Out of curiosity, are any forum members from the Outer Banks of NC? 

For those unaware, figs are the only tree fruits that can be reliably grown there and it is a fig haven, especially Ocracoke Island.  If you haven't had a slice of Ocracoke Island fig cake, you have been deprived of a great pleasure :)

Eric

NC, Zone 7

Very interesting. I did not know that. Is it because of the salt in the air? Did you have a chance to collect some fig cuttings from there?

Thank you
Karla

Karla, That would be my guess along with sandy soil and low chill hours.  I haven't collected any cuttings there...yet.  They do grow some varieties that I would like to try with local names like Pound and Portsmouth.

Eric

NC Zone 7

That sounds like an interesting project - to collect outer banks figs. May keep you busy for a while. Good luck

Karla

Know what that sounds like to me? A Road Trip! Hey Eric, you're in my hometown! Seriously though, tell me more about where the trees are and I'll ride out there one weekend and check them out.

I would say, that sounds like fun.

Karla

Hey Dennis,  I'm in Hickory and spend a lot of time on Hatteras Island but I don't make it over to Ocracoke very often.  I haven't been into Ocracoke village in several years but I intend to go this offseason.  From what I'm told, though, most houses have fig trees and some are BIG.  Also, they mulch them with clam shells so I'm gonna look for the big trees with lots of clam shells under them :)  I'll probably check with the people in the stores down there to see who to talk to about getting some cuttings.  If you go, good luck!  I'll try and report back on my search.

Hey Eric, I'll wait ....and if you get any cuttings letnme know.

From Hickory?
When the TV show "Last Comic Standing" was running there was very good comedian in my opinion from Hickory.

East cost (next to the Atlantic ocean) ...

Eric, the fig cake at The Back Porch Restaurant is quite good.  Ocracoke is a special place.  The first time I was there was in 1961 when I was 7.  There had been a recent hurricane and the beach was so crowded with seashells you could not see the sand.  I returned in 1973 and again in 2009 and just this September right after the island was reopened from Hurricane Irene.  Interestingly enough, it has hardly changed since 61.  It is remote.  No McDonalds etc.  I have seen a number of fig trees there.  If you go, stop by "Della's".  She is an elderly widow and has half a dozen healthy fig trees with the seashell mulch.  She says her figs love anything from the sea including fish.  She lives on Lighthouse Road and has a sign.  Her fig preserves are made with "Lemon" figs (aka White Marseilles) and she uses whole figs in the recipe.  They are outstanding.

Tim,  I will have to stop by Della's and, hopefully, there will be someplace open where I can get some fig cake.  The remoteness is what makes that area unique.  As you said, no McDonald's and no Wal-Mart.  Closest ones are probably 70-75 miles away including a ferry ride.  Plus, the fishing ain't bad either :)

I'm a new poster and just saw this posting. I live in Newport, NC by the coast

Anyway, I was at the Newport Garden center (its a small locally owned place) just this past Monday and they had about 10 fig plants out front. I think they were $25 for a 3 gal plant. 

I casually asked what type are they? Brown Turkey? The answer was "Davis Island figs. We found this fig tree out on Davis Island years ago and took cuttings. We've sold many of them through the years." They said it definitely wasn't a brown turkey.

Davis Island is just across the sound from Core Banks (where Cape Lookout Lighthouse is located). Core Banks is the southern part of the Outer Banks. 

So I think this probably counts as an Outer Banks fig. 

Rg, did you buy any?

Interesting thread!  By brother lives by the beach south of St. Augustine and he has a  couple of fig trees I rooted for him. He's been growing them in pots , as neither one of us was sure how well they'd do in a salty soil environment.  Good to know that they can handle it...

As a follow-up , I wonder if certain varieties are more salt-tolerant than others. Sounds like some "working research" time!

I've been fortunate enough to spend some time in Ocracoke the last few summers - at a friends house. This year I went in late June, right after I was bitten by the fig bug. So I was on the lookout. I only took 2 cuttings though. Seems like only 1 made it. I call it "under the moon" because that was the name of the gift shop I got it from. Maybe as it gets better I can get an ID.

I decided to pass on it since it was unknown and I am new to figs (I only have three plants that I picked up a couple of weeks ago). 

But since there is interest I stopped by the nursery and took some pics.

Does anybody recognize this fig variety? It has 5 lobes.

 

Here's a pic of the fruit.   

Interesting!!

Hi RG,
Out of the Blue : Osborn prolific because of the leaf shape .

I always see lots of figs when I'm visiting the outer banks, my thought is figs seem very tolerant of the coastal conditions. I would like to spend a while just fig hunting there. I'm usually visiting with family so my attention is on spending time with them. I think some of those remote fig varieties could be something interesting, I remember reading something more detailed here about the different varieties found on the islands. they may be more well known types with local names, but who knows.

Mike in Hanover, VA

Greetings!

I'm currently on the way home to western Virginia from a couple days on Ocracoke. While there I picked up a couple of fig trees from Annabelle's Antiques & Florist on Back Rd. According to the elderly gentleman there (who speaks with a bit of the old Ocracoke "hoi toid" accent), one is a "Pound Fig" that produces purple to black figs sometimes weigh close to a pound (hard to believe, but for $10 I'll take the last one he had). The other one he said was not a Brown Turkey but is similar with slightly larger fruit. Planning to add them both to my grove after giving them time to get used to the foothills. These make my second and third fig trees.

So, yeah...a fig tree newbie here. My first is a small one transplanted this spring from my Mom's place in Mississippi. The trees at Mom's place are 80-90 years old and were planted from trees at my great-great-great grandmother's homestead across the county. That tree seems to be doing well since it was set out a month ago.

Does anyone know if the Pound Fig is known by another name?

Welcome Brian!  The only fig I know with the name "Pound" is the Quarter Pounder fig.