Tigerbark Ficus dropping leaves.

Joe58

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Hi guys - I’ve a question about a tigerbark ficus I obtained a couple weeks back. It was in a plastic pot for shipping, and I repotted it into a proper bonsai pot, bonsai soil, following the directions from the vendor.

It has began to drop leaves. Some just sort or fold up, others turn a little yellow and fall.
I have only watered it once, after it dried out. It’s in a southern exposure window. And I added fertilizer when I potted it. I try to mist at least once a day.

I‘m assuming this could be the result of the shipping and transplant shock? Or maybe normal fall behavior. I added photos which might help.

I‘d hate to lose it as I like the look it has. So I figured I would check with the knowledge base here. Thank you!

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Bonsai Nut

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Ficus are tropical, so make sure it isn't getting too cold. Sounds like you are keeping it inside but your photos are outside, so just wanted to be sure. I don't know how cold Nebraska is getting right now.

If you are using bonsai soil, you really can't over-water since any unused water will simply flow out the bottom of the pot. So when you say "watered it once, after it dried out" just make sure you don't go overboard. I have killed 100x more trees by not watering, or missing watering, than I have from overwatering.

Typically you want to avoid fertilizing when you repot. Let the tree recover, and hold off on fertilizing until you see it pushing new growth.

That said, your tree looks pretty healthy to me. Ficus will drop interior leaves when stressed, or due to a change in lighting, or even if you move them from a humid environment to a dry one. Just let it adjust, keep it watered, and provide enough light, and the tree will sprout interior growth again. Also I agree with @Mayank that is a willow leaf ficus versus a tiger bark ficus. I wouldn't worry about it - they are both nice trees. I think "tiger bark" gets a lot of attention because the name sounds cool, when in reality it is just one other type of ficus that is neither rare or quite frankly that unusual.

FWIW narrow leaf ficus you can reduce the leaf size pretty dramatically by defoliation - which will also trigger interior growth. However don't defoliate until the tree is super strong, and it is going in its peak growing season.
 
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Mayank

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I have two of them and every fall they drop leaves like crazy even though they are in a nice sunny south facing bay window. I think it is normal for them to lose leaves due to shipping as well. Make sure it doesn't dry out but don't overwater it. Sometimes mine will drop every single leaf and it freaks me out but they bounce back. Have fun with yours.
 

Joe58

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Thanks for the replies. Its a nice day here today, upper 70’s, so I took my plants out for a bit of sun and misting. I took the pics then.

I have the pot elevated in the tray so when I did water, the pot wasn’t sitting in the water. I left it that way for most the day to be sure it all drained, then poured off what was in the tray.

I have that bamboo dealie in there as I read to use that to determine if the soil is dried out. I look at it to see if it has dried, or is still moist.
 

Forsoothe!

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Plants adjust to low light levels in homes (or anywhere else) slowly, so taking it in and out and in and out is counterproductive. Leave it inside in the best light you have.
 

Joe58

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Plants adjust to low light levels in homes (or anywhere else) slowly, so taking it in and out and in and out is counterproductive. Leave it inside in the best light you have.
Ah, ok. I didn’t know that either. I really appreciate the help and advice!
:)
 

Carol 83

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I have two of them and every fall they drop leaves like crazy even though they are in a nice sunny south facing bay window. I think it is normal for them to lose leaves due to shipping as well. Make sure it doesn't dry out but don't overwater it. Sometimes mine will drop every single leaf and it freaks me out but they bounce back. Have fun with yours.
Mine drops all of it's leaves every winter, then sits like the dead for months. I have been tempted to liberate the pot, but it seems to know what I'm thinking and it starts growing again.
 
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