Question
I HAVE HAD A ZEBRA PLANT FOR ABOUT A YEAR NOW.  BUT IT IS JUST A LONG STEM WITH NOTHING GROWING FOR IT EXCEPT ON THE VERY TOP IT HAS A FEW LEAVES AND SOME NEW ONES COMING OUT BUT IT BLOOMS FREQUENTLY.  I LIKE IT, BUT CAN I CUT THIS BACK SO THAT IT IS NOT JUST A TALL STRAGGLY PLANT?

Answer
Jo,

If it is getting leggy it is probably not getting enough light. It needs to sit in the window sill of an east, west or south window so it gets bright light. If you prune all the leaves off there is a chance that it will not send out any new gowth. You need to prune it back to the lowest leaf and that will trigger it to send out some side shoots lower on the stems. However, this is not the right time of year to do that. It should be done in the spring when the plant is going into a growing spurt as the days are getting longer. This time of year the days are getting shorter and the plants are going semi dormant for the winter. They will be doing very little growing during the shorter days of the winter months. Come the first of April prune it back and that will trigger it to send out the side shoots you are looking for. Then as it sends out side shoots don't wait for blooms, when they get six or 7 leaves pinch them back by half. That way your plant will eep getting bushier and bushier. When you are happy with it you can stop pruning and wait for blooms
Good luck.
Darlene