I'm a big advocate of aggressively pruning a ficus tree. Pruning plants encourages new growth, controls the size and shape of the plant, and allows more light to reach the leaves. Start pruning a ficus tree in the center of the tree. Ficus trees need a great deal of light, so often the small branches at the center are very weak or have totally died and need to be removed. The outer part of the tree is called the canopy. You can remove up to 1/3 of the canopy without harming a ficus tree. By reducing the size of the canopy you'll be helping the plant produce new healthy growth and become fuller. Always wear gloves when pruning. The sap from a ficus tree can be quite irritating if it gets on your skin. Never rip the branches off, always use a sharp tool and make clean small cuts.