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Ficus Tree Top Dieback After Moving: Patience and Pruning

A 21-year-old ficus lost top leaves after a move; bottom half regreened. Owner asks if top is dead and should be trimmed.

Assessment

Top may have wind/sun burn during move. Remove dead leaves, wait. If twigs aren't shriveled and show green under bark, they'll leaf out. Ficus are resilient.

Action Plan

Prune shriveled, dead branches.
Place in sunniest spot for maximum regrowth.
Full root system will push new growth quickly.
Don't give up—ficus recover well from defoliation.

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