Fred,

Send me an email from my member page. Not sure yet, but I might be able to help you out with one of those.

Rob

i'm looking for a cutting or small tree of a Smith fig. twice i thought i had a tree and a cutting only to be surprised that it turned out to be a mystery fig. i have most of the LSU figs and many others that grow well in louisiana. i'll trade or pay for them. i just want to be assured that it is a Smith.

I have several small Smith trees that were propagated last fall from my own large Smith tree. Mine is the real deal having come from the original source (Thomas Becnel) in Bell Chase, La. Send me an email advising what you have available for trading.

king.fig, i appreciate your response. i left you a message on your page. let me know if i have some cultiver you can use for trade.

wanted to add this cultivar on my collection for a long time,thanks to the generosity of a fig forum member that send me a nice rooted cutting,I now have this variety.Ciao,
Giuseppe

Fernado, I got your email. FYI. Last night we had a late season freeze in my yard. This occurred after my all of my fig trees began leafing out. Will have to assess damage and let you know.

Giuseppe, lucky you to have that particular fig in your collection. Smith is one of the top tasting figs. Its many virtues are not yet widely known outside of Louisiana. It originally came from Italy and made its way into the New Orleans area many years ago by immigrants who brought it with them. You will absolutely love that fig for its rich taste.

King.Fig
do you know the original name of this fig?Ciao,
Giuseppe

I have been searching for years for the Italian name of the Smith fig. So far, I've had no luck. It is not pictured in the ficuscaria.com website of many Italian figs. (see link below)

Here is a link that might be useful: Pictures of many Italian figs

I beleive that the Smith is an American fig bred by LSU.
I used to own this good fig, not sure if I still have it
(or if I lost it to cold - if so, I do want it back).

Greetings! If you are still looking for Battaglia Green, let me know. That fig originated at our nursery, Paradise Nursery, before we retired and sold the domain. It is a strawberry verte fig with an exceptionally beautiful red interior that has done beautifully here in Zone 7. You can email me from my member page.

There were a number of great figs that came out of an early breeding program at LSU that was later abandoned, as far as I know. Many cuttings were shared and gradually distributed, for testing and just plain interest, without formal naming. Perhaps Smith was a source person?

Here is a link that might be useful: Useful Gardens

You are wrong gorgi. As I have stated, Smith is a Louisiana heirloom fig that was discovered growing in Louisiana many years ago by the Becnel family. It was first propagated and sold by Thomas Becnel. Thomas Becnel had high regard for this fig and declared it to be the best fig in Louisiana. Saxon Becnel was still selling this fig up until he sold his nursery a couple of years ago to a Miss Star. It is an heirloom fig and was not bred by Dr. O'Rourke or anyone else for that matter. Mother nature produced the Smith fig.

Usefulgarner, I love your website!! Your nursery is surely missed by many of us.

Good to know that is was not actually "bred".
But did "Mother Nature" produce the Smith fig here in the USA; or somewhere else?

I meant - thanks for the clarification.

Are there fig-wasps in Louisiana?

@usefulgardener,
Welcome to the GW/FF!
Very good to have a member that is very, very familiar with
the (olde) famous Paradise Nursery.
I do own a young Battaglia Green too.
I do like your web site - specially them chickens...

@Others,
Looking at my big fig collection records, my Smith fig did get
a very-bad cold-beating last winter;
but(though small), happily it is still alive!
Here is a thread I started in 2009 about the Smith fig (incl. a pic):

Here is a link that might be useful: Smith Fig

king fig, i hope the freeze didn't hurt your little smiths too badly. still, look over my list to see if i have cutlivers that may intrest you. don't remember if i mentioned hollier. it is one of my favorite eating off the tree figs.
i noticed that some of the terminal buds on my young trees took a little hit saturday night as the temp dropped into the upper 20's after much mild weather. please keep me in the loop on the smith status. if yours become unavailable and you have info as to where i might one, i would apperciate that info.
thankyou!

Hi guys i am new to a figs but i will love to star collecting fig trees i have black mission, brown turkey celeste. and texas everbering , if any of you have some cuttings to share or any other way i would apperciate so in the future i can help some people with fig cuttings. My email is enelanovic@hotmail.com

Thank you.

Hello Danny...

@King Fig, thanks for the kind words - you, too Gorgi! I miss our customers very much - you couldn't ask for nicer and more fun people to have as customers and friends.

If anyone is still looking for fig cuttings, I've just posted an offer on the www.usefulgardens.com blog - I'm raising money for a rescue home for young girls and giving away fig cuttings to folks who donate $20. Shipping is on me. I've put the fig varieties, with photos and descriptions on the blog. Great for anyone starting a collection. Spread the word! (The other half of this fundraising is that I ride my bicycle 200 miles on the C&O canal tour... all this to "celebrate" turning 60???)

This donation idea is going to have to work fast, I think - is anyone else seeing spring a month early??? There are green tips on some of our hardier fig varieties, heaven help us if we have a severe freeze in March. If weather looks iffy, I'll be taking cuttings and protecting them.

Here is a link that might be useful: Useful Gardens Blog

@usefulgardener,
Hi there!
Your recent posting was mentioned on the other
fig forum, by another (keen-eyed) fig-nut member!

All the best, see:

Here is a link that might be useful: Figs, Figs, Figs...... Cuttings for You, Help for Girls!

What a whirlwind! We'll be taking fig cuttings and packing them up for happy donors all weekend. I'm informed by the Main Propagator that this was it - we've got all the cutting/shipping to do that we can handle, so the offer to send cuttings in exchange for a donation has come to a happy, happy close and I've disabled the donation links on the website. Many THANKS to all who joined in! Your figs will be especially 'blessed', being part of a good cause.

Here is a link that might be useful: www.usefulgardens.blogspot.com

I am living in London, UK......hello all............I would love to add some cold hardy varieties to my collection here in the UK.We are very limited to sources here.I will happily trade cuttings with other enthusiasts.