Fig leaves - shape change

ShepherdsBarn

We have a mature fig which seems to have suffered after a heavy frost at the beginning of April. The leaves were just beginning to emerge and the frost knocked them back. Now that they are regrowing, they are a different shape - not all, but probably half of them. Will they continue to grow back to their original shape? Any thoughts, please?

WillowBark

Could be a kind of fasciation caused by the frosts, maybe? Hopefully someone else will be able to answer more definitively. The RHS page about fasciation says that it tends not to recur in following years on herbaceous plants, but for trees and shrubs it says affected parts can be pruned out if desired, so I guess it depends on how much the change in leaf shape bothers you and how much pruning damage the tree can take without compromising its health.

If you do decide to prune the tree, wear gloves, because the sap can irritate the skin.

ShepherdsBarn

Thank you - that's really helpful. 😊

Dovefromabove

@tui34 may be able to help with this … 😊 

tui34

Evening Dove.  Yes.  I saw this post but really, I don't know.  I wouldn't think anything of a funny leaf as long as the thing is fruiting.  My FIL has multiple fig trees in his vineyards.  I thought to ask him - but he would probably throw his hands up and say "Why worry?  Life is too short!" (He's 87).  

So - just let nature be and hope you have lots of yummy sweet figs to honey roast this summer! 

tui34

PS  The milky sap from the leaves are good to cure warts.  

Dovefromabove

I was going to say I’m sure I’ve seen figs with varied shapes of leaves on the side of the road in the S of France … but thought you might know the reason @tui34 … perhaps it’s just something some fig trees do 😊 

tui34

Probably having a bad hair day!

floralies

I wouldn't worry about the shape of the leaves this year, I think it needs pruning and also take care of where it is planted. They have a very large and deep root system which can damage pipes. We had to remove one from our garden as it broke some pipes.

ShepherdsBarn

Mmm ... sounds like we have more to worry about than just the shape of the leaves @floralies ! I think we need to remove it asap! 🤦🏼‍♀️

bertrand-mabel

@ShepherdsBarn our fig trees suffered the same. Just starting and then the frosts came and all the new small leaves were killed. They are growing like yours now and we are starting to have small fruits developing. Whether they will come to anything, who knows. Same thing happened last year and no fruit.