Heirloom fig - pictures

16 years ago

I've taken a few pictures of the leaves of a fig tree that has been on the property of the maternal branch of my Dad's family since around 1830 according to word-of-mouth from deceased aunts who lived to be near 100. A second-cousin who inherited the property (now near 80 years) learned of my interest in figs and encouraged me to take cuttings or sprouts, and she told me that it has been in the family for those many years.

No pictures are available of the fig itself at this time, but it appears to be similar to Celeste to me.

I currently have about thirty varieties and the leaf on this tree is not like anything that I have. Based on the leaf shape in these pictures, any ideas or thoughts?

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Comments (24)

leon_edmond
16 years ago
I have never seen a leaf shape like that. What are the figs like?
User
16 years ago
I had in my posession a lot of Genuine cultivars and hybrids,but I NEVER had a fig with leaves like your tree.
I am sure it is a rarity.
Keep us Informed when it fruits please.
It would be nice to have a Pix of the fruit,Interior and exterior,next to a dollar quarter.
Stay well
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paully22
16 years ago
Wow, a grandfather of fig trees. Interesting leave shape & the tree don't appear to be that large. I have seen some pictures of huge fig trees. Keep us posted on how it taste & size of fruits etc.
hlyell
16 years ago
Hi Glenn,

That's one different-looking fig leaf alright. Did you say the fig is similar to Celeste, or did I misread that? If that's what you meant, is the color and taste like Celeste?

Henry
gorgi
16 years ago
I concur with the rest above about the 'odd' shaped fig leaf
shape; I have never seen anything like that before, specially
the 'narrow waisted mid-lobe' and the 'pointy' ends.
Looking forward to know how the fruit looks/tastes like...
George (NJ).
pitangadiego
16 years ago
I'm late to the party, but I, too, have never seen a leaf like that.
bjs496
16 years ago
Hi Glenn,

In what part of LA is this tree growing?

Being in NJ so much, I've fallen in love with Rappi (Broccoli Rabe, Rappini, etc.) and can't see to find it so easily in the groceries in Houston. I tracked some down at a farmer's market in Houston several weeks ago. While there, I met an elderly, black lady selling figs and black-eyed peas at another booth in the farmer's market. She told me she brought 20-25 "heirloom fig" trees from her family farm somewhere in LA. She made it seem as though her family had been on the land for many generations, perhaps pre-civil war.

We exchanged phone numbers and I agreed to come out to her orchard (somewhere to the southwest of Houston) and exchange varieties. I'll print your pictures to show her and ask if she has any information on it.

~james
svanessa
16 years ago
OK, Glenn, I'll be the first to ask...may I have some cuttings? Pretty Please? I'd be happy to trade, or? I have an unnamed dark purple heirloom from Portugal. I also have an unnamed green fig that is very good tasting from my Grandmother's ranch. It's been there for 40+ years. I have several cuttings that have rooted that I can send.
Thanks,
Sue in Ramona, where the temp has cooled dramatically! :-)
User
Original Author
16 years ago
Sorry for the late reply but I've been busy today!

svanessa, you have mail.

James, I'm in the process of moving back to Mississippi. The tree is located near New Hebron, MS about 60 miles south of Jackson.

Henry,and everyone else... as to the similarity to Celeste, I recall its appearance as being similar and I have a quart of preserves that indictate it's shape and size is similar. All of my experience with it was from a time when I wasn't really interested in figs, so it was just a fig then. I'll certainly pay closer attention to it next spring. The preserves are excellent, but a lot of that is in the preparation.
The tree was large but the original house burned in 2000 and the tree was killed back to the ground by the heat. Since then it has been bushy with several trunks.
bjs496
16 years ago
Hi Glenn,

While seeing what people are trying to sell on ebay, I came across this. The leaf is out of focus, so it is a bit difficult to see it's shape. Does this look like the same shaped leaf to you?

~james
figster2007
16 years ago
bjs496
i actually got one of thoose about 6 months ago and can confirm that is indeed a brown turkey as he advertizes.
elder
16 years ago
glenn: two observations (bet I'll get some heat on this!) - the general shape and variations of the leaf shape are similar to that found on young WHITE MULBERRY. I also noticed that the bark of the tree in your photos appears to be almost white (possibly due to sunshine, but also looks that way in shadowed areas). Of course, as we all know, the mulberry is closely related to the fig. You have a truly unusual fig variety, and I would love to know details on the fruit......
User
Original Author
16 years ago
James,
I'm on a sloooow dialup here and so far have been unable to get the link to load.
User
Original Author
16 years ago
I was able to get to your link this morning James; no I don't think it's close.
I agree that the leaf shape is very similar to mulberry.
gene_washdc
16 years ago
Glenn,
I notice that each branch that I can positively ID as fig has no leaves. Those branches with leaves are very thin and hard to say what they are. Is it possible that a mulberry and fig were planted next to each other, then after the fire and re-growth that the trunks and stems crisscrossed to such an extent that they could be misconstrued as the same plant?
User
Original Author
16 years ago
Gene,

I'm going back out there this afternoon and will verify if all the leaves haven't dropped.
I believe that I checked that when I took the pictures, as I was intrigued by the leaf shape.
hlyell
16 years ago
Hi Glenn,

So, you will be my closest fig forum neighbor after all :)

I'll just have to drive down one Saturday and see this unusual tree in person.

Write me privately and catch me up on your move (HL@comcast.net). I'm glad to have another fig enthusiast only an hour away :)

Henry
dangsr_grow
16 years ago
HI ALL,
I have never thought much about leaves on a fig tree other than they are a beautiful green leaf. Now I am reading all your writings about hundreds of different kinds of figs and all have different leaves. I bought a celeste tree 7 years ago and this past summer I took good looks at the leaves, and found 3 different shaped leaves, all on the same limb. Now I am lost, I dont know what it is other than a FIG. HELP.

DAN
wild_forager
16 years ago
Elder, I have to disagre about the white mulberry. I harvest mulberries when they are in season and I know of at least one white mulberry tree, and I don't believe they are the same. I do see the similarity, but these leaves are too large, not shiny enough and are mostly symmetrical. The stems are also much too long to be a mulberry. Lastly, the bark here is smooth and white, not something I would expect to see in a mulberry. But I think mulberry was a good guess.
wild_forager
16 years ago
Elder, my apologies. This is really difficult. I'm tempted to take back wat I said above... is it possible that both a mulberry and a fig with mulberry like leaves are growing in the same place? You'll notice in the lower picture that some of the leaves look nothing like the others. They are more mitten shaped. This is quite typical of mulberries, to have varying leaf shape on one plant. And it is indeed hard to be sure that the leaves are coming from the fig branches. I'm sure there is a fig in there somewhere... but I just don't know. I still think the characteristics of the leaves are somewhat un-mulberry-like...
User
Original Author
16 years ago
Well guys/gals,
the joke's on me. Gene was absolutely correct in guessing that several trunks of a different tree has grown up within the fig branches. It really required close study to figure it out, and I still don't know what it is, but the leaves were not of the fig tree.
Sorry for the undue excitement.
Svanessa, I really don't think you want a cutting of this, but perhaps of the unknown tree?

Glenn
gorgi
16 years ago
Glenn,
A good (honest) fig_leaf_dupe. Good for Gene's good
eyes/observation. Guess, we 'other' fignuts have
some much more to learn about them figs!
George (NJ).
svanessa
16 years ago
Sure Glenn, I'd like to try some of the cuttings. If it's been around since 1830 it must be GOOD! :-)
Thanks,
Sue
mrhappy
16 years ago
Having been around since 1830 and surviving a fire I would suggest a temporary name of Glenn's Tenacious until its true identity is determined.

Richard

Heirloom fig - pictures

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