Most F. rubiginosa trees are seen in tended gardens or streets, and their unruly growth form is not often observed. I planted this tree a bit over 20 years ago and never pruned it at all. The natural growth habit of this individual is low branches right along the ground that root down right along their length and sending shoots up as well, creating a mini forest of one species. There are other growth forms for this tree, but I quite like this one.

Incidentlaly I cannot plant more of this tree as it is illegal do so in NZ. This is a true temperate-adapted fig tree.

The tree from a distance;

 

Below the canopy, aerial roots and shoots from the branches

 

New shoots coming from branches

 

Branches rooting into the soil

Can see that being problematic for some people. I wonder if the rocky slope has something to do with that habit. I've seen some F. platypoda run branches all over the place.

20 minutes ago, tropicbreeze said:

Can see that being problematic for some people. I wonder if the rocky slope has something to do with that habit. I've seen some F. platypoda run branches all over the place.

I've seen this low branching habit fairly regularly in NZ, one old specimen in Gisborne over a century old was a huge mass of tangled roots and branches and probably covering nearly an acre, so I don't think it is the site here causing it.

I vaguely recall reading somewhere F. platypoda and rubiginosa are very close, almost like a continuum of closely related or the same species from the East coast to the desert interior. Rubiginosa shares that lithophyte habit like platypoda too, although not as amazing as platypoda on those steep rock faces in the interior. 

Very interesting to see a F. rubiginosa with this habit. I can't help but think what a wonderful tree this would be to stabilise eroding slopes!