Brisbane tree guide

Small-leaved fig

Ficus obliqua · also called Small-leafed fig, Small leaf fig, Figwood

The small-leaved fig, also known as the small leaf fig, is a big native strangler fig from the rainforests of eastern Australia, including south-east Queensland. It builds a dense, wide crown over a massive buttressed trunk, and its small orange figs feed figbirds and other birds. It is far too large for most house blocks: Council plants it only in wide road medians, and water-seeking fig roots are a known risk to sewer pipes.

Native to South East Queensland
10 to 20 m tall

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Small-leaved fig leaves and figs up close — Photo: John Robert McPherson, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Small-leaved fig at a glance

Height: 10 to 20 m
Leaves: Evergreen
Flowers: Small and easy to miss
Roots: Aggressive
Origin: Rainforest from Cape York to southern New South Wales, plus Malesia and the south-west Pacific
Power lines: Not on the council's list for under power lines
Family: Moraceae

How to identify a small-leaved fig

A large, spreading fig that often starts life on another tree and strangles it, ending up with a massive, buttressed trunk made of fused roots. The leaves are glossy dark green above and paler below, oval to oblong, mostly 5 to 12 cm long, on stalks 1 to 1.5 cm long. Broken twigs ooze plenty of sap. The figs grow in pairs, are round and 6 to 10 mm across, and ripen orange with dark red spots, mainly from April to June. The Moreton Bay fig has much bigger leaves, 10 to 25 cm long with rusty undersides, and the rusty fig's leaves are hairy and rust-coloured beneath.

Growing a small-leaved fig in Brisbane

The small-leaved fig grows naturally in rainforest from Cape York to southern New South Wales, including south-east Queensland, so it is at home in Brisbane's climate. That is also the problem: it becomes a very big tree with a very wide crown. Brisbane City Council uses it only on arterial road medians and roundabouts where the verge is wider than 5 metres, and never under power lines. In a home garden it belongs only on acreage, well clear of the house, pipes, paving and driveways.

What to watch out for

Size and roots are the main issues. The small-leaved fig grows into a huge, spreading tree with a buttressed trunk, and Council rates its crown as very large. Fig roots go looking for water: Hunter Water gives figs its highest (extreme) damage rating for sewer pipes, Urban Utilities advises against planting figs near sewers, and a Gold Coast council guideline warns that fig roots are highly invasive near buildings and underground services. Urban Utilities' general rule is to plant trees at least 3 metres from sewer pipes; a tree this big needs far more room.

Size. Council rates its crown as very large and plants it only where verges are wider than 5 metres, and PlantNET describes a massive, buttressed trunk.

Pruning and care

Choose a spot where it can reach full size, so it never needs heavy cutting back. Formative pruning while the tree is young, taking out crossing branches and lifting low limbs, sets up a sound framework. Cut stems bleed a lot of sticky sap, so wear gloves. Get an arborist's advice before cutting any large roots, especially near paths or buildings. Work on big limbs and mature figs is a job for a qualified arborist with the right gear.

Small-leaved fig: your questions

Short answers, from the sources below.

Back to the tree guide

Are small-leaved fig roots invasive?

Yes, treat them as invasive. Hunter Water rates figs as an extreme risk to sewer pipes and Urban Utilities advises against planting water-seeking figs near sewers, so keep a small-leaved fig well away from pipes, paving and buildings.

How big does a small-leaved fig grow?

Brisbane City Council's street tree list gives 10 to 20 metres with a very large crown, and Council only plants it where there is plenty of room. In rainforest it becomes a medium to large strangling tree with a massive, buttressed trunk.

Is the small leaf fig native to Brisbane?

Yes. The small leaf fig is native to eastern Australia, growing in rainforest from Cape York to southern New South Wales, including south-east Queensland. It also grows in Malesia, including New Guinea, and on south-west Pacific islands.

Do birds eat small-leaved figs?

Yes. Figbirds and cuckoo-shrikes eat the small orange figs, and the leaves feed the caterpillars of crow butterflies.

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Sources and credits

Photo: John Robert McPherson, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

This profile updates sheet 35 of the plant profile booklet made for Colourful Tree Lopping in 2013. We checked every fact against current sources and rewrote it for the guide.

Checked October 2026. Weed listings and council rules change: check the council's and the Queensland Government's pages before you act.