Fig in distress - Ask Extension
Can she be saved? So productive last year, but this year there are few sprouting leaves and I see evidence of a beetle infestation.
Knowledgebase
Fig in distress #934363
Asked June 05, 2026, 3:28 PM EDT
Can she be saved? So productive last year, but this year there are few sprouting leaves and I see evidence of a beetle infestation.
Baltimore City County Maryland
Expert Response
Hi,
Figs can often regrow from their roots, then you can train it into a few main stems. You could remove the branches close to the ground and let it re-grow and see. The borers (Ambrosia beetles) are already in the stems, so there isn't a treatment for them.
The shoot in the middle that is growing is a volunteer seedling that you should remove.
Monitor the new shoots for issues as they grow and just continue to monitor for watering needs.
Ambrosia beetles attack trees when they are already stressed, so it could be from drought or the fluctuating weather/winter temperatures.
Emily
