I still remember the skeptical look on my neighbor’s face when I told him I was tearing out a perfectly good patch of lawn to plant a “Champagne” factory. He thought I was starting an illegal distillery here in San Diego, but I was actually putting in my first row of LSU Champagne figs.
The Golden Standard: Understanding LSU Champagne
The LSU Champagne, scientifically known as a cultivar of Ficus carica, isn’t your average grocery store fig. Released by the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center in the 1960s under the direction of Dr. Ed O’Rourke, this variety was bred specifically to withstand humidity while delivering superior flavor. In the farming community, we sometimes refer to it simply as the “Golden Celeste” due to its parentage, though its official moniker hints at its effervescent, high-sugar profile.
The LSU Champagne is a “common” type fig, meaning it is parthenocarpic. It does not require pollination by the fig wasp (Blastophaga psenes) to set fruit, making it an ideal choice for growers in isolated areas or greenhouses where the wasp is absent.
Unlike the dark purple varieties that dominate commercial shelves, the LSU Champagne sports a yellow-to-gold skin when fully ripe, often with a slight amber hue if the sun hits it just right. Inside, the pulp is a light strawberry to amber color. The flavor profile is distinct; it lacks the heavy berry notes of a Bordeaux type and instead offers a clean, robust sweetness reminiscent of brown sugar and honey. It’s a “sugar fig” in the truest sense.
Here at Exotic Fruits and Vegetables, we’ve found that the LSU Champagne outperforms many other yellow varieties because of its closed ostiole (the eye of the fruit). A tight or closed eye is the plant’s primary defense system against souring beetles and high humidity, preventing the fruit from spoiling before you can harvest it. This trait makes it surprisingly resilient, whether you are growing it in the humid South or our drier Southern California air.
Yields and Growth Habits
One of the first things you will notice is the vigor of this tree. In my orchard, unpruned trees easily shoot up 6 feet in a single season. However, what really matters is the bucket weight at the end of the day. A mature, 5-year-old LSU Champagne tree in San Diego soil typically yields between 40 to 60 pounds of fruit per season if managed correctly. The tree produces a light “Breba” crop (fruit on last year’s wood) in late June, followed by a heavy main crop that ripens from August through October.
This variety is hardy to USDA zones 7-10. While it thrives in our 90°F San Diego summers, established trees can survive winter dips down to 10°F-15°F with only minor dieback on the tips.
Setting the Stage: Soil, Sun, and Hydration
You cannot just stick a stick in the mud and expect a miracle. Soil preparation is the foundation of your future harvest. Think of your soil as a battery; it needs to store the right nutrients and energy to power the tree through the fruiting season. Figs are generally forgiving, but the LSU Champagne demands excellent drainage to prevent root rot.
In our local clay-heavy soils, I cultivate raised mounds about 4 to 6 feet in diameter and 12 inches high. I mix the native soil with 40% compost and 10% perlite to ensure aeration. The target pH is between 6.0 and 6.5. If your soil test comes back acidic (below 5.5), you need to add agricultural lime at a rate of 5 pounds per 100 square feet to sweeten the ground.
Ever wonder why your neighbor’s figs split open before they are ripe while yours stay perfect? The secret is usually consistent water management, not just the variety.
Watering Protocols
Water is the delivery system for nutrients, but too much of it is a death sentence. During the establishment year, I give my young trees 5 gallons of water twice a week. Once established, the strategy changes. Mature fig trees need deep irrigation, roughly 1.5 to 2 inches of water every 7 to 10 days during the peak heat of July and August. Shallow, frequent sprinkling encourages weak surface roots that dry out quickly.
Through our work with Exotic Fruits and Vegetables farm, we have documented that cutting back water significantly as the fruit begins to change color concentrates the sugars. If you keep flooding the tree during harvest, you end up with watery, insipid fruit that ferments on the counter within 24 hours.
| Feature | LSU Champagne | LSU Gold | Kadota |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skin Color | Yellow/Gold | Bright Yellow | Green/Yellow |
| Eye (Ostiole) | Closed (Resistant) | Open (Vulnerable) | Open (Vulnerable) |
| Flavor Profile | Honey/Sugar | Mild Sweet | Resinous/Rich |
| Split Resistance | High | Low | Moderate |
Planting and Nutrition: Step-by-Step
Getting the tree in the ground is an event. I treat it like surgery—clean, precise, and careful. Here is the exact protocol I use for optimal success:
- Dig the Vault: Excavate a hole that is three times as wide as the nursery pot but no deeper than the root ball. We want the roots to spread horizontally.
- Root Inspection: Remove the tree from the container. If the roots are circling like a pot-bound houseplant, gently tease them outward.
- Placement: Set the tree in the hole. The top of the root ball should sit about 1 inch above the surrounding soil level to account for settling.
- Backfill: Fill with your native soil mixture. Do not add fertilizer directly into the hole; it will burn the tender feeder roots.
- Mulch Heavy: Apply a 3-inch layer of wood chips or straw in a 3-foot circle around the base, keeping the material 4 inches away from the trunk to prevent collar rot.
- Initial Soak: Water immediately with 10 gallons to collapse air pockets.
Avoid using high-nitrogen fertilizers like fresh manure or lawn food on your figs. Excessive nitrogen promotes massive leafy growth at the expense of fruit production, often resulting in “leggy” branches that break under their own weight.
For feeding, I use a balanced approach. I apply a slow-release 8-8-8 granular fertilizer. For a tree that is three years or older, I scatter 1 pound of fertilizer under the canopy drip line in late February just as the buds swell. I repeat this with a half-dose in late May. I never fertilize after July 1st, as this pushes new growth that will be damaged by winter cold.
Pruning: The Art of Control
Pruning a fig tree is like giving a poodle a haircut—if you don’t do it, things get matted and ugly fast. The LSU Champagne is a vigorous grower, so you must be ruthless. I utilize the “Open Center” method, removing the central leader trunk to create a vase shape. This allows sunlight to penetrate the center of the canopy, which is crucial for ripening fruit and drying out morning dew.
I once ruined an entire Breba crop by pruning too aggressively in January. I cut back all the previous year’s growth, not realizing that the early summer crop forms on that old wood. I learned the hard way that if you want both crops, you should only thin out crossing or dead branches in winter and save the heavy heading cuts for summer after the first harvest.
The LSU Champagne responds beautifully to “pinch pruning.” When a new green branch reaches 5 to 6 leaves in length during the growing season, pinch off the terminal bud. This forces the tree to direct energy into fruit set rather than vegetative length.
Troubleshooting and Harvest
Even with the best care, things go sideways. The main enemy of the LSU Champagne in San Diego isn’t the cold; it’s the wildlife. Birds, squirrels, and roof rats know exactly when the sugar content peaks.
I use organza bags—those little mesh jewelry bags—to cover the fruit as it starts to swell. It’s tedious work bagging 300 figs, but it beats losing 50% of your crop to a mockingbird. If you see ants marching up the trunk, apply a sticky barrier (like Tanglefoot) on paper tape wrapped around the base of the tree. Never apply the sticky stuff directly to the bark, or you will girdle the tree.
Common issues to watch for include:
- Rust Fungus: Appears as rusty orange spots on the underside of leaves. usually caused by high humidity. Treat with a copper fungicide if severe, but usually, the leaves drop naturally in winter anyway.
- Fig Mosaic Virus (FMV): Causes mottled, yellow patterns on leaves. Most figs have it; simply feed and water the tree well, and it will outgrow the symptoms.
- Sour Eye: Fermentation inside the fruit caused by vinegar flies. The LSU Champagne’s closed eye minimizes this, but promptly remove any rotting fruit from the ground to reduce fly populations.
Be careful when harvesting! Fig trees produce a milky white latex sap that is a skin irritant. It reacts with sunlight to cause phytophotodermatitis—a painful, blistering rash. always wear long sleeves and gloves when pruning or picking heavy loads.
Harvesting is an art form. You know an LSU Champagne fig is ready when the neck softens and the fruit droops on the stem, hanging vertically. The skin should feel like a soft balloon filled with water. If you pick it while it’s firm and sticking straight out, it will never ripen on the counter. It is essentially a starchy vegetable at that point.
The Payoff
There is a specific moment in late August when the evening air cools down, and I walk out to the orchard. I grab a fully ripe LSU Champagne, the skin slightly shriveled, indicating the sugars have concentrated. I tear it open, and the interior is a jammy, amber delight.
Our passion at Exotic Fruits and Vegetables drives us to share these varieties because they simply taste better than anything you can buy. When you grow your own LSU Champagne, you are tasting the fruit at 100% maturity, whereas commercial figs are picked at 70% to survive shipping.
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is today.” – Chinese Proverb
Whether you have a sprawling acre in the hills or a large pot on a sunny patio, this fig is a forgiving and rewarding partner. It asks for little more than sun and soil, and in return, it gives you gallons of gold. So, grab a shovel, get your hands dirty, and prepare for the sweetest champagne you’ve ever tasted—no corkscrew required.
