regardless of its spelling or 'prolificness', or show figs consistant with those varieties.  And Condit sure got a number of his descriptions wrong or incomplete.

Happy growing to you  :)

For some reason it's not letting me upload a picture, but I got the tree from Armstrong's and the tag says:

FIG "Osborne Prolific" - Large, greenish-brown skin, white-amber flesh. Sweet, rich flavor. Bears well coastal or S. Ca climate. Heavy bearer. Fast grower. Avoid Extremes of heat.

That's it.

eboone,

One of the Testers in the Puget Sound Regional Fig Variety Test has an "Osborn Prolific" that produces no Brebas.  That would be consistent with Condit's description of "Rust".  The "Osborn Prolific" controversy hasn't gone away.  It would be much better if folks selling or giving away "Osborn Prolific" would drop that name and call their trees by the unique variety name.

Hey, we all make mistakes.  Please cite specific instances of wrong descriptions by Condit in his "Fig Varieties: A Monograph".

kiwibob,   Seattle