Figs Varieties
Celeste
The Celeste fig is small, brown to purple in color and adapted
to all areas of Texas. Celeste is the most cold hardy of all
Texas fig varieties. The tree is large, vigorous and very
productive. Celeste usually does not have a Breba crop; the main
crop ripens in mid-June before the main crop of other Texas fig
varieties. Celeste fruit has a tightly closed eye which inhibits
the entry of the dried fruit beetle. The fruit does not have
excessive souring on the tree. Celeste has excellent fresh
dessert quality with a rich sweet flavor. It is an excellent
processing fig, either frozen or processed as fig preserves. Do
not prune mature Celeste trees heavily because this can reduce
the crop.
Texas Overbearing
Texas Overbearing is a medium-sized fig adapted to central and
east Texas. It is the most common variety in central Texas. The
tree is vigorous, very large and productive. The early crop
ripens in May; the main crop ripens in late June and continues
to ripen into August. The fruit has a short, plump stem and
moderately closed eye which reduces fruit souring on the tree.
The fruit is nearly seedless and has a mild sweet flavor. Early
crop fruit is very large, sometimes 2 inches in diameter.
Alma
Alma is a new common fig variety released by the Texas
Agricultural Experiment Station in 1974. Alma resulted from a
cross between the female Allison and the male Hamma Caprifig. It
is a late season variety with very high fruit quality. The fruit
skin is rather unattractive; however, the flesh has an excellent
rich, sweet flavor. The tree is moderately vigorous, very
productive and comes into production at a very early age. The
eye of Alma fruit is sealed with a drop of thick resin that
inhibits the entry of the dried fruit beetle, thus reducing
on-the-tree fruit souring. Alma is very frost sensitive,
especially as a young tree and should be grown no more than 200
miles from the Gulf of Mexico.
Brown Turkey
This variety has the longest ripening season of the recommended
varieties. Although it is not quite as cold hardy as Celeste, it
will, if injured by a freeze, produce fair-to-good crops on
sucker wood the next season. This is an advantage in areas
troubled by late spring frosts. The fruit is medium to large,
with a reddish-brown skin tinged with purple. The pulp is
reddish-pink and of good quality. It is subject to cracking in
wet weather and has a larger eye than Celeste and hence will
sour more quickly. The fruit is excellent for making home
preserves.
Magnolia
This variety is the most popular commercial canning fig in the
South. It is a weak growing tree with fruit that sours and
splits badly during wet weather. Splitting and souring can be
reduced, however, if its fruit is picked just before full
maturity and used as preserves. This variety also produces
fair-to-good crop on sucker wood the season after freeze injury.
The fruit is medium to large with brown skin and light amber
pulp. It is prominently swollen at the fruit base with a very
open eye. Fruiting is spread over a long period if the tree is
pruned heavily. Figs will appear on both current and last year's
wood, although its fruit crop is usually small. This variety is
widely used as a dooryard variety in Texas but because of its
splitting and souring problems, it is no longer recommended.
Keota
This variety is the commercial fig of California. Varietals
trials show it also does well in Texas, particularly in south
Texas. The fruit becomes rubbery in drier and hotter areas.
The eye is open but it is characteristically filled with a
honey-like substance which prevents entry of insects and
subsequent souring. Fruiting characteristics are similar to
those of Magnolia and Overbearing.
It will produce on sucker wood the year after cold injury. The fruit is yellow to green with seeds and amber pulp. The fruit is excellent canned or preserved. Do not plant this variety in drier areas of Texas.
Some useful information about dried fig