My Fig tree, rooted by a friend of mine and given to me in a 1-gallon can about 5 years ago is having leaf problems. The tree is maturing wonderfully; and each year it bears more and more delicious figs. However in about the last week or one week and one-half, some of the leaves have gotten brown and black edges and spots on them. I don’t know if it is a disease or what is causing this to leaves at different places in the tree.

On one of our especially cold –freezing days the leaves were just coming back. And the tips of the leaves on the top limbs of the fig tree were burned looking from the freeze. Everyone suggested not to remove the damaged leaves; but that as the weather warmed thee tree will be fine. That seemed to be the case until recently. I don’t know that the brown and blacking leaves is a residual effect of the freeze or something else. Would you please give me your feedback as to what is causing my leaves to get the black and brown spots and black edges; and what I can do to remedy this? Here are some pictures. The first one of of the whole tree about a week ago. The others are of the damaged leaves taken today.
Thank you very much!

Frost damage.
Tree looks great.
I live in fig country .
Never heard of anything that troubles a fig.
Except, poor pollinazation.
😎😎😎

Thank you. Should I just leave them alone or pull the damaged leaves off?

If they bother you, cut them off.
😎😎😎

We have a member who is pretty knowledgable about figs. I will give him a shoutout to attract his attention to your question.

@ediblelandscapingsc
Can you please take a look at the images and offer some advice? Thanks.

Thanks greene, Pat you have a mild case of fig rust. It's common in the southeast and in bad cases will defoliate the tree and cause fruit drop. It's unknown how far the spores can travel but they are shaped in an aerodynamic way to reduce drag so they can spread high and as far as possible. The actual rust starts appearing when temps warm up and the humidity gets higher. Rust will not survive out west, the air is to dry. That's why Philip has never seen it before. They do make sprays to control the rust but I'm not sure there is an organic spray for it or not. I see this most often in the Celeste variety it seems very prone to not only getting rust but defoliating and dropping figs. From your leaf shape my guess is you have Celeste. is this what your figs look like?

Yes, thanks; I believe these look like my fruit. Do you have a suggestion of a spray (whether organic or not) that can get rid of the rust? And should I go ahead and remove as many of the rust affected leaves as I can? I would like to take care of the rust before the figs drop or worse. The figs have been prolific and delicious this year -I really don't want to lose the tree.

I am also air-layering limbs ( a couple of limbs have roots already) of the fig tree. If the rust is on any of leaves of the limbs I am air-layering do I need to treat it now or after I remove it from the tree -or should I get rid of it?

Thank you so much for your feedback. I am sad that my Fig tree is sick -has rust. Hopefully, I can save it. Thanks again!!!

It's not going to kill your tree and in your case you most likely won't even see fruit drop. I don't use sprays myself besides compost tea because almost everything I grow is edible and I don't want to put toxic stuff on my edibles. I'm sure you can google search fig rust sprays and it will give you some suggestions. I've never had rust on my fig trees I can't say if it's the tea or just luck. Removing the infected leaves may help slow the spread but it won't cure it. Burn all your leaves in fall or bag and discard them this will help also. You can also think about trying some other varieties if the problem get worse. Good luck and please keep us updated to how your tree does.

Thank you so much. I have never used anything other than organic sprays; and as much as I love the tree (I have had it 5 years; it was rooted by a friend of mine); and have been raising and caring for it since it was a baby -I don't want to poison myself or others. I appreciate your feedback and won't bother you again -but wondered if I could run one more thing by you?

I have been doing some air-layering of the limbs on my Fig tree and Pomegranate tree to have new trees to share with my niece and a couple of friends. They are doing great and I will leave them on the tree and check them again before severing from the mother plant (It has been almost 3 months since I started the process and the roots are growing well.). My concern? I am afraid that I will be giving them a diseased -rust plant. I noticed today that three of the limbs have rust on the leaves (and I think the other one is getting it too). Should I not let the air-layering (of which I am so proud) mature further and give away as their first fruit tree? I don't think that I should pick off all the rusted leaves on the air-layered limbs? I will try some compost tea -but should I tell them that I no longer have trees in the making for them? And hopefully it won't come back next year -or do you think during the cold weather and the leaves fall off it and they no longer have rust that it may take care of the problem? I know that I am rambling -I am just concerned with my first air layering project (in 43 years) that I can't give them away.

Have a good rest of the weekend.

Your not bothering me, I love talking figs. It's best to wait until your plant is dormant before removing the air layer at which time rust will not be an issue but if the people you want to gift the plants to live in SC, GA, FL, AL, or MS they may get rust from local spores.
Have you tried rooting any cuttings from either your pom or fig trees? Both root easily when using dormant cuttings. So easily in fact that rooting hormone isn't even needed.

I thought of doing that next. The other day I put down some cuttings from my Lady Banks Rose and they seem to be happy. The main reason I decided to give air-layering the Fig and Pomegranate a try is that I understand that an air-layered plant will produce fruit without waiting a few years; and a plant from a rooted cutting takes several years to produce fruit. Is this not the case? I would like to still be alive when my friends enjoy the fruits (of my labor) from their propagated tree while I am still alive

Thank you. Have a great Sunday.

Often if you root fig cuttings in a large enough pot it will produce figs the next year. The poms will take about 3 years but air-layered poms also don't often fruit until the 2nd year. I do cuttings more than layers because from one branch I can make 5, 6 maybe even 10 plants, but I also sale and trade a lot of plants so this is the best method for me. For the average homeowner just wanting to expand their orchard or share a few plants layers are a great choice.

This older post caught my eye as I believe to have the same issue here in Phoenix, AZ. Temperatures have been creeping up around 98-109 in the last few weeks. I water every other day on 3 emitters For 40 min. I think this is rust (in June?) but there is also what looks like water marks on some. I have taken pics of the tree after I pulled infected leaves and both sides of the infected leaves themselves. Suggestions?

KIM AZ --Lola, I am glad to see this brought up again. I was just outside a couple of days ago; removing as many infected leaves as possible. Daniel Erdy of ediblelandscapingsc was very helpful concerning the figs and the affected leaves. From my local extension service I was told this was not rust on the leaves; however, the person responding has only seen a picture.

The air-layering of my Fig tree (and Pomegranate tree) has been great; and I have gifted several to family and friends.

This is the third year that I have had the leaf problem and I used a liquid Copper Fungicide the last two years; and a little bit this year. My tree is very large now, and I shouldn't be climbing to spray the top. Mainly, I have trying to remove the affected leaves that I can reach; but there are many. Eventually, if the past is any indicator; they will most all drop.

Unfortunately, I have had some serious health problems for a little over a year and one-half; and my cardiologist suggested that I don't "play" in the yard.

Lola, I wish that I could help you (and myself) more. Possible someone else knows more; an hopefully Daniel Erdy has more input.

Thanks! Have a great day!

P.S. I can take more pictures of the tree and leaves; if it will be helpful. Although they are ver similiar to the pictures at the beginning of the post of July 21, 2017.

Patmorris1 - thanks for your reply. Did this impact your crop? This is supposed to be Turkey Fig and our first crop last year we had small figs that were yellow. I am hoping these ones growing will be good.

KimAZ. I am hoping that Daniel from
ediblelandscapingsc will see your post/and mine and reply. He is very knowledgeable and helpful.

My tree is a Celeste Fig Tree; it is a nice size and beautiful (except for the infected leaves. And it is loaded with figs. It has never hurt the figs; however; when it started losing all of the leaves; it didn't put out anymore figs. It is very distressing; because the figs have the best flavor and I love making preserves; a fig cake; and different goodies with the figs --I love to share with others; and even though I only have one figs; I like for others to be able to pick them some also. However, not sure how this will work this year. I surely hope that you get help with your tree. I am going to send an email to our local extension service again and see if he/she will research it for me. The head of the local one doesn't think it is Rust. But since I have more pictures; maybe they will give me some advice. If I find out anything helpful; I will let you know. Pat

Kim you are over watering your plant. 40 minutes every other day is too much. Lack of water and too much water have very similar looks. People see leaves turning yellow and falling off and assume the plant is in need of water but it's acutely begging to stop being watered. Fig rust does not exist in Western states. The air and environment is too dry for the spores to survive. Fig mosaic virus is a big deal out west but I do not think that's what's going on. Try slacking off on the water to only watering once a week and go get a bag of mulch to put around your tree if you can. If you cant get any mulch you may need to water twice a week but the mulch is going to be a life saver for you and help keep your root zone cooler. Good luck and please keep us updated.