I've had this plant for about two weeks in a north facing window. I'm trying to identify it so that I can better care for it. Many thanks.
I agree with F. Benjamina. It would probably like a bit more light with a few hours of sunshine every day. An east window is excellent, they like the morning sun. Average water, allow the top half of the potting mixture to dry out before watering again. I generally water mine once a week. They don't care to be moved around a lot and will respond by stressing out and dropping leaves. Once established in a location they like, they usually grow back most of the leaves.
Great. Has only lost a couple of leaves since I got it and the window is closer to being north-east, in fact, so perhaps the current location is okay. Will the plant tell me when it's rootbound, or do I need to take it out of the pot to check it? I've been told it's a good species for bonsai.
As long as your plant produces new leaves and doesn't loose a bunch and start to look sparse, I'd say your placement is fine. I have one in an east window and one off to the side of a south window. The one in the south window never gets direct sunlight, it just receives very bright light reflected off the floor and it's doing great. Ficus actually like to be slightly on the rootbound side. Many people over-pot them, it's human nature to want to put a tall tree in a big pot. A ficus will do quite well in a pot that looks a size too small. Both of mine are about 3 feet tall and they're in 10" pots. Re-potting is only necessary when you get an abundance of roots coming through the drain holes in the pot. As far as Bonsai, I've never had anything to do with the art so I'm not the best person to ask. Sorry :(
