LSU Purple like maple sugar candy

[mountainfigs]

LSU Purple gets my vote currently for underrated fig. More than any other fig, LSU Purple seems to taste like maple sugar candy, now that this tree is several years old.

In previous (younger) years it had a pleasing citric taste. Has candied up now.

This cultivar's roots need room to roam, but given that room, it never fails to produce not long after the Mt Etnas come on and will fruit till frost.

[COGardener]

How many years is several?

[mountainfigs]

3 years.

I might have let this fig stay on the bush another day or two but given last night's critter raid of a Lemon fig, I didn't want to chance it. As it turned out, didn't need too.

[COGardener]

Ok.

Mine is a first leaf currently in a 4 gallon pot, it will be in a 20 gallon or larger by the time it is 3.

[AscPete]

Tony,
Thanks for sharing the photos and info...
Could you please post photos of the typical leaves? Thanks.

[mountainfigs]

Tomorrow, with daylight, and possibly with another fig if it survives the night.

[quackmaster]

I agree, my Lsu purple is a lot better now that it's 3 or 4 years old

[eboone]

Given the frequent statements about how poor the taste of LSU Purple is in its early years, I have been pleasantly surprised at how sweet the first two figs have been from my little 2 y old tree in a 5g SIP.

[mountainfigs]

So was I. The taste wasn't poor. Less sweet, sort of with the acidic zing of citrus, so I understood the perspective. I found it to be a refreshing difference. That said, I do appreciate more the maple sugar flavor of the recent fig.

[mountainfigs]

Though a Ronde de Bordeaux was poached the LSU Purple that I had feared for survived, will pick later. Pics of LSU Purple leaves below. Don't know how representative. This fig bush is jammed on the north edge of a hedge of figs and other plants so a bit jumbled.

[AscPete]

Thanks.
Who was your source? I have LSU Purple EL and LSU Purple TC which are the same and similar to yours. Thanks.

[mountainfigs]

Edible Landscaping and Petals from the Past, but which particular tree originated where, did not keep track. Haven't seen any differences.

[zone5figger]

Thanks for sharing, Tony. Puchased one of these at Whole Foods last year, up potted it this spring and it has a few figs in the stagnant stage now. It came with a couple very bland figs on it which matched up visually with fruit of this cultivar. Leaf shape seems consistent with yours, though more tri-lobed and 'mitten' pattern foliage on mine. I didnt do much pinching this year, but did a couple on this multi-trunked LSU P and it responded quick with figlets. Your report gives me hope for good things to come!

[mountainfigs]

If you are growing that LSU Purple where hostas grow I'm guessing it doesn't get much light which would explain the slow-growth leaf look. More rapidly grown leaves would be more deeply lobed typically. Might have trouble ripening if not enough light. That said, in the past I've grown hostas in decent light, so not sure exactly your situation in that spot.

[m5allen]

I agree, this is a great fig. I have a 3 year old plant and the figs I ate from it last year were outstanding. And it holds up well to all the problems we face down here in the deep south - rain, heat, rust, nematodes.

[mountainfigs]

Below are leaves from an additional 2 different LSU Purple shrubs, both in ground. No protection, so total top kill last winter.

One is bearing a few figs, don't know if they'll ripen but might. The other I think has no figs, and is outcompeted for water. These shrubs are not irrigated, though at least one has decent access to a swale. That's the shrub with figs. It has very deeply lobed leaves, probably because it gets as much sun as any shrub in the yard.

The LSU Purple leaves in post #7 are from a shrub in pot. I might give it a bit of water from hose a few times per week. Otherwise, it gets what it can from roots grown into ground.

The wide variance in the leaf margins of these 3 LSU Purples reflects their 3 different growing situations.

I hope to low limb protect as much of the in-ground Purples as possible this winter with leaves and/or wood chips.

[growcrazie]

I wanted to post these days ago but had a bad internet connection. 2 lsu purple, one in ground (unprotected last winter and died to the ground) the other in a pot, kept in greenhouse over last winter

[mountainfigs]

Lot of beautiful growth on the in-ground. The potted fig looks great, with super fruit, though doesn't look like LSU Purple. The fruit seems too oblate and the leaves look different. No?

[growcrazie]

I know, I almost didn't post the potted picture because it didn't look right. I have it labeled LSU purple and I am pretty sure it was the only dark fig I had when I rooted it. I could be wrong