Why Is My Ficus Dropping Leaves?

We’ve all been there. You stroll previous your favourite houseplant, and discover a bunch of leaves littering the bottom.

Many crops drop their leaves once they aren’t pleased, however Ficus species are particularly recognized for it.

I can’t inform you what number of instances I’ve been discussing weeping figs (F. benjamina) and somebody mentions that theirs constantly drops its leaves. My aunt as soon as handed me a stupendous six-foot-tall weeping fig as a result of she couldn’t stand vacuuming up the particles any longer.

A close up vertical image of a large variegated ficus plant growing in a terra cotta pot on a porch. To the center and bottom of the frame is green and white printed text.

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However you shouldn’t freak out in case your ficus is defoliating a little bit bit. It’s how the crops cope with altering or antagonistic environments.

Simply as apple timber ship up water sprouts and a few people pop open a bottle of wine once they’re confused, ficus crops drop their greenery like they will’t wait to get bare.

In different phrases, it’s regular for a ficus to lose some foliage at sure instances. It’s the plant’s manner of adapting to altering situations.

Consider it from the plant’s perspective: you out of the blue have much less gentle than you’re used to. How do you adapt? By dropping a few of the extra leaves and rising new leaves which might be higher tailored to the decrease gentle.

It’s a survival technique that may be considered in a optimistic slightly than destructive gentle. Ficus species are adaptable survivors, they usually’re ensuring they can stick round. In the event that they didn’t adapt, a altering setting may spell catastrophe.

Nonetheless, that doesn’t imply we need to see our ficus shedding like a husky canine within the spring. And, after all, full defoliation is one other matter solely.

Full defoliation may probably kill the plant, nevertheless it’s additionally an indication that there’s one thing severely mistaken. Just a little leaf drop is not any large deal. Numerous leaf drop is a giant deal.

However it’s important to put up with a sparse, sad-looking plant. There are steps you possibly can take to forestall, reduce, or cease the foliage from dropping. We’ll go over your choices on this information.

Right here’s what’s on the docket:

In my expertise, weeping figs are the kinds that almost all readily drop their leaves, adopted by fiddle-leaf figs (F. lyrata) and rubber timber (F. elastica), which maintain onto their foliage a little bit higher.

Actually, in case your weeping fig isn’t dropping leaves, you may need to examine and ensure it isn’t really created from silk or plastic.

Earlier than we speak about what you are able to do to deal with it, let’s have a look at why ficus crops do what they do.

What Causes Ficus Leaf Drop?

As we talked about above, a change in environmental situations is often the reason for defoliation.

Most frequently, this can be a sudden change in gentle publicity or temperature. Altered water ranges, an excessive amount of or too little meals, illnesses, or pests may trigger dropping foliage.

A close up vertical image of a fiddle-leaf fig leaf that has dropped from the plant. — Photograph by Kristine Lofgren.

The shifting seasons, as the sunshine regularly reduces within the fall, aren’t usually dramatic sufficient to trigger shedding. We’re speaking a few sudden change in environmental situations.

Equally, the gradual warming that occurs as spring arrives gained’t trigger it, however in case you enable your house to be heat for a couple of weeks in early summer season after which out of the blue activate the air con full blast, that could be sufficient to set off falling foliage.

Over- or underwatering will, over time, trigger shedding. As will any pest or illness that targets Ficus species, even when the signs don’t usually embrace dropping foliage in different sorts of crops.

As an illustration, spider mites may not trigger leaf drop in a Swiss cheese plant, at the least not instantly, however a Benjamin fig will toss its foliage as quickly as these mites begin chowing down.

A vertical image of a variegated weeping fig growing in a blue ceramic pot that has started to drop its leaves. — Photograph by Kristine Lofgren.

Keep in mind, that’s how these crops cope with stressors.

For those who aren’t accustomed to the varied pests and illnesses that plague these species, please go to our guides to weeping figs, rubber timber, and fiddle-leaf figs for the specifics.

These guides will assist you determine the proper quantity of water and meals to provide your Ficus species, as nicely.

Within the case of out of doors crops, except you’ve just lately eliminated a close-by tree or made another change that dramatically impacts the rising setting, defoliation is often attributable to water points, pests, or illness.

Stopping Leaf Drop

Making the trouble to forestall leaf drop from occurring is definitely worth the effort in case you don’t need to wait on your plant to regrow its foliage and look attractive once more.

If the very considered your plant shedding leaves makes your abdomen drop, then your new aim in life is to maintain issues as constant as doable, environment-wise.

Attempt to maintain the temperature and lightweight publicity as constant as doable and supply the plant with the really helpful water and humidity for the actual species you’re rising.

For those who do must make any modifications, make them as gradual as doable.

A horizontal image of a gardener holding up a small fiddle-leaf fig in a decorative green pot.

For instance, chances are you’ll determine to take your fiddle-leaf fig from a spot within the nook of your lounge that’s a bit too darkish and transfer it to an east-facing window.

General, that’s a optimistic transfer on your plant as a result of it’ll have the sunshine publicity that’s extra acceptable for the species.

However the change might be going to advertise dropping foliage in case you do it out of the blue. As a substitute, regularly shift the plant within the route you need to go over the course of per week. Higher but, make it two or three weeks within the case of huge strikes.

For those who’re transferring the plant 20 ft in per week, meaning you’d want to maneuver it about three ft a day. By the point you place it in its new location, the plant can have had time to adapt to the altering setting.

This may be utilized to any transfer you want to make together with your crops.

Shifting your rubber tree outdoors for the summer season? Take it good and sluggish. Would you like your curtain fig (F. microcarpa) in a special room? Sluggish and regular wins the race.

I do know, it could be a bit unusual to have your favourite rubber tree sitting in the course of your lounge because it slowly transitions to its new location. Simply inform your mates that your own home is haunted and the crops transfer on their very own.

In fact, there are occasions when you possibly can’t make the transition slowly, akin to when you’re transferring lots of of miles away. In these instances, you’ll have to simply accept a little bit leaf drop.

Treating Leaf Drop

Stopping leaf drop requires you to deal with the trigger, supplied it wasn’t a sudden change of setting.

For those who look your ficus over and spot pests like aphids or scale, you’ll have to deal with the infestation. When you do away with these pests, your ficus may proceed to shed for a short while longer, however finally it’ll ship out new, wholesome progress.

The identical goes for illnesses like botrytis blight or root rot. For those who remedy the illness, you’ll remedy the shedding.

For those who aren’t offering sufficient gentle on your ficus, you’ll want to repair that – regularly. It may be a problem to inform if the sunshine is true by simply it. A light-weight meter can actually assist.

A close up horizontal image of a gardener using a white jug to water a weeping fig growing in a pot on a windowsill.

In case you are over- or underwatering, the plant will doubtless proceed to defoliate till you type that out.

Most ficus crops like soil that’s moist however not oversaturated. They are going to usually tolerate some dryness however not an extreme quantity.

If the trigger was a change in setting, you don’t must do something. Simply help your plant with the suitable quantity of water and meals, and it’ll get well all by itself.

That Fabulous Foliage Isn’t Going Wherever

It’s not essentially that large of a deal in case your ficus drops some foliage.

It’s how these crops adapt, and it normally simply signifies that they’re altering their outfit to raised swimsuit their new house.

A close up horizontal image of a weeping fig growing in a pot with yellowing leaves scattered on the wooden floor around it.

But when they’re shedding a ton of leaves, act quick to determine the trigger and do your greatest to repair it earlier than the plant fully defoliates.

Feeling higher concerning the scenario? I hope so. It’s not hopeless in any respect. Have you ever skilled issues together with your ficus crops? Tell us within the feedback part beneath!

For those who felt like this information helped you out, chances are you’ll be desirous about extra details about ficus crops. In that case, try these guides subsequent: