Is a change in orientation only (same position) enough for a ficus to start losing its leaves? i.e. does there have to be a change in total light to cause this, or is it the light received by each leaf? I've rotated my ficus twice in the last couple of months, maybe thirty degrees in total, to even out the bend as it reaches for the light.
yes, they're extremely sensitive to any kind of change - light, heat/cold, water differences, breezes... beside rotating, you can also use wire (like what's used with bonsai) to help straighten out the bend.
So I've heard lol. Having said that my Mum's Ficus Benjamina 'Variegata' somehow managed to keep at least half its leaves after being left with totally waterlogged soil for a whole week....I still can't believe it! It's probably just sulking, I'm sure it'll be alright once its adapted to its 'new' situation!
We had a posting here a while back from a gentleman who was alarmed by his ficus' leaf loss. Hadn't been moved or repotted, no change in care. Turns out he had his house windows tinted, which cut down on the light just enough to insult the ficus. Talk about "non-verbal communication"! Ficus are most prompt in expressing displeasure! Trick is to figure out what they are reacting to, rectify the situation, and then apologize profusely.
Definitely sounds possible, at least its nothing you did wrong, so no apologies are necessary:). I bet it'll settle down now the temperature has dropped. Good luck with your ficus in future!
tim, excessive heat, and all at once, would be something to make the ficus pout and decide to drop it's leaves in protest. it'll recover once the temps go back to the normal range. just make sure to maintain the watering schedule as usual. may take a while for it to fully recover and it may get worse before it gets better, so, just keep to the routine and your ficus will be thankful. they're beautify...so picky though, which is why i don't have any.
Would anything make a ficus not drop it's leaves? I have a large ficus benjamina, about 5' high now, and have been bringing it outside for the summer every year. It used to drop it's leaves, but not anymore, for about the last 2 or 3 years. Why? If ficus are so tempermental, did mine just 'grow up'?
You must be making the transition in a gentle way that the ficus likes---gradual change of light and temperature levels. (I used to have one resembling yours, and put it outside in the summer, too.) It clearly must be happy in other ways, too, such as receiving uniform moisture and being untroubled by pests or diseases. And, of course, ficus are individuals, just like all other plants: you have a good one!
