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girlbug2

The true heights of mature fig trees

girlbug2
12 years ago

For those here who have mature, in-ground fig trees, could you tell me what variety they are and how big they grew?

I am mistrusting catalog descriptions. It would be nice to be able to plan a landscape accurately.

Comments (13)

  • thisisme
    12 years ago

    girlbug2 if you are going to grow almost any fruit tree you are going to have to learn how to prune and train trees. Most trees grown on their own root systems or on standard and semi-standard rootstock grow very large. I have seen apple trees over sixty foot tall. Even things like pomegranates can get 25-30 foot tall. You can't just let them grow unchecked or over time one or two trees can take over an entire yard.

  • girlbug2
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Yes I am aware but I would like to know what a tree's potential height is before I plant it.

  • thisisme
    12 years ago

    There are some figs that are smaller than others like VDB. Even so they do tend to get taller in warmer areas of the country than they do up north where they have cooler temps and shorter growing seasons. Most fig trees have the potential to get over 30ft tall and over 30ft wide if allowed to grow unchecked in a zone 9/10. Not saying it will happen over night but it is not uncommon for a fig tree planted in the ground to grow 5'+ per year in your zone.

  • ejp3
    12 years ago

    Thisisme is right. Varieties like black mission can get to great heights even here in new york. My opinion is, why grow a fig tree taller than you can reach? If you don't mind keeping a ladder within your fig tree, (and I know people who do), what's the point? But the birds will love you for it.

  • wabikeguy
    12 years ago

    Here's a link to Morton Fig tree in Santa Barbara. Over 80 feet tall and nearly 200 feet wide.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moreton_Bay_Fig_Tree_%28Santa_Barbara,_California

    (If the link doesn't work, just google Santa Barbara Morton Fig tree).

  • thisisme
    12 years ago

    The thing is, they are so easy to prune and keep at a reasonable height that there really is no reason to fear how big they can get.

  • igo4fish
    12 years ago

    girlbug,
    in my neighborhood, there are fig trees ranging from chest high to 30'. Pruning is key. Another key is to forego the breba crop and focus on the main. That way you can prune as low as you want every dormant period. Good luck!

  • igo4fish
    12 years ago

    girlbug,
    in my neighborhood, there are fig trees ranging from chest high to 30'. Pruning is key. Another key is to forego the breba crop and focus on the main. That way you can prune as low as you want every dormant period. Good luck!

  • girlbug2
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Very good to know. Thanks to all for replies.
    I will keep the loppers handy.

  • wabikeguy
    12 years ago

    An extreme example is I cut one of my new (less than two years old) trees to the ground last November with the intention of pulling it out...then didn't get around to it. Right now I have a very healthy looking nearly three foot tall little tree...all new growth, where I cut the old one down. I've allready pinched back several lower limbs and will keep just one main one as a small tree.

    Once established...these guys are very hardy. You can shape them or keep them to just about any hight you like.

  • sergnic
    12 years ago

    The size of mature fig tree is remarkably constant for all varieties.

    This means that a height of 30 'wide and 35' is normal for a fig tree, single, on deep ground, rich and soft.
    I also thought that trees of varieties that in my country are almost never in the orchard, and cultivated or left fallow were dwarfs, but when I saw the size (of the same variety), in rich deep soil and no competitors, were monumental as the others.
    So is the plot that matters so much, but worked in poor soil without over-watering, fig trees can occupy a diameter of 15, 'and a height not exceeding 10', though very poor, stony soil, less .
    As with the pruning, you can choose whether to privilege the width rather than height, with the pruning can not determine the development (ie the volume occupied) of the plant. In fact, if forced to lower dimensions to what can potentially grow (depending on terrain) will try to escape with mass production of strong many unproductive branches.
    I remember in passing that the roots are as a direct shot into the water and soft even at distances well over 30 '.
    If you show them in poor soil, or with a little water, (also to improve the quality of fruits) and imagine that its development (reduced) points out that it has no chance to catch the water in the soil of nearby, otherwise your forecast.....

  • jolj
    12 years ago

    You can try Espalier tree.
    Most fruit trees can be pruned in a espalier form, including all fig trees.
    This takes a little time & should be started as soom as you plant a tree.
    You may not prune the tree into the form, the first year.
    But you should be looking at what you will train & what you will cut away.

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