Smith Fig tree anyone??? I'm willing to sell my Soul and left Kidney at this point.

[Claymango]

Had an approved bare root tree shipped to me by a very generous *TFF forum Member last month, USPS discarded it because my Mailbox was full for some time and after 2 weeks things were ether sent back to sender or discarded such as my Smith with their current policies...

Second attempt was foiled by California's strict, agricultural shipping laws ..... Yeah that one hurt the most, especially my pocket.

I'm desperate guys... King Fig, or Dan...sold this Fig so well as being one of the great, more complex tasting Figs.... Tree, cuttings, air layer...anything... I'm willing to pay an honest price or bid....whatever... share that 100 plus year old Louisianna Heirloom with me please.

[ako1974]

I think Just Fruits and Exotics has Smith figs....

[Darkman]

They do and it is supposed to be a good one.

[Rafaelissimmo]

Seems like you've got figs on the brain disease. Here's a taste of whats to come ...

[cjccmc]

Does it have an open eye? Can ants and fruit flies get inside?

[Rafaelissimmo]

There is no open eye that I am aware of. Right now this is the best fig in my collection, overall (not just taste, but considering numerous factors). This one does not split and while yellowjackets do love to burrow into them, I have ways of blocking them as well.

[Go_Figger]

Rafaelissimmo Oh NO, that's a thing?!? Oh, man... do they come back out? And is it obvious when they've gone in? That might put a damper on the enjoyment of a fig, a live wasp in your mouth. Unless, do people always cut figs open before eating, or is that just for the pictures? I've uh, never had one/ still never seen one in person (fresh).

[Rewton]

EdibleLandscaping, Inc. has Texas BA-1 for sale which is supposed to be Smith. The photos of the fruit certainly look like photos of Smith I have seen.

[noss]

I've never heard that Smith and TXBA-1 are the same variety. I don't think they are. Check first.

[Rafaelissimmo]

Noss, I guess you read below, because according to Dan they are in fact one and the same. I am growing both but no fruit on Tx BA-1 yet.

[noss]

It will be very interesting to see what you turn up, Rafaelissimmo. I've got, supposedly, a TXBA-1, but never got a fig that stayed on the tree to ripen. I've got a Smith tree from Becnel, which has produced. I'll keep a close eye on both to see how they compare.

No, I hadn't read below before the first post. Are you talking about King Fig, or another Dan? I guess I should read the whole thread and I might get my answer. Please keep us posted on your trees.

My two trees sure don't act alike, so maybe I don't really have a TXBA-1 because my Smiths hang onto the tree like they're glued on.

[Wisner]

What are the requirements to get a live fig tree into California?

[Claymango]

depends...ether you pay inspection fee to certify it clean or pest/deseases, or all soil has to be removed and roots washed then stamped by whatever agricultural division..... *** I think.

[Claymango]

I had a huge Smith tree sent to me from Just fruits and Exotics via a close relative from Florida... a 30 dollar 3g tree that was closer to a large 5g tree.... It got seized en route from the FEDEX Ca shipping station.....


So I'm on the hunt again.... I've purchased 11 Mango trees from Top Tropicals in Fl... But they all are inspected and certified before shipping.... I was hoping they had the Smith, but just the commons...

[greenfig]

Ask them to chop the tree into the cuttings and ship the wood. Leave the best 4 and sell the rest, will have a profit!

Where you are in CA?

[Snaglpus]

Yeah, Dan is right about Smith. I must have 10 or 12 of them and I don't sell them. To me, Smith taste the same as Black Maderia....it's just ugly when it ripens! Smith is one fig that should be prized. I dug up my huge Smith last Fall and placed it in a half 55g SWP. Smith has one down fall....it is not hardy. Even in my climate, i have to protect it which is why I dug mine up after all these years.

[drphil69]

What is your climate? A signature with zone and general location would be helpful.
Thanks.

[Go_Figger]

Goodness, not hardy in 8a? Then I'll be in real trouble here in 6b.

[Harborseal]

You're probably better off getting it from an approved nursery, ask for a tracking # and hound the PO or UPS when it's due. Your name is probably on a bad boy list and all your packages will be screened.

[Claymango]

Yeah, Dan is right about Smith. I must have 10 or 12 of them and I don't sell them. To me, Smith taste the same as Black Maderia....it's just ugly when it ripens! Smith is one fig that should be prized. I dug up my huge Smith last Fall and placed it in a half 55g SWP. Smith has one down fall....it is not hardy. Even in my climate, i have to protect it which is why I dug mine up after all these years.

O wow... Snaglpus....Some of the reviews of Smith I quoted in an earlier post was actually from you and not Dan... I thought Dan was you on Figs4fun..woops

Both of you guys are responsible for my Smith Obsession...between his blog and your earlier posts...it definitley sold me on the Smith Fig. lol

[noss]

Smith is a different kind of fig. It's very ugly, but it's only going to get chewed up, anyway, so that's no problem for me. It will get a drop of clear, sweet, sticky substance at the eye and it you collect enough of it, you can eat it like candy. Very chewy. The fig's taste has a nice acidic bite that's just enough to be very tasty.

My poor tree got attacked by scale over the winter and is slow to wake up. Treated it the other day and already looks better. My tree came directly from the Becnel plantation, through a man who works with ULL and recommended it for me to try.

[Snaglpus]

Ha. I remember years ago when I first posted on Jon's fig forum about how great Smith figs taste. Dan told me back then that folks in LA have always known about Smith. Dan knows where it came from. Not many folks know about its goodness. Dan says it's an heirloom fig and all I know is it is amazing! Which is why I don't sell them! I want them all for myself! HA!

[King Fig]

I have recently traced its origin to Croatia. I got this new information first hand from the grandson of the immigrant who first brought it over into the New Orleans Area. I am trying to find the other three Croatian figs that came over with the one we call Smith.

Dan

[noss]

Well, Dennis, I will cry for you when you OD on Smith figs, then. LOL!

noss

[noss]

Dan, Did you say the Smith is the same as the TXBA-1? I couldn't find it on your blog, but good luck hunting down the other Croation fig trees.

noss

[m5allen]

I have a few Smith cuttings that I am trying to root right now and it is next to impossible. They just don't want develop a strong root system. This is the only variety I have ever had trouble with. So frustrating.

[mgginva]

Try putting a cutting in a glass of water - either with an air stone or change water EVERY day. I do this a lot with problem cuttings. If they start to rot - take out - cut off rot and put in dirt. If they don't rot eventually you'll get growth.

[Yeehova]

I just potted one up in a 5 gallon SIP. Wish me luck!

[COGardener]

Since JF&E does not ship to CA, have you had any luck finding a Smith Clay?

[figgary]

Hi Clay. I planted 2 Smiths in ground and have an extra in a 5 gallon. Where in CA are you? I'm in Sonoma County.

[Claymango]

Figgary and CO Gardener



So far a couple of great forum members have reached out to me in my desperate times ( Thank you so much guys...this forum Rocks!!!). One great friend who is currently trying to root the cuttings and may have an extra if all goes well and another friend sending a Texas BH-1 (I think cutting) which is believed to be the exact same variety as Smith according to several forum members including King Fig says he's about 60 percent sure it's the same lol.


However I would love to grab a 5g tree if possible and it would be automatically approved for CA shipping, I've recieved my warning from the Dept of Agriculture after my JF&E "Smith" was siezed at the shipping station, so this definitley puts me at ease; Although I'm in the Temecula Valley....so a bit to far for a personal pickup. I'll PM you.

[Gina]

Glad you will be getting one. ....So... who will get your left kidney?

I got one Smith cutting a couple years ago. It rooted and hopefully this year I'll get to taste a good one. Tree now in 15 gallon container and doing well. Last year I did get a couple figs, but they were compromised and were rather bland.

[Claymango]

Yes Gina, this forum is full of amazing people. I have already reached out to them and let them know it will be payed forward with whatever they see fit, defintely these guys who have broken bread (Figs) with a stranger, will most certainly have first spare cuttings from my other Trees, or scions from my many other Trees if they want... ok maybe not my Kidney lol

[King Fig]

I told the fig world many years ago how good Smith figs were. I predicted back then that one day you would hear rave reviews about this Croatian fig. TX BA-1 is definitely the exact same fig.

Dan Semper Fi-cus

[Darkman]

Your certification is much appreciated. I can get the Smith from JF&E. I just wish my fifteen or so FALSE TX BA1's were Smith.

[noss]

If it's so, Dan, then the tree I've bought as a TXBA-1 isn't one because the Smiths I have won't let go of their figs and the TXBA-1 (not?) can't seem to keep figs on it. Boo.

noss

[King Fig]

Smith was going to become extinct even in Louisiana until I hyped this fig. I have hyped this fig on both fig forums and on my fig blog. There was a reason for my glowing reviews. It it so dang good and few people knew about it. It was likely to go extinct. My hyping succeeded in preventing it from becoming forever lost. No one wanted this fig in Louisiana because they never heard of it. Why even Becnels nursery stopped propagating it.

It will now NEVER become extinct because of my diligent efforts. I gave Smith trees to several nurseries so they could propagate it. I could have sold thousands of Smith cuttings.....but did not. I am not into figs to make money. Like I stated in a post on my fig Blog. Smith came to Louisiana directly from Croatia many years ago. No one knew this fact until I posted it. There were other Croatian figs that came into the area too along with Smith. And I am tracking down those other heirloom figs from Croatia. From descriptions I have on other ones that came over (4 came over) it sounds to me like Dalmatie was one of them Who knows......I am still on the hunt to find the one that is supposed to be better than Smith. Read my fig Blog to learn more about this.

Dan
Semper Fi-Cus

[rusty hooks]

I too am happy to see your commentary here Dan...It's a Marine Corps tradition....be direct

Semper Fi

[King Fig]

Semper Fi....Rusty. Direct, blunt, and never retreat or give ground to nonsense. Can't help but be that way. Thanks for your comments.


Dan

[noss]

Dan, I spoke with a man at Becnel & Sons and I asked him about getting another Smith tree from them and he said they don't sell it anymore and without thinking, I blurted, "Are you CRAZY over there? EVERYONE wants a Smith tree!" Then I apologized to the young fella because I was so caught off guard, I forgot myself and told him there are fig people all over the country wanting a Smith tree. Go figure.

Is Croatia a cold country? I'm not real up on my geography. Now I have to go look that up.

[Rafaelissimmo]

Dan have you ever seen a breba mature on Smith? Or do they just drop as of right, as I see happen with other varieties, eg Preto. There is a breba on my mature Smith in my greenhouse, still small. There was one last year, but a nor'easter knocked it off.

[King Fig]

I have never seen a breba on my two trees. Nor have I seen brebas on my friends huge tree. That is likely because Smith will produce two main crops in my long season. In my zone I would highly recommend taking them off should they form......to allow both main crop figs time enough to fully ripen..


Dan

[JD]

Maj DJ,
I know you have several Smith growing on your property. Are you in search of another? Am I reading this post correctly? If so, you need not send out an all call, just let me know via email or PM.

Dan,
You and Dennis encouraged me to be patient with Smith. After the third season, I was ready to burn it. Fortunately for me, I did not. It is so good I was COMPELLED to give a few *nice* specimen to family and a friend. Read more here Smith 2014 and Smith 2013.

Viv,
Check your PM.

[King Fig]

........and I bet that no one on this forum or any of the other fig forums knows that LSU Gold was once one of those "lost" LSU hybrids!! That's right folks. It was lost and in the hands of private collectors BEFORE LSU officially released it to the public.

I have never taken the time to write about that fact. So, I chuckle whenever I read peeps say that if the unknown LSU hybrids were any good.......LSU would have already
released them. If only they knew about the others that even the current peeps at LSU do/did not know exist! Lol I have already made the fig world aware of some of them.

Dan

Dan
Semper Fi-cus

[Darkman]

It sounds like more fell through the program than actually was acknowledged and released. I had always wondered why so few were released and had assumed like so many university programs they were only looking for those that fit the commercial definition of being attractive, shippable and tasty!

[JD]

Hey Dan,

Agreed on the taste description especially the natural acidity and the crunch adds a texture that makes it almost incomparable.

Here in 8B, Smith will split with heavy rains. I am going to try limiting water significantly on a tree this growing season to see how it impacts the figs.

Finally, thanks for the side bar on LSU Gold. I read where you mentioned that previously. How about taking a few minutes to start a discussion?

JD

[m5allen]

Dang, after reading this (how great this fig is), I am now even more upset about my struggling cuttings. Two out of three I originally bought have died and the last one is holding on for dear life. But it may hang on and thrive. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Dan - what would you say is the sunlight requirement for this fig. Obviously, all figs do best in full sun, but some seem to tolerate a little shade better than others. If 100% full sun is not possible, will this variety still be a good producer? Thanks.

[King Fig]

Smith will definitely fruit in a semi shaded area but the figs might not develop that awesome taste without direct sunlight hitting them. At any rate, they always will taste very good. If you look at the Smith figs on my fig Blog (Dans Cajun Figs) you can see what the awesome tasting ones will look like. They are very ugly with lots of "Sugar Spots" on them. When grown in shady areas they usually do not develop those sugar spots. Direct sunlight causes the fig meat to get stained a red color by the chemical reaction that takes place between the fig pulp and the outer skin.

FYI---- Meat staining is ALWAYS the sign of a good tasting fig.......irregardless of its classification (its physical skin color).

Dan
Semper Fi-cus