Ficus Benjamina - cutting taken 2018

[Joshua]

Took the cutting from the office where I used to work, back in 2018.

Had some ideas looking at the trunk(s), sharpened my secateurs, and gave it a big trim back.
I've heard that these really don't like to backbud so I'm trying to be careful. Already had let the main branches get pretty thick and straight. Decided to act while some lower shaded-out branches are still around.

I'm tempted to deal with those roots this year too and replace the soil, if it seems vigorous enough. It's still the start of the year here.
I did see a video of a guy literally saw off his ficus at the base of the trunk the whole tree survived as a cutting.
I've started ready about air layering and I'm thinking that'd be a much safer route to start afresh. Since Ficus tend to throw out aerial roots pretty easily, would it be possible to just lay down some plastic, top up with about 1.5cm of substrate, and expect roots to grow out from the trunk base? Any other suggestions?

Here are the pics, each picture showing from two sides.

ficus_benjamina 2024-03-30 before.jpeg

Before the trim.

ficus_benjamina 2024-03-30 after.jpeg

After initial trim. Seeing the photos I decided I didn't like having all three long straight trunks, but hesitant about where to go.

ficus_benjamina 2024-03-30 more cut off.jpeg

Later in the day I cut back the lowest trunk/branch up to it's third sub-branch.
But this to me leaves it feeling unbalanced. Tempted to cut the other trunk back as follows:

ficus_benjamina 2024-03-31 at 9.17.04 AM potential cut.jpeg

Here then I would wire that remaining twig of a branch upward.


Edit: Given the size of the trunk, considering that it might be best to either cut off that middle trunk completely, or even treat that lowest branch as the new trunk and the rest as a sacrifice - ie cut off everything except the lowest branch and start again from there. For now I'll just see how it reacts. If those small branches take off, that could be an option for later.

[shibui]

Benjamina can be a little more reluctant to bud on bare branches and is a little less hardy to root pruning than many other Ficus species so it is good to be a little conservative when pruning and repotting. You should have no problems with the prune you've given it this time.

Benjamina root quite easily though so you should have no problem layering. Just covering the base with soil should see new roots by the middle of your summer. Some plastic sheet may help keep the new roots separate from the existing soil which will make it easier to separate the new tree when it has enough roots but the plastic is not really necessary to make it root.
If you want good new roots leave plenty of foliage up top. Leaves feed new roots so if you prune hard the layering may take longer and produce less roots. I would probably leave any further pruning until after you have replaced the roots.

I haven't tried benjamina as cuttings but assume they root pretty easy. layering is way more sure though.

But this to me leaves it feeling unbalanced

Don't be too quick to change styling. What you see now is not what you'll have in a few months. It will look way different after the chopped branch grows new shoots.

Having said that any of the options you've suggested should work well. Each will be different but all reasonable choices.
Removing the main trunk is often a good move as it gives the new trunk better taper.
Chopping back to the lowest branch is a longer term strategy but often produces a stronger looking trunk as height to thickness ratio is reduced.

[tgooboon]

Re the branches, I like the look of it with the last cut you are suggesting; but only do this if the tree is strong enough.

Re the roots, another idea is to lift the tree, keep it in the same pot, add approx 50mm of soil under and keep the roots ball together as is.

Then develop the surface roots, like in the below photo, remove the major circling root, then use a chisel to split the large root into 2 and wedge sideways to spread the roots, it will heal into 2 roots and your nebari will improve.

Screenshot 2024-04-02 090928.jpg

[TimIAm]

With benjamina I feel you get much better backbudding on a branch if you are getting good growth at the ends. What I mean is, you are more likely to get new buds at the base of internal leaves if you still have growth happening at the ends.

It requires some patience, but what I do is cut back the ends only if there is already at least one bud internally that can grow. Then hope that when that internal bud starts growing, it stimulates more buds to growth further inside and keep chasing back. I've noticed the more vigorous the end growth, the more chance that a more internal bud will appear (allowing me to then cut further in again).

If you cut off the end stipule and you have none at the base of leaves further in, it is a long wait for a new one to appear and it may not.

They are very difficult to get a tight, dense covering like Port Jackson because the new growth wants to push out.

There was a guy on bonsainot who got a crazy amount of aerial roots growing on a benjamina in a reasonably short (a year or two) amount of time, but he used a humidity controlled environment. I've found if you can get your figs in a warm (doesn't need to be full sun) and humid area in your yard it is easier to get aerial roots. My ficus kept in full sun don't like to throw out aerial roots unless they have a decently dense canopy, I assume it's too dry.