How to Prune a Standard or Potted Fig Tree

Last Updated: January 23, 2023

A standard ficus or fig tree (Ficus species) is one that has been grown in a pot and trained to create a classic "ball on a stick" look. Most fig trees make excellent standard plant subjects because they are hardy, suffer being pot bound and tolerate long periods without water.about being bound in a container and can tolerate low water levels. The only one to avoid turning into a standard ficus, however, is the edible fruiting fig tree (Ficus carica).

Steps

1
Assess which branches have grown out of the standard shape (ball shape). A common problem is branching out, causing a fan or vase shape to form instead of the characteristic ball shape sought from a standard.
2
Cut back all of the branches on the standard by a half to two-thirds. While this does count as severe pruning, the fig tree can cope with this and it will regenerate new, vigorous growth quickly.

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3
Deal with the roots. Roots should also be cut back periodically, especially with the larger fig trees.
4
Continue to trim the standard fig regularly. The aim is to reshape it into a ball and then to maintain this shape. If maintained, you will avoid having to put the fig through such a severe pruning again.
5
Compost the prunings or mulch them.

Community Q&A

Question

Can a standard fig be planted in the garden when it becomes to big for its pot, or is the root system too strong?

Ninox

Top Answerer

As long as the pot is big enough, you can keep it into it. Roots grow more slowly as the tree grows.

Warnings

Avoid getting the milky sap from ficus on your skin. You may find it causes serious irritation.

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Avoid over watering standard figs; too much water can turn the leaves yellow. Use the finger test - if the soil is moist when you push in a finger to about 2.5 centimeter (1.0 in) depth, it doesn't need watering; if dry, it does.

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Avoid pruning a standard fig tree on hot days; the leaves that are exposed by pruning might be easily burned.^{[1]
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