Thanks for posting these picture Leon.

I would have never guessed that Hanc's Englisch Brown Turkey fruit, would look so much like a Celeste.

The only other English Brown Turkey that one might be able to grow as far north as 4a, is LaRadek's English Brown Turkey. I'm thinking because of it's smaller size, Hanc's English Brown Turkey, might just be more cold hardy then LaRadek's English Brown Turkey.

Both Herman's and the LaRadek English Brown Turkey breba figs are so big that two will fill up ones hand.

Is the ripe fruit your showing pictures of, Breba or Main crop fruit?

Bob

Bob:
I'm not sure on the breba question because this is the first season it produced figs. They started to ripen at the end of July and there are still figs on the tree.
You are right about the resemblance to Celeste.
I don't have a Celeste to compare it to but I have seen others who have posted photos of Celeste variants that look similar to this fig.
Also the leaves look more like Celeste than BT leaves.
It'll be interesting to hear other opinions.

Leon, how does it taste? Is it as sweet as a Celeste?

As far as I'm concerned, it makes know difference whether or not it is a English Brown Turkey or a Celeste, if it taste good.

Hanc, seem to think it could be grown as far north as 4a.

It would be really nice if there is also a Celeste that can be grown as far north as a English Brown Turkey.

Is there any one else out there who has a confirmed Hanc Mathies English Brown Turkey????

Bob

Leon,
your fig looks like my Celeste,I do not have an E B T.to compare,but your does not have the red eye on your young figs,hope your is the real EBT.Ciao,
Giuseppe

That looks like a large celeste! I am sure it's ebt but I have only 2 knocks on celeste, small fruit size and dropping of figs. The eye looks pretty tight for a bt, but thats a good thing. Any fruit drop on this variety?

This is not Celeste.
This is similar ,if not,identical to Southern Brown Turkey sold by James Robin
Here If I am lucky I will find a pix on my computer and post it here.
Southern br. Trk,in top,Celeste at Bottom
This pix was sent to me by a very good gardener friend.

Herman, excellent comparative! There is clearly a difference between the two varieties.
Ed, I was told that this fig does not drop any fruit prematurely. In fact, even when fully ripe, you really have to tug at these figs to remove them from the branch.
Hanc's EBT has a rich, figgy taste, not sugary sweet, typical for Celeste.

Thanks for posting.

dan
Semper Fi-cus

Of course it doesn't drop because is not regular ,unimproved Celeste,it is it's own cultivar.
I also have a 2 yrs old fig from JR and so I will have my own pixies taken here so I will be able to compare against my Celeste from UCD,which is a good Celeste with nice plump figs,but it does drop,like most Celeste I had.
I stopped looking for Celeste that doesn't drop,because They all do here in My Backyard,except: (Real) Improved Celeste.
Funny:I had regular Celeste from Nurseries,and all Celeste names were written on the Tag:Celeste ,Sugar fig,Malta,Honey Fig,Improved Celeste,etc.
They were everything,except Improved.

Seems like more confusion.

I have read that Hanc felt that Miller Nursery had mistakenly labled this fig as Brown Turkey, but that he felt it was in fact, English Brown Turkey. I also read some where either Miller or Hanc indicated this fig could be grown as far north as zone 4a.

Now Herman thanks it's not Englsih Brown Turkey. But, a seperate varient of a Southern Brown Turkey.

At any rate Hanc felt this was a very cold hardy cultivar. More old hardy then Hardy Chicago, and that it had the same taste and flavor that Leon just described.

In my book based on the fact that it may be cold hardy through zone 4a and has a strong figgy taste, makes it a variety that, I'm glad we can authenicate came directly from Hanc Mathies.

Is there any one else out there who may have gotten a start of this fig from Hanc?

Bob

Hi, I am looking fo LaRadeks and Hancs brown turkey figs, any idea where to find them, Rex