Tips on Pruning Ficus Lyrata

Training

• Pruning your Ficus lyrata while it is young will help prevent breakage as it grows. Cut off any branches that emerge from tight crotches, those that cause the branches to run almost parallel with the main trunk. Prune these branches as they appear. Leave the outer, wide-crotched branches in place to form an open, balanced canopy.

Size Maintenance

• Although these trees often may grow to their full potential in outdoor landscapes, potted selections must be trimmed to maintain an appropriate size for indoors, or on porches and patios. Trim the upper and outer canopy of Ficus lyrata by removing the branches at the points above leaf nodes, the area where the leaves attach to the stem. Also make these maintenance cuts just above the point on the branches where other stems branch off. When trimming to maintain height, prune all around the canopy to create a uniform shape.

Damage Control

• Like other tropical trees and houseplants, Ficus lyrata can suffer from pest infestations and disease. Remove diseased growth by cutting out the damaged leaves and branches. Disinfect your pruning shears in between cuts by dipping them in a solution that contains four parts chlorine bleach and one part water. Cut off the diseased vegetation slightly above the point of damage, making your cuts at least 1 to 2 inches inside the healthy portions of growth.

Root Pruning

• Root pruning helps keep potted Ficus lyrata from becoming root bound. Trim the roots whenever you repot this tropical tree. Cut through any lateral roots that circle around the rest of the rootball. Remove any roots that begin to grow upward after hitting the bottom of the pot.