Houseplant - should i prune this ficus?

[Kyla]

I have a variegated ficus that is doing beautifully well, I think. But I am so not a houseplant person! I know some plants, for example, like to be rootbound, whereas others don't.....

I wonder if anyone has good experience with ficus? Do they benefit from trimming or pruning? What are the signs I might notice that it needs to be repotted?

I rescued this one from a former roommate who was going to discard it after failing to water it enough, and drove it with me up the coast when I moved up here. So I definitely want to take good care of it, it's been a real companion on my recent journey.

thanks in advance for any tips!

 

[maddie]

I have a huge ficus benajmina, had one variegated ficus which became too big for my home.. and I prune it and cut it back once every six months. This become a huge tree here if we allow it to grow wildly. If your plants is small you could just trim it.. But if it has spread out too much and grown wildly I would prune it heavily.
Pruning always allows the plant to branch out, become more leafy and look healthier.

 

[ChanellG]

The only thing I know about ficus trees is that they are a bit temperamental. If you've had it for a while though, and it's healthy, I don't see any reason why you shouldn't be able to prune it. I would do so cautiously at first though, just to see how it takes to it.

 

[DrCase]

I trimmed trees in south Florida in my early 20s , they would take all the trimming you wanted to give them as trees
as house plants they are more sensitive to being moved around to a different lighting

 

[taskeinc]

When you prune any plant, or tree, it causes the plant to grow thicker. I would only suggest you prune your ficus if it becomes thin or begins to grow unevenly, or is too tall for the room you have it in. Otherwise I would not prune it. You can tell if a plant is root-bound if it is losing leaves and if it droops shortly after watering the plant. If the soil is still damp and the plant is drooping, that's a clear sign of a plant being root-bound.

 

[Pat]

I have cut back a ficus tree when it started to get taller than I wanted it. The cutting didn't hurt the plant, but the ficus does not like to be moved to often. Find a place that gives the plant good light, is not in a draft and leave it alone.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

I had a huge one, bought it in 1979, took it ever where with me, to the different places I moved. Finally it had a huge room in the present room I am sitting in now, by now its about 2013. Its is 20 feet tall, always lush, on its 4th pot. I would prune it to encourage a nice shape. Water, whenever, and let it have a good dry out once in a while. For about a year, I said to it, "Tree, that is all you are is a tree, you do not bloom or smell nice, your just a tree". So for the spring of 2014 I moved it out to the deck, it enjoyed the spring and the summer and the rains and the wind. Then the cold it, and it died. I moved it to the burn pile and that was it. Simply just tired of it. But yes, it will tolerate pruning.

 

[DeborahJane]

Oh dear. Your ficus story was actually quite moving Esther. I guess we all have stories about a particular plant. A few months ago i moved three camellias, wrong time coming into summer but i thought if i watered enough they'd be ok.. Two have made it but one has not. I haven't quite given up and have the hose dripping at its base on hot days. Its name is Baby Pearl and i bought it because my beautful cat was called Pearl. Pearl died a year agp, still sad. so i do feel a little desperate to keep this camellia going.