I wanted to have thread dedicated to Stallion because it looks like the one and only one fruit that I left on will ripen in the next few days.

There are a few references that reference the Stallion Unknown [1] [2] [3].

Stallion Unknown was found while I was at the Stallion Range Center at White Sands Missile Range, NM in November 2009. Here is the mother tree:



I took some cuttings the night before my flight back to the east coast.



Once at home, I read this forum like a mad man to learn how to root.



Of the cuttings I started, Stallion grew the most and also led in the number of fruit buds produced. There are five (now three because I gave two away to local organic farmers) in pots and one in the ground.









JD

That one fruit that is beginning to ripen. These were taken today.

Keep us posted JD.

Hi,

I hope you will post pictures of the inside along with details of how it tastes.

It looks like a very healthy and strong little tree.

noss

JD, Nice colour fruit indeed. I hope you will let us know how it tasted even if late in the season.

I will keep you posted. I should have taste and texture information, and a photo of the pulp in the next few days.

This tree was my first fig "find" so it will always be special. A fig identification would be nice but not necessary. I hope it tastes good. I have inquired about about its history but it has been difficult because you need credentials to access the Range, and those building are not used regularly.

The temperature swings are wild here in Tallahassee - the low was 35 this morning and the high was 78. So I think it will ripen and possibly ripen with good flavor. For example, the last three Strawberry Verte that ripen during this weather - birds pecked huge holes in them - were larger, more swollen, and juicer that the first four. I presume that tree likes these temperatures.

JD

The coloring and shape of the fig reminds me of the picture of Royal Vineyard from the F4F variety database:  http://figs4fun.com/Var_R_info.html#ROYALVINEYARD

Or maybe of Excel, also, but you have an Excel that has ripened so you have first-hand comparison of those.

Also sort of reminds me of this weirdo tree I found down a few blocks northwest of the Atlanta zoo in a backyard:  http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=4775967

I thought it was Celeste, but it is more of a red and round fig (no neck) with a very pronounced pink eye, whereas most of the Celeste around here are more piriform shape with a short (but visible) neck, less pink of an eye, and not nearly as ribbed and round.  The leaves on this mystery tree I just linked were really small in size also.

Thanks for the thoughts Jason. The fig has a reddish bronze color. It doesn't quite ring the Celeste bell but this is the first fruit of an infant tree so time will tell. I don't think it is Excel. I learned that the plant I have is more than likely something other than Excel. According to the responses from the forum members in this post, the color and size are not right.

Stallion from late this afternoon (at sunset):

Stallion was ready today. Its neck was titled to the side just asking a fine feathered friend or four-legged scoundrel to pick it. Lucky me.

It was small, figgy. And it is promising. I keep thinking Celeste...

JD

Very tasty looking, especially this time of the year. Thanks for those beautiful pic's.

Hmm, Celeste?

@Paully, You are welcome. I actually had/have a first Black Bethlehem ripening but the same bird(s) that poked holes in the last three unripened & green Strawberry Verte did it again. I waited about 110 days for that little BB figlet to ripen. What's 365 more to wait...@^%#&$^%!

@ Jose, I don't know (if it is Celeste) and I do know that I don't have enough experience to know. I eyeballed leafs and eyes and color and pulp and cavity. And Celeste is not ruled in but not ruled out. What do you think? Have you come across Celeste in your fig hunts around NM? If it is prevalent, then this becomes somewhat easier. I know it would here in the South. Any other thoughts on what it might be?

JD

I don't know if I agree that it's Celeste, allow me to present my case.... 

I can tell you that around these parts, Celeste has a longer neck and/or is less round.  The interior, even at its saggiest, is nowhere near that ruby red, rather more of a pinkish tan interior.  Here is a pretty accurate representation from a mature (10+yr old) tree a block or two over from me:  http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/show_single_post?pid=41063491&postcount=11

Here are some at a huge tree diagonal from Ludacris' restaurant "STRAITS" over on Juniper St in midtown Atlanta, which is another 10+ or 15+ year old tree:

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/show_single_post?pid=41152572&postcount=13

Mind you, the skin was cracking on both of these figs from unrelated trees before sagging, unlike yours... however these two are as elongated as I typically see on Celeste trees around these parts.  None of the local Celeste are round.

One other thing to take into consideration is that yours is an immature tree, which probably is producing smaller fruit which may not be accurately representative of what the tree actually is putting out.

With that said, the pulp is totally the wrong color for every Celeste I've seen in the southeast (within 6-7 hours of us). 

And finally, with THAT said, looking at the Varieties page for Celeste you will see some that look like mine and some that look like Stallion ;)

Gotta love it.

Jason,
Thanks for the links. Time will reveal something if only that I don't know what it is. If Stallion continues to present: nice color, good taste, small eye, productive, late, rain tolerant, pest resistant, then I will be very happy about it.
JD

2012 main crop on a potted Stallion. The in-ground Stallion has more mature and larger but still green fruit.

Great picture JD , oh i look forward to more of them this season.

<p>That is the picture of health, vigor and promise of great things to come, Jimmie. </p><p>If your trees are liking the recent rainfall as much as mine have, we are in for a bumper crop.</p><p>Hoping to shoot the fig video, we discussed, this weekend.</p><p>Frank</p><p><br></p><p><br></p>

JD, Thank you for posting photos. I have always wondered what the Stallion figs looked like when ripe. I was Stationed at WSMR back in the 90's and was up at Stallion many times . But only during  the winter while clearing the roads of snow.