How do I save my ficus?

[LillyMGold]

So I am new to bonsai and bought my first two trees about a month ago- a 7 year old ficus and a 4 year old baby jade. This past week, my ficus's leaves have started falling and wilting. I am worried that it is beyond saving and don't know what the issue is. Both my bonsai have been receiving lots of sunlight directly next to a south facing window and have been getting watered as needed. The only things I can think of that might be causing this are 1. I have a fan that I turn on at night that makes the room relatively cold. I used to move the bonsai into a different room every night but recently stopped doing this because I learned that they don't like to be moved. 2. I have colored LED lights in my bedroom where I keep the bonsai that are usually on all day and some time into the night. Could this be problematic? The jade seems to be doing very well and I just don't know what is causing the ficus to wilt so any advice is very appreciated!

 

[Eckhoffw]

Ficus are known to drop leaves when encountering any change in environment.

I would leave it away from fan and under a grow light. Should bounce back. Make sure to wait until soil is drying out before watering.

 

[Colorado]

Ficus can come back from the brink of death, I think there’s a good chance this one will recover if conditions are right.

 

[vp999]

I would remove all the dead leaves and put a clear plastic bag over it to create more humidity, I think you'll see new growth afterward.

 

[rollwithak]

I would remove all the dead leaves and put a clear plastic bag over it to create more humidity, I think you'll see new growth afterward.

This is great advice. These are tropicals and love humidity. Although people are correct that this could be nothing, you’ll want to be sure of that. Depending on where you bought this, the roots could have some issues. It’s really hard to say emphatically what it is without seeing exactly what’s going on. I tend to like checking out the roots on trees I acquire unless I know they came form someone who was looking after them properly.

 

[ShadyStump]

I had a ficus CUTTING that looked like that once and made it. Literal stick in a pot, no roots at all, bare fresh cut wood. Grew into a decent tree after a couple months. Never underestimate a ficus.

Let it dry out some between watering. The bag trick isn't awful.
Ficus are good at growing foliage specifically for their environment. Change their environment enough, and they'll throw away the old leaves that aren't working for them anymore, and just grow new ones that do. Clever damned trees.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

Find a priest for the last rites!

 

[19Mateo83]

The branches and trunk don’t look desiccated, it may make it.

 

[Carol 83]

Ficus leaves don't usually dry up and fall off like that unless it really dries out. Stick a wooden skewer/chopstick in the pot or just stick your finger in the soil to gauge moisture level. I'm sure it will bounce back with proper care, they are resilient.

 

[Shibui]

3 reasons for ficus leaves turning black:
1. too dry - Monitor soil moisture (need to check inside the root ball, not just surface. wood skewer in the soil makes a great moisture monitor). It takes lot to kill a ficus but being dry for too long will eventually do it. Make sure when you water that the soil gets properly wet right through to the middle. Soaking the pot every 2-3 waterings is a good strategy.
2. Too wet - Keeping the soil soggy for long periods can induce root rot then the tree cannot absorb moisture and will dehydrate even though the soil is wet. Monitor soil moisture and only water when soil dries out inside the root ball.
You should be able to lift the whole root ball out of the pot to check roots and soil moisture below surface level.
3. Too cold - Most species can cope down to 5C and some down to freezing or slightly below. I doubt if it has been that cold inside but thermometer will help check min temps.

As mentioned, ficus are resilient and usually come back from a minor setback like this. Work out the cause and make changes and it should soon recover.