Ficus Benjamina - Cracks in Trunk

Savory_Goodness

Hello all -

I have had a potted ficus benjamina since 1985. Its trunk is about as thick as the head of a baseball bat, and pruning has kept it about five feet tall. It has always overwintered indoors, and spent its summers outside in our hot, humid climate. The tree was allowed to dry severely two winters ago, and it almost died. I pruned it heavily and repotted it, and it recovered to the point that it is nice and green and leafy now. However, I now see significant, deep cracks in its bark from soil level to the lowest branches, with the largest crack open to the extent that a coin's edge will fit in it. I reckon that the repotting and rehydration triggered expansion of the trunk which the bark could not handle, but that is just an amateur's guess. I would greatly appreciate any thoughts you might have for for saving this old friend!

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Joanie

Do you see any problem happening around the cracks? It might just grow callous and cover them eventually. If you see rot near the soil level, or insects, then you need to treat these problems so that the tree can recover on it's own.

Joanie

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