This fig was found growing in Owensboro, Ky. It has apparently been growing there & producing fruit for several years.

Here are the only pics I have of it. Mostly just the fruit + one pic of some cuttings from the tree. Isn't this about what Hardy Chicago looks like? The fruit in these pics are from a small tree producing for the first time.

What would you all guess?

Here are a couple more pics. Maybe they will help in a poosible ID.

well, i know it ilooks pretty damn tasty and that's a really good find!

The two figs I ate from my small tree (first season to produce) were pretty tastey Jason. But I'm sure they haven't reached full potential yet. It will be nice to see what this one matures in to. Cold hardy, good flavor, and the ability to ripen in my zone would make it a winner. Just need another season to evaluate it though.

The guy who found this tree is the friend of mine who is the horticulturist. This is one of three varieties he's been growing in his greenhouse for a few years. He asked me if I could sell some of the cuttings from this tree. I'm just not sure how I feel about asking forum members to pay for an unknown variety :-/ -? 

Maybe I could just put some on ebay & see what happens. I wouldn't leave out any details as to being an unknown variety of course.   

The big plus is you have pictures of the fruit. Pics of leaves would be good. You know me, I never charge for unknowns. I would work towards getting it ID'd, then move forward. You know it's got dark small fruit with red interior. That limits your pool of possibilities to about 2-3 dozen varieties.

Still curious about this.  It rooted a hell of a lot easier to root than HC.

Jason, maybe I should have e-mailed you privately but what is your source for the failed hardy chicago's because every one I have attempted to root has rooted.

Three or four different sources - I'll drop you a message.

Need to see pics of leaves to know more. There are several figs that look very similar to HC. I have a Marseilles VS and an unknown (Joe's Jersey) that both look very similar in leaf, fruit, and growth pattern to my HC. There seems to be a group of figs out there that look similar to the Hardy Chicago "type".

The diff't strains of Sal's fig look similar also.

Whatever the Owensboro fig is, it is a good rooter.  I just up-potted the last two cuttings I had (I sent some to friends also :) )

I put this tree in ground this spring. I've been pretty busy so far this year but I do plan to get some more pics of this tree posted here this season. It's leafing out nicely now so I may pluck a leaf or two to photograph once it is fully leaved out.

Hoping to find out more about this one myself. It's in a good location so, hopefully, it will put on some good growth this summer.

Jason; Glad to hear it rooted well for you.

Btw - this "Owensboro" fig was a great rooter.  I shared my purchased cuttings with one or two other members I swap and trade with, kept two for myself - both rooted like champions and are almost 2' tall right now.

Eagerly waiting for next year!

Jason,

I concur on Owensboro being a great rooter. Mine is now about one foot tall and growing very strong under a canopy. Looking forward to tasting the fruits from this one.

Thanks for sharing it

Bill, I'm gonna have to get some more cutting from you later this Fall or Spring.  Although mine rooted, they rooted faster than I checked on them and many suffered.  I don't daily monitor my cuttings.  I just start them and forget them for about a week.   I got one that's looking sad and it looks like its on its way down.  But I have good feelings about this figs.  Thanks,

I lost all of mine too. I need to start them again this spring. I am missing out.

It's good to hear that this tree is doing well for some of you. 
Sorry about not so good for others.

I should be able to get some cuttings from the parent tree again this winter. Bear in mind that the parent tree is grown in a greenhouse. So it will probably be late Dec b4 cuttings are available. 

My tree has about a half dozen green figs on it right now. Hopefully I'll get a little better taste of them this season. This reminds me that I need to get in touch with my buddy who has the parent tree. His fruit may be ripening already. I'd like to get some pics of the ripe fruit from the mature/parent tree.

So, hopefully, new pics of this one will be coming soon! 

Bill,

Like I told you before about the H/C and my bad luck rooting or keeping them. None of the cuttings you sent made it. I was done with this fig untill Lowes started selling them.  I pruchased one early in the season and have since repotted it into a 2gl. pot and is growing well with little figlets on it.

Hope it makes it over Winter and if it does then we've beaten the odds.

@Dennis, I hope you got my email a few days ago in response to the message you sent me from the forum. 

If you are headed to JR's nursery and you will (or can) come anywhere near the intersection of I-20 and I-75/I-85, I'm less than 3 miles away from there, please drop by and I'll give you my spare Owensboro should yours die.  No trades required!!

(Although you definitely have some things I'm actively hunting for)

Jason, I never got your message.  So, naturally I am thinking negative.  :)
I am planning a trip to JR's and Dalton's nursery soon.  I'm trying to juggle the dates between work and home and getting my son settled in college. 

Jason, if you live near I-20 and the I-75/I-85 area, then I know that area pretty well.  I lived in Marietta for 7 seven year and drove those routes daily to see my clients all over Atlanta.  So, I will definately let you know when I'll pass through.  Believe me, I know the Atlanta traffic and I will do my darnest (is that a word?) to pass through before 3PM.  I spent many days in the Dunwoody traffic and I-20 traffic around 4PM.

My birthday is in 2 weeks.  I will be a half a century and can't wait!  So, my wife has given me the green light to my want list.  My first want list is to visit UCD.  So, I am headed there in August.  My second item on my want list is a camper top for my truck.  I ordered it 2 days ago.  My third item was an IPAD2.  I ordered that 2 days ago.  My last want item is to visit JR and Dalton in LA.  I will probably visit them August 13th.  I need the camper top to protect my trees from the wind on my way back to NC.  I'm building a nice fig collection.  Most of my trees are still small but in around 5 years they will be nice and strong.  CHeers,

ok, don't think negative.  man, that is really weird.  the message is sitting here in the sent items on my iPhone but it doesn't show up in my email app's 'sent items'.  

i forwarded my email back to you and then replied-all and it still isn't in my sent items (i heard it send!) so I just PM'ed you the last two emails i sent to you since obviously, for whatever reason, I've always had problems sending you emails. 

that's upsetting, actually.

FYI, i'm about 6 blocks southeast of the zoo.  i should be home around the 13th of August (i have a trip to Chicago coming up soon).  if you stop by  on your way to see JR, i have something for you to give to him.  if you stop by on your way back, i may ask for you to bring something back from JR's or Dalton's if you have room ;)

check your PM and your email.  hope it clears things up.  obviously, i am having problems with my devices.

Rafed, I hope the one from Lowes is doing great for you. Being from Lowes, are you certain it's HC? If it turns out to not be, I'm sure one of us will be glad to hook you up with one.

FYI, I will have more ctgs of HC this winter as well.

Here are a couple more pics of this unknown fig. This fruit & leaves are from the immature tree in my yard. The leaves look quite deformed compared to the parent tree. So, I doubt they will be of much use toward getting an ID.

There are a couple more fruit on my tree that may still ripen. I'll try to add pics of those later. 

 Here are a couple more pics of this unknown figs.

Hmm must be a white fig .



  
Forget something  ?
 ; )

Well you know, I have that vanishing pic thing that happens every time I post.

OR........ 

My images are shy & need a little extra encouragement.

Take your pick :) .

Glad I have a couple of these growing! Doubt mine will fruit this year but stoked for next year. Looks damned tasty.

Glad you have some of these going too Jason. Having someone else's first-hand experience on this one will, hopefully, prove to be very helpful.

My attempt at describing the flavor is something like this: Somewhat rich tasting with a very mild berry-like flavor. When compared to the HC I've tried, this one tasted similar but didn't have the slight sweet-tart flavor that the HC seemed to have.

I just wish I had a bowl full of them so I could experience a real good "cross-section" on the flavor.  

So, my Owensboro is over 5' tall now and the trunk almost has a 2" caliper. The growth, leaves, and fruiting habits So far (in my climate) are exactly in-line with my Sal EL/Gene (which may actually be Gino's black, the only two figs I may have ever switcherood at birth). Right down to the apparent FMV intolerance which scars the fruit.

I am heading out of the country and noticed I had an Owensboro 2-3 days from ripe. I had to pick it tonight. I will say, this think acts just like a Sal EL/Gene in my climate - in every way. It also tastes very much like it, it has that bright, acidic raspberry flavor that sort of shocks the back of your tongue in a good way. I like it.

I am creating a unique thread for this standout fig, you'll find that here:  http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/quotUnknown-Owensboroquot-6008102

Jason,

Is your Sal EL/Gene a small fig?  I have a Sal's fig from Dalton and it had a few figs on it when I got it.  They were quite small.  I've not seen pictures of a Sal's Gene before.

noss