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  4. LSU Purple Fig
LSU Purple Fig
LSU Purple Fig

LSU Purple Fig

20 ReviewsAsk Questions

Available Spring 2018

Supplies are limited so make sure you don't miss out next time by having us automatically notify you when it becomes available again.

Description

Grow glossy purple fruit, enjoyed fresh or dried! Fruit is medium-sized with a mild flavor, high sugar content, and white flesh. The pulp is light amber to light red when ripe. Tree is a vigorous, upright grower. Highly productive. Pest- and disease-resistant. Louisiana State University introduction. Grows well in containers! Heat-tolerant. Ripens from July through frost. Self-pollinating.

Characteristics

Fruit Color Purple
Fruit Size Medium
Pollination Self-pollinating
Ripens/Harvest July Through Frost
Shade/Sun Full Sun
Soil Composition Loamy
Soil Moisture Well Drained
Soil pH Level 6.0 - 6.5
Taste Good Sweet
Texture Fleshy Soft
Years to Bear 1 - 2
Zone Range 7 - 10

Zone Compatibility

This Variety's Zone Range 7 - 10
My Hardiness Zone ?
The USDA hardiness zones offer a guide to varieties that will grow well in certain climates. Each zone corresponds to the minimum winter temperatures experienced in a given area. Make sure that your hardiness zone lies within the zone compatability range of this variety before ordering.

Recommended Pollinators

This variety is self pollinating.

In many cases, you may still want to plant pollinating partners to increase the size of your crops, but with self-pollinating varieties doing so is optional. You'll get fruit with only one plant!

Tools & Supplies

Having the proper tools and supplies when growing your own can make the difference between a good harvest and a great harvest! Here's a list that our experts recommend for this variety.

Questions & Answers

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Browse 6 questions Browse 6 questions and 25 answers
Why did you choose this?
Stark Bro's Store
Bought an LSU Gold Fig and I didn't want it to get lonely. I'm not an LSU fan (go Longhorns), but the Purple and Gold just seemed to go together.
Richard A on Mar 24, 2017
Pest +disease resistant, highly productive, heat tolerant, growth is more upright than others and it only grows to around 8-10" high.
Judith W on Oct 3, 2016
Bought an LSU Gold Fig and I didn't want it to get lonely. I'm not an LSU fan (go Longhorns), but the Purple and Gold just seemed to go together.
Richard A on Mar 24, 2017
Heat tolerance was the first thing I considered when purchasing the LSU purple fig and the LSU gold fig. I also look for plants that the wildlife will eat if I do not. And figs are considered a "keystone" species, because so many species eat the fruit.
JESSICA M on Feb 14, 2017
Pest +disease resistant, highly productive, heat tolerant, growth is more upright than others and it only grows to around 8-10" high.
Judith W on Oct 3, 2016
My spouse is a HUGE LSU fan, and he loves figs, and the color purple. So he gets three things he loves together, all in one tree.
Carrie D on May 26, 2016
I'm planting new fig trees at a new residence
Anna S on May 17, 2016
This is one of my spouses favorite figs.
Scott C on May 6, 2016
size when mature
Tarry W on Apr 17, 2016
looking for cold hardy
Dan O on Feb 18, 2016
it's mature size will work best in my garden.
Ouida T on Feb 17, 2016
Heat tolerance was the first thing I considered when purchasing the LSU purple fig and the LSU gold fig. I also look for plants that the wildlife will eat if I do not. And figs are considered a "keystone" species, because so many species eat the fruit.
JESSICA M on Feb 14, 2017
My spouse is a HUGE LSU fan, and he loves figs, and the color purple. So he gets three things he loves together, all in one tree.
Carrie D on May 26, 2016
Can LSU purple be planted in pots?
Jinyun W on Mar 15, 2016
BEST ANSWER: I Hope so! I bought the fig tree in question last fall & placed in an approximate 10 gallon pot.I left them in the basement all winter but moved then outside this past weekend. I plan to leave them in pots for 2-3 years then plant them permanently in the ground.
Hope this helps. Be sure to use a big pot or the tree will get "root bound" fast.
What will happen if I get a lsu purple and a lsu good? Will they cross pollinate?
Deb C on May 7, 2016
BEST ANSWER: Each LSU fig variety is self-pollinating and will set fruit without cross-pollinating with another variety. Even if they cross pollinate, your LSU Purple tree will still have purple figs and your LSU Gold tree will still have yellow figs.
Does the LSU Purple fig need winter protection like the celeste fig?
Barbara K on Oct 6, 2016
BEST ANSWER: Barbara, I don't know where you live, but we are in western-south-central
Oklahoma and in this area, yes, protection is needed IF you don't want them
totally killed back to the ground over the winter. We did NOT protect ours over
the winter of 2015-16 (other than a light mulch layer) and many of the branches were
killed. However, new growth still came out and we had more figs than the first year.
We do plan to give them more protection this year. We have three varieties, and this
is our favorite one.
do I have to cover the fig tree in winter with burlap for it to survive new jersey winters.?
louie d on Oct 7, 2016
BEST ANSWER: Yes, you should winter protect a fig tree (especially when young) in your area. There may be some winter die-back, but the tree should spring back with plenty of new growth if the roots are established.

You may want to consider a different fig variety given where you live. Chicago Hardy is a much more cold tolerant fig and is worth considering.
I live in south west Florida and all we have here for soil is sand and some broken sea shells mixed in. Will a fig tree grow in this environment?
Georgette W on Apr 18, 2017
BEST ANSWER: You'd be far better off (and have a lot more figs) if you plant the tree in good, fertile soil in a large container, where it will do beautifully. This excellent article will answer your questions and provide good advice. Please see "Growing Fruit Trees in Containers" //www.starkbros.com/growing-guide/article/fruit-trees-in-containers-pt1

Customer Reviews

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4.2 / 5.0
20 Reviews
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Awesome experience with LSU Purple
I ordered 2 LSU Purple figs and then forgot about them until it was shipping time and I noticed I was billed. They arrived quickly and I'll admit I was concerned to see 2 sticks sticking out of a small rectangular pot.

I got them planted and both started shooting out growths almost immediately. Both are doing well and one even has 2 small figs on it. Could not be more impressed with Stark Bros!!!

Just saw my catalog arrived and am deciding what else to order.
February 26, 2016
Purchased
 1 year ago
Looking good so far
Thus far, we like this variety ... Since we are pretty new to growing figs, and since these were just planted last year, it may be a few years before we have enough experience to give a fair review. We also planted two other fig varieties in hopes that at least one or two of them would work in our area of south central Oklahoma; we had a rather mild winter for 2015-2016, so all of the figs are leafing out. We already are thinking that the LSU Purple may be ahead of the rest and is the one likely to be ordered again to replace any others that don't make it; again, it may take a few years to be certain. We certainly did love the small harvest we had in late summer/early fall of 2015 from this variety ... absolutely heavenly fresh figs!
May 11, 2016
Purchased
 over 2 years ago
So far, so good
My LSU purple fig tree arrived safe and sound in November. It has survived our mild rainy winter and seems healthy, hasn't begun to leaf out yet. Planting instructions were helpful.
February 18, 2016
Purchased
 1 year ago
Purple fig
One is still in perfect condition. The other suffered winter damage and it looks as though something was chewing on the terminal end of the new branches. Wasps? I do have leaves lower down coming out. I expect it to recover.
May 18, 2016
Purchased
 over 2 years ago
better than advertised
weathered the winter better than my 4 20 year old turkey figs. grows more like a tree.fruited first year. will do well this summer.
June 8, 2017
Purchased
 1 year ago
LSU Purple Fig
I planted this one in a container. It actually made a couple of figs the very first year! I put it in my garage for the winter. It over wintered quite well and now has a number of figs on it.
July 11, 2017
Purchased
 1 year ago
Exactly as delivered- it's growing well, figs maybe soon !
May 15, 2017
Purchased
 1 year ago
Southern Palm Beach County, Florida Planting
We received two (2) of the "enhanced" offering fig trees via courier/US Mail in good shape and planted them immediately in areas of at least half-day direct sunlight and within the radius of the lawn irrigation system (mixed-in some fertilizer to the burial (8-3-9 blend that I use on my mangos, avocados, citrus and other tropical (Diamond R. Fertilizer, Winter Garden, FL)) and a couple of Vigiro fertilizer stakes to the mostly silica sandy soil they are bedded in. Got new flush buds within a couple weeks, leaves within a month, and a single fig fruit on one of the plants the first growing season (the one with the more favorable sun exposure)). Got three figs from that same plant this season (fruit had good sugar for its having grown on a juvenile plant and did not color (was green)). All in all, I'm pleased. My Middle Eastern in-laws laugh at me in my excitement regarding these plants (figs are called, "teen", in Arabic) owing to their belief that these plants will take a long time to size-up and be appreciable producers.
May 30, 2017
Purchased
 1 year ago
Easy and quick to adapt
This fig tree took off right away and hasn't looked back, it is looking great 1 year later.
May 7, 2017
Purchased
 1 year ago
Already growing fruit
I bought a few verities of fruit trees and the fig is the first tree to already start producing. Excited to harvest and have fresh figs this summer. I planted this in a 20 gallon bucket and its thriving so far. Great addition to our farm.
May 11, 2017
Purchased
 1 year ago

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