Because of how far north you are, you can't take the same liberties cutting the plant back as you could in more southerly locations.

The safe plan would be to get the plant outdoors when appropriate, see it back to good vitality for this year and let it grow unencumbered by pruning. Next summer, prune the top back to the lowest primary branch and tip-prune any secondary/tertiary branches arising from from the primary. This should force back-budding from the trunk below the primary branch, especially if the tree summers outdoors, and you'll be able to shorten the tree to that branch the following summer.

Unfortunately, trees don't conform to our sense of time. If you can be patient and work toward honing your ability to provide the conditions your tree prefers, you'll be well rewarded, both for your efforts AND patience.

Al

Thanks Tapla, I value your comments. I suppose deep down I knew there was no quick fix! I'll do what you say, and perhaps try to propagate as well next year. Looks like a long haul but I don't mind - I admire this plant for surviving so far through very poor conditions. I bought it as a present for someone a long time ago, so I'm pleased I have been able to reclaim it now and give it some love and care!

I think you could take the top off right now and root it as a cutting. We are well into the growing season and I see no reason to wait until next year. Then you could reduce the height of the remainder when you see fit and you would have a back up young plant just in case.

How far North we are doesn't really signify, especially where you live. Ficus elastica is fine to prune here at this time of year. In Penzance you could put this outside fairly soon if you want to summer it outdoors. But do it gently a few hours added each day to get it used to the brighter light and cooler temps.

Thanks Flora. Yes it is more temperate here thanks to the Gulf stream full on Cornwall I expect. Not sure I have the confidence to take a cutting yet - I understand from reading posts that rooting from cuttings doesn't always succeed with this plant, and I haven't got that much to play with. Unless you know of a foolproof method perhaps?!

This post was edited by PenzanceUK on Fri, May 3, 13 at 14:18

She could start an air layer (safe), but it would still be better to wait on that, too. It's important that the OP understands that removing the top now would probably offer a less than 50% probability that both cutting and plant proper would make it. The plant is weak and has just been repotted - any significant work should be avoided until it has had time to recover. FWIW, I rate chopping its head off as fairly significant. ;-)

BTW, Penzance, nothing is foolproof. I've proven that over and over. ;-)

Al

Ha ha! She is in fact a he, AI!! All of this makes me want to err on the side of caution, so I think I will do nothing this year except gently introduce some outside exposure this summer. Thanks for all the advice, both of you. I'm glad I asked instead of going blind into my original plan.

Many thanks.

So sorry about the "she". I beg a pardon?

Al

No problem Al - you had a 50% chance of getting it right!
Best wishes
Simon