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jtp

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Posted Reply with quote  #1 
I previously posted about an unknown tree I found on North Topsail Beach here in NC. Cuttings were sent out to many friends, as it is a tasty, productive fig, regardless of ID. Initially, I felt it might be either an Alma or a Celeste. After another year, I am still undecided but leaning more toward Celeste.

I went up there this evening and harvested a bowl of figs from the tree, which is located next to a Dumpster at a rental complex. The tree was loaded with figs that were rotting and/or tasted by birds. It is such a waste, as no one seems to appreciate what is there. At any rate, I plan to go up weekly to get what I can from it. It still has a lot of developing figs on it.

The figs were thin-skinned, about the size of a ping pong ball, with a small void inside of some of them (not all). They are sweet with a bit of berry and almost no figgy flavor. Overall, it is a nice fig.

And even if it turns out to be a common variety, it is one tough tree. It is less than 100 yards from the Atlantic Ocean. That part of the island gets flooded with sea water with every tropical storm or hurricane. Past winters have also seen hard freezes. And yet, this tree keeps on producing without dieback.
kubota1

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Posted Reply with quote  #2 
John, My plant is doing great! It doesn't look like anything I have.
Thanks again.
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Art- Western Pa. 6a
eden13

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Posted Reply with quote  #3 
Looks exactly like my Celeste.
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Wish List: Col de Dame Negra and Gris, Noire de Caramba, Abicou Noire, Zingarella, Sultan, Dalmatie and any Yugoslavian(Bosnian, Serbian,Croatian...).
Atlanta, Georgia
Eden
persianmd2orchard

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Posted Reply with quote  #4 
a strain of celeste!
bullet08

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Posted Reply with quote  #5 
those look wonderful.
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Pete
Durham, NC
Zone 7b

"don't talk to me about naval tradition. It's nothing but rum, sodomy and the lash." - sir winston churchill
"the problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." - the baroness thatcher

***** all my figs have FMV/FMD, in case you're wondering. *****
***** and... i don't sell things. what little i have will be posted here in winter for first come first serve base to be shared. no, i'm not a socialist...*****
jtp

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Posted Reply with quote  #6 
They are set to become a fig pie tomorrow, per FMD's recipe. Might top it with pecans.
SEGeo

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Posted Reply with quote  #7 
John,

Does the tree have the cat pee smell?
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Chris Fairchild
Virginia Beach, Va.
USDA Hardiness Zone 8a
Graduate Student - Engineering and GeoScience
***I assume all my figs carry FMV***

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jtp

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Posted Reply with quote  #8 
Nope, no cat smell at all. It is usually fairly breezy out there, so maybe it was wafting away.
SEGeo

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Posted Reply with quote  #9 
John,

It is a shame you are on the southern end of the outer banks. I live right outside of the terminal of outer banks near the northern end in Virginia. 

Be interesting to find out what this fig really is. The desert you posted earlier is a real winner of a tease and make us all ready for a figgy desert. 
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Chris Fairchild
Virginia Beach, Va.
USDA Hardiness Zone 8a
Graduate Student - Engineering and GeoScience
***I assume all my figs carry FMV***

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jtp

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Posted Reply with quote  #10 
I love the Outer Banks. Sometimes, I wish I lived up there, though not during tourist season.

More goodies to come, Chris. That tree is loaded with immature fruit. If we make anything else, I'll be sure to post.

Since we are pretty sure it is a Celeste, I think it should now be "Celeste NTB."
jdarden1963

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Posted Reply with quote  #11 
Those look exactly like the ones I grew up eating off my grandmother's tree. The leaves even look the same. Unfortunately, No one in my family knows what type her tree is. At least now I know what it MIGHT be.
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Jules

Zone 8a
NE Texas

Wish List: LSU Thibodeaux, LSU Red, Kathleen's Black, Lebanese Red, Jolly Tiger, Black Madeira, Purple Passion, Zingerilla (sp?), Martin's Purple Black, BA-1, White Ischia, any red fig, any dark fig or unknown
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