My Croatian friend told me he knew an older lady in his village that got some in her eye and it caused her to go blind, his direct translation from Croatian was fig milk
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I do know the Celeste figs we grow in this area have definitely earned the name the “Sugar fig”. As far as having to be fully ripe on the bush before picking I have a bowl of them sitting on my counter today that were picked late yesterday when they just started to turn that would dispute that. They are fully ripe this morning soft and juicy.
Yeah I don’t mean any shade on Celeste, it’s a great fig. Within its flavor group, it’s one of the best. But the are other flavor groups, arguably with more wow factor is all.
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I’m actually recovering from what appears to be my first ever reaction of what I believe to be phytophotodermatitis, but it wasn’t from fig tree latex (or anything fig related). I knew that the onset of symptoms was in only half the time of how my body reacts to urushiol, and that I had washed following the usual regimen I use when I know that I’ve been exposed to poison ivy, but the trifecta is that my skin reaction was very different and I experienced no itching. I’m now beginning to think that the undetermined reason that some people reportedly get a rash from Virginia creeper is that they are actually experiencing a phytophotodermatological reaction, which would be harder to pinpoint.
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On the subject of figs, I just had a ripe Atreano. It’s a honey type fig. Personally, I think it’s more agave than honey, with a little bit of peach if it’s really ripe. Big, fairly sweet, and super juicy. Weirdly juicy for a fig to be honest.
Someone beat me to RdB…
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How does Atreano stack up for taste vs other honey/agave figs you’ve tasted? I’m searching for an early top-of-class honey/agave fig for 8A. I read that Campaniere sometimes has a honey component some years in some places, possibly, sort of.
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I’ll be honest, I haven’t had much to compare it to. Most everything else I have are sugar figs, different berry types, or Bordeaux.
It’s certainly early, extremely productive, and surprisingly split resistant, especially given how big they are.
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My smith is loaded this year. It was shy bearing the first couple of years I had it, but now it’s really showing out. After tasting them last year it quickly became my favorite. The close clusters of figs make them quite difficult to bag without damaging nearby fruit.
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Is this in ground or potted? Looks great!
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Thanks, it really loves the warm spot I put it in. It’s a very large in ground tree.
Here is a picture of the inside of the tree. It has a close neighboring Rockaway Green of equal size. Both are about 3 years old. I am going to have to give them a good pruning later this year.
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Is your Smith in-ground? Are you in Southern Virginia?
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Yes, I am in Southeast VA 8a/8b. I have Smith, Rockaway Green, Celeste, LSU Purple, LSU Champagne, Olympian, Desert King, Peter’s Honey, Chicago Hardy, and Violette de Bordeaux in ground. I have about a dozen more varieties in pots.
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Nice collection. I’m 8A E. Shore MD, have in ground Adriatic JH, White Madeira #1, Ronde de Bordeaux, Unk Prosciutto, Battaglia Green, Malta Black, Hative d’ Argenteuil, Green Michurinska. Pots I just rooted: I- 258 and Izbat An Naj (will see how it over-winters).
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Would anyone be willing to sell me some cuttings? Looking for Green Michuriska, Malta Black, RdB, and one or two other earlier ripening varieties that I may be missing. I am in 7a and currently have VdB and Celeste.
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My trees got knocked back to the roots last winter so are in recovery mode for another year or two.
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Request for advice: my main crop figs aren’t really sizing up. If you look closely in the photo, you can see that they’re just on the lower half of this plant and still quite small. My other figs are similar. Would it help to cut the ends off the actively growing shoots?
I’m aware that they are also getting thrashed by bud mites / FMV and am planning to take measures to correct. Just wondering if cutting the ends might also help.
if youre going to cut them back anyways it wouldnt hurt topping them. could even top them back to where the last figlet is. i would imagine those figs will ripen just fine later in the season.
Green Minchurinska seems like a pretty popular and recommended variety but doesn’t seem to be for sale very many places. Is this variety mainly available only from other growers? Is it harder to propagate or something?
Apologies if I’m telling something that you already know – Most fig enthusiasts go through phases. First they buy trees from local nurseries and box stores. Then then buy cuttings on EBay and FigBId. Both of these are rife with risk – mislabeling, fraud. Ultimately they make friends and acquire sticks as trades or gifts.
Anyone who lives within driving distance of me is welcome to come visit in November when I’m pruning and take whatever sticks they want. Otherwise it ends up on the burn pile, Green Mich included.
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First they buy trees from local nurseries and box stores. Then then buy cuttings on EBay and FigBId. Both of these are rife with risk – mislabeling, fraud. Ultimately they make friends and acquire sticks as trades or gifts
I saw someone with a fig tree driving home from work a few minutes. I have half a mind to leave a note in their mailbox to see if they’d like to exchange scions! I guess I’m trying to make it to #3 
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