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kingwood_gw

Good Green Fig

kingwood
11 years ago

I have gone thru over thirty different varieties of figs. Have kept LSU Purple, LSU Gold, Celeste, VDB, and Black Madeira. I am looking for a good green fig to deter the birds. Something that I will not have to net. Prefer sweet, medium to large, and must have closed eye and be able to take the Houston rain. All suggestions welcome. Not interested in anything that goes from green to yellow, must remain green at ripeness. Thanks for recommendations.

Comments (11)

  • ediblelandscaping.sc
    11 years ago

    I have a true green fig I can share cuttings of. it's an old unnamed green fig with a rich red center. The owner sent me 14 cuttings for a trade for 1 plant and I'm not going use all 14 I can send you 6 for 6 of your black Madeira or any other black figs besides VDB. the owner told me that it stays dark green even when ripe and the birds have never touched it. I'm not sure how large the eye gets, we traded via a craigslist ad for fig jam and conversation was limited to a few emails. shoot me an email if your interested.

  • foolishpleasure
    11 years ago

    It could be Condadria. I have one tree. The fruit is big and it is sweet when ripened. One Fig sets snug in 12 ounce coffee mug. As for birds; birds when Hungary they eat any thing. I use bird nets to protect some of my fruit trees. I let them snack on some grapes and Blueberry I have a lot of these trees.

  • blueboy1977
    11 years ago

    Hey Kingwood, which of the figs you listed are your favorite and why. I want to get 2 fig trees but not sure which ones are best for the Houston area. Im in South Houston, Seabrook to be exact. Interested in fresh eating with 3 boys. I doubt we will be drying and storing any.

  • vitalucky
    11 years ago

    In my area, for 3 years I had eaten only a few figs: the birds ate most of them, even before they were ripe.
    Then this spring I adopted 3 cats and slowly the birds started to stay away from my yard and my figs!

    ediblelandscaping.sc I could trade a USU Purple for your green fig!

  • kingwood
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    For blueboy: Celeste is the queen and LSU purple is the king. I have not had a Celeste in 4 years. It does not like high 90s to low 100s. Fruit has been dropping last few years, but I still keep it because it is so good. When LSU purple has a good year, it is outstanding....fruits all year long here. VDB gives good consistent fruit every year. No problems with bugs or weather. It is consistently good every year regardless of environmental changes.

    I have a variant of Celeste that has strong berry overtones if picked a few days before ripe....but I have not been able to harvest any in recent years due to our high temps in the past few years......it is my personal favorite for taste. But LSU purple is hard to beat.....much better than a regular Celeste and has no problems with high temps, rain, or bugs, and also outstanding flavor and sweetness.

    I would put LSU purple against the best figs in the country if grown in the south. It is that good.

  • blueboy1977
    11 years ago

    Thanks for the response Kingwood. Ive been on the ropes about what varieties to get but I think you summed it up for me. I only have room for 2 figs and they will be potted in 10 to 15 gallon pots. Have you tried the GREEN ISCHIA variety? If so what was your experience with it. I just saw LSU Purple and Celeste at a local nusrery yesterday so I might just go get them this week sometime. VDB sounds interesting also.

  • fruitnut Z7 4500ft SW TX
    11 years ago

    blueboy:

    I'm growing Strawberry Verte and Paradiso. I think they are similar to Green Ischia if not the same. Mine are great figs. I've had no luck at all with Celeste and Blue Celeste either outdoors or in my greenhouse. But you are better off going by local information.

  • thisisme
    11 years ago

    Over the last two years I pulled all of my dark figs with the exception of one VDB and planted green figs.

    So far this is what I have found.

    LSU Gold has a large open eye that insects and ants crawl in and out of. I like the fruit but seeing all those creepy crawlies going in and out makes me sick to my stomach. I will likely replace it with a Kadota.

    I have a small Condadria and really like the fruit. The color remained green when ripe. The eye stayed closed until it was only 2-3 days from being fully ripe. My only complaint is that this variety is not known for being very productive.

    I also have a small Atreano. At roughly 4' tall it has set fruit but not ripened any. I have not given up hope.

    I also have a small Paradiso. I like the fruit and the eye is closed. The breba crop is green when ripe but the main crop is green with some light yellow when ripe.

    I thought birds would leave green and yellow figs alone. As someone else said though. If birds are hungry they will eat anything. I do find that the green fruit is much less likely to eaten than dark fruit. Though my VDB tends to produce faster than birds can eat them.

    Anyone know of a large sweet tasting Green fig with a closed eye that produces well over a long season?

  • cobb4861
    10 years ago

    Kingwood, did you decide on a green fig? I don't have one in my yard yet and think I should go ahead and add one. Was just wondering what you decided on and why.

    Meghan

  • pawpawbill
    10 years ago

    Top green figs: JH Adriatic, Battaglia, Stella, Green Ischia. Atreano green with some gold.

  • bossyvossy
    10 years ago

    I have tried 2 kadotas as my green, and they have been utmost disappointments, compared to my Celeste. But problem with Celeste is that if I'm not paying attention, the birds will eat the fruit before I have a change to enjoy it.

    pawpawbill, I will look into the varieties you mention. I plan to yank my Kadota so I will have room for a new green fig.

    I also have a var. fig (Panache) which I keep in a pot. Has not been very fruitful but it is decorative so I will keep it.

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