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Seeking Styling Guidance with S Shape Ficus
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Seeking Styling Guidance with S Shape Ficus


I received this tree last year as a graduation gift from a friend and would love to learn how to take it from “surviving” to something that looks more neat and presentable.

I water it when the top inch(ish) of soil is dry and keep it in a bright space near a window with morning sun. I also plan to repot it spring of 2027

I am open to trimming the whole thing down, letting it grow out, and everything in between. Any recommendations for how I should take it from here? Thank you!

by camCalb

3 Comments

  2. TrizzleBizzle

    There are 2 things about this tree that I thing could be changed to make an improvement.

    1. The S-shape is a little too symmetrical, as in the bends are roughly the same size, asymmetry would make for a more convincing design.
    2. There isn’t any meaningful taper in the trunk, it looks the same girth from bottom to top.

    I think you could take it 2 ways to address these.

    1:The yellow represents a cutback to some of the strong growth just below it. Select a new leader from that growth and wire it to make the next leg of the trunk and eventually apex/crown.

    This shortens the first switchback to make it asymmetrical and the new leader will establish taper between what you already have and what has yet to be developed.

    2: the green selects the branch below as the new leader, giving a nice point of taper, and then develop a leader to an eventual apex, that leg of the S-shape is now longer than the first, giving more asymmetry.

    My personal preference would be yellow.

    https://preview.redd.it/gkm33gcvx48h1.png?width=1006&format=png&auto=webp&s=a75969625b5b83f2a39781b2a9c6a85a32200c5e

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