Mislabeled Brown Turkey fig ID

SproutMeKate1 starts with ...
hi there fig lovers,

I purchased a Brown Turkey fig from Daleys about 15 months ago while it was still dormant. being quite new to growing figs - I just assumed it was a BT. however I've been growing a couple of mystery fig cuttings recently and researching leaf shapes etc to begin the identification process, when I realized my BT didn't look like anyone elses ;-) I've included 2 pictures - one of the parent plant and one of 2 cuttings that I've propagated from suckers. the leaves are 3 and 5 fingered with 2 thumbs, and they're around 11cm along the center line. the parent tree is still quite spindly and quite compact, and I doubt I'll be getting any figs off it for another couple of years.

after lots of googling - I've got a list of possibilities, which includes Celeste, Brunswick and Violette de Bordeaux. would any of the experienced fig growers be able to help narrow down the identification?

Kate

Pictures - Click to enlarge
Picture: 1	Picture: 2

SproutMeKate1 says...
hi Lissa,

thanks ever so much for your helpful reply. I considered contacting Daleys via their mail contact form, however I saw no facility to upload images. so then I thought - the Daleys staff have better things to do with their day than to answer individual plant identification emails when they have an excellent community forum full of members with a wide variety of knowledge and experience.

in fact, there are many plant identification questions and discussions on this forum. every time someone asks a plant identification question and gets a constructive answer - it adds to the body of knowledge that benefits many countless people in the future. people learn what to look for when identifying a plant, and once identified they can learn what its specific growing needs are so they can become better gardeners. this information is all woven into the stories that gardeners share.

I had hoped the story of my little fig tree and discussion regarding its identification would have added to the fabric of the forum, because the identification of fig cultivars is an extremely fascinating process.

Kate

Pademelon1 says...
Considering Daley's sells Violette de Bordeaux, I'd say that is the most likely option, and it does resemble that cultivar very closely.

However, it should also be noted that while fig cultivars may have specific leaf shapes, they can be very variable in some cultivars and you may find that as it grows it may resemble brown turkey - but I think you are right that it is something else.

Regards,
Pademelon1

peter30001 says...
Hi Kate,
it is very difficult/ nearly impossible
to id figs by there leaves,
if going by leaves it is better to
determine what they are not.

having said that though those leaves
dont look like celeste or vdb,
brunswick leaves are said to be long
fingered like the ones pictured but
that would be odd because i dont think
daleys is selling brunswich.

as you said youll have to wait for fruit to get a proper id.

ive taken cuttings from trees and have had them fruiting the next season.

dont let that fig bug get you''

peter30001 says...
yea figs are fun, lol (figs4fun forum)

i started with eight trees a few years ago and now have about seven hundred,
and am in the process of starting another hundred or so.

NothoKoji says...
Hi Kate,

I don't know if you are still interested in this topic, but I wanted to share with you because I have exactly the same concern about Brown Turkey fig available in Australia.

I bought "e;Brown Turkey"e; fig from Yalca fruit tree few years back and it looks very similar to the one you have(the unique fingers like thin shaped leaf).

As you mentioned, however this is not the typical leaf shape of so called Brown Turkey from rest of the world.
Plus Brown Turkey picture on Daley shop also shows very different leaf shape than yours or mine.
As far as I saw figs labeled as "e;Brown Turkey"e; in local stores had same thin leaf shape, so I am pretty sure this is the fig availabe as "e;Brown Turkey"e; in Australia.

After I did lots of googling and research, this finger like shaped leaf is typical for "e;Brunswick"e;, and it seems one time this was available in Australia.
According to fig4fun information page, Brunswick can be synonym for Brown Turkey too.
I am guessing that "e;Brown Turkey"e; in Australia is "e;Brunswick"e; for rest of the world.

I am still looking for the true "e;Brown Turkey"e;, like the one from picture Daley shop shows.

Sorry for my messy English.

Regards
Koji