The Ficus Nitida is one of the most popular trees in the Valley due to its beauty, durability and abundance of thick, dense leaves that provide shade from the sweltering Arizona sun or offer privacy in the form of hedges. While these versatile trees do well in hot temperatures, too much sun can overheat the bark, and poor trimming techniques can lead to these majestic trees being scorched – ruining their leaves and potentially causing permanent damage and killing the tree.
We recommend consistent care and regular pruning by professionals. New Heights Tree Service has two decades of experience in the Valley working with these popular Arizona trees and can help advise on the best ways to trim your tree to maintain its aesthetic and health.
While the Ficus Nitida can be trimmed and shaped in many ways to achieve your desired look, it’s important not to trim too much as trimming more than ten percent of the tree can put it into shock. Time of year also matters. Trimming your tree during the wrong season can lead to it being burned or alternatively can induce too much off-season growth.
If the bark is burned, sometimes referred to as sunscalded, it will die – quickly compromising the health of the tree. The part of the tree that transports its water, food and nutrients is just underneath the bark in the xylem and phloem layers, and without living bark, these layers will become non-conductive – creating dead wood.
Many trees are able to compartmentalize an injury like this and continue to thrive, but in the case of the Ficus Nitida, the damage is detrimental and can come on quickly – causing breaking limbs, and ultimately a fallen tree. This is because this type of tree is made from a soft wood that is more sensitive to these issues.