5 x research source if you have a young rubber plant with thin stems you could also trim it using a pair of sharp household scissors.
Pruning large rubber tree.
Inspect for pruning needs annually.
Prune the rubber plant with a sharp pair of pruning shears.
These will easily snip through the rubber plant s branches and prevent the stems from ripping or tearing.
Continue reading below to learn how to prune a rubber tree plant to remove unwanted parts of the plant and make it bushy the pruning of the rubber plant will confine your rubber plant in a pot or in ground to a lower height but thick and bushy.
Rubber tree plants ficus elastica tend to get rather large and need to be pruned in order to control their size overgrown rubber trees have difficulty supporting the weight of their branches resulting in an unsightly display and possible snapping of the branches.
Large limbs equal large wounds which are more difficult for a tree to seal and leave the tree open to disease insects and rot.
In layman s terms this means removing the top growth on the main stem thus re directing a hormone called auxin downward where it will encourage branches to sprout on down the stem.
Pruning which encourages branching of the leaves can help.
Rubber tree ficus elastica is a bold evergreen tree with an upright shape and big leathery leaves.
Usually involves shortening side branches all over the tree to make it smaller and more attractive.
The rubber tree plant tends to grow rather quickly and if left untrimmed it may start looking lanky and could be prone to breaking.
Trim the other branches to enhance this shape and to concentrate growth.
To create this form select the largest healthy stem to be the plant s central trunk.
Pruning a rubber tree for branching the most common way of correcting a rubber tree that won t branch is to break apical dominance.
Rubber tree plants gets large if not pruned in order to control their size.
Although rubber tree often reaches heights up to 100 feet in its.
You can cut other vertical stalks down to the soil if necessary.
Do not defer pruning until limbs get large.
The slim profile of a tall rubber plant tree is a great look for rooms with tall ceilings.
It lets in light and reduces the tree s vulnerability to wind damage and is an opportunity to remove diseased or damaged wood.
Prune trees regularly throughout their life to keep them healthy safe and aesthetically pleasing.