It used to be, that just about every nursery or plant seller had a "1/2-OFF" or markdown table where the plants that were unattractive, damaged, non-sellable (at least at full price) went, as an alternative to the trash. Some places still maintain that tradition, although they don't necessarily promote it.
I stumbled across this Ficus a couple of days ago, on the "1/2-OFF" table at one of my preferred vendors while looking for "a new project"..He didn't look well..but he didn't look sick, either..just neglected.
Acquired: Dec 10, 2025 - Home & Garden Center - $7.50 + tax
Once I got him home (the patio), I was able to get a good look & what I saw reinforced my opinion that the plant has been misused
There was an accumulation of debris, dead leaves,"suckers" run amok..air roots that had become pseudo-branches, curling around & entwining the trunk.
And, when I looked really close, I realized that there were two trunks, the main, but then a side-shoot that had developed & obviously, been trained to wrap-around the primary trunk, in order to produce a twisted or entwined trunk appearance..you've seen them in the stores..little tropical plants with corkscrew trunks..novelty stores sell them.
Then I started taking a closer look at the bamboo struts that were set-up like a teepee, with heavy rubber bands holding everything in place..as I started releasing the constraints, I realized that the the bamboo was not there to support the plant..he was perfectly capable of standing on his own, but they provided a framework, of sorts.
I removed the rubber bands that were cinching the upper branches together & removed the bamboo..
And uncovered a tree hiding beneath all the paraphernalia, with many side shoots (that will develop into branches) and green foliage with growing tips (buds) at the ends of the topmost branches.
Now it was apparent that this was the end result of someone attempting to make this tree into a twisted-trunk pom-pom (round shape) tree, but the attempt had failed or they gave up..at any rate, it explains how he make it to the "1/2-OFF" table.
Next step is some minor pruning.." clean-up" pruning to get rid of dead wood & deformed branches & try to bring a little symmetry & order to the overall aspect of this tree.
Time to let him rest now & recover; and time for me to spend a couple of hours researching & learning how best to take care of this plant..and where to go to from here.
Dec 15, 2025
Removed the "pseudo-trunk" & foliage, in favor of revealing the fig tree that has been hiding under the extraneous paraphenalia that he had been formerly subjected to. (I know..you don't end sentences with prepositions)
Now he looks more like a fig tree & less like some 'wanna be' Xmas ornament, in my opinion. The plan, going forward now, will be to try to induce "back-budding" via pruning the tips of the remaining branches, & see if he will "leaf-out". Pruning will also help to reduce the "legg-y" appearance, hopefully.
I will let him alone for now, but plan on re-potting him into a training pot or tray as soon as possible.
Dec. 22, 2025 - Updated
Re-potted the Ficus today, in anticipation of the rains that are forecast for the second-half of the week. The re-pot required some root pruning that I was not anticipating & became more extensive than I am comfortable with; I ended-up removing about 30-40% of the existing root ball, & pruning some gnarly roots at the base, but I'm happy with the outcome, if it doesn't kill him.
I will keep him under cover as much as possible over the next few days & keep a close eye on him to see how he reacts to the surgery.
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Jan 18, 2026 - Update
I should have known that this tree is a survivor! As beat-up & mistreated as he was, he survived, so I should not have worried about him tolerating pruning & a new pot..took a good look yesterday & he is "back-budding" & starting to produce new growth. Since I have no interest in the style he was previously in-training for, I intend to shorten his overall height & hopefully reveal a more traditional "tree-look" to this plant.
Feb 15, 2026 - Update
Perhaps, I spoke too soon..the back-budding confined itself to 1 branch & did produce a couple of new leaves, but not the results that I'm looking for...so, as our "winter" is dwindling fast, I want to get any major pruning on deciduous trees completed before spring. Yesterday, I "hard-pruned" the scraggly, long-legged branches & shortened the tree overall, so that only the apex (trunk) & 2 side branches remain (pictured).
I feel like I gave this tree enough time to show some sign of regeneration, but given that reality, I did what I probably should have done back in December when I acquired him..now it's just "watchful waiting".
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