i experienced the same thing when i 1st started rooting cuttings. i started my cutting shortly after the new year (way too soon) and after several months indoors exposed to the extremely dry air in the house the older leaves were starting to show those same signs of drought stress. though the drought stress may not be at the root system it does however affect the foliage. same thing happens with house plants. Once outside the older spent leaves will drop and be replaced with lush green ones. not sure where you are located, but if it's still too early to bring the plant outside you can help hydrate the plant by misting the leaves on a weekly basis.

If white latex comes out the stem after you pick the fig was not fully ripe. Rain and humidity cause splitting, inconsistent watering seems to be a factor also.

Thanks for your response, Anna! The one I have is a Negronne Fig from Bay Flora. It's not very big, but yes, I think the tree looked healthy when it arrived in the mail. The leaves were pointed downwards, and some of the edges were frayed. But I think it was just natural from being shipped in the box. Other than these two leaves, the others look okay to me. I'll definitely keep an eye out for the other leaves. I was just reading about FMV, and the pattern on this leaf looks a lot like a mosaic to me. But then I googled pictures of FMV, and it looks different.

Jae, "Encourage root development," preposterous!!! Root growth follows leaf growth, not precedes it. Remove all its leaves and a tree will essentially stop root production, even balance its root load by aborting (dying back), those roots that are no longer needed since there are no leaves to support. Leaves feed a tree. They are a tree's mouth, and stomach, and bowels. They "eat" (so to say), the nutrients, and the water their roots provide to nourish the tree. Eliminate the leaves and the roots have nothing to do but stop functioning, go dormant and/or die off until new leaves emerge, and start the "green factory" going again. Figs are tough, extremely adaptable, and respond like crazy to good care. There's hardly a more lush looking fruiting tree than a well cared for fig tree. Let your denuded fig just recover now. It should be pushing out new growth by now. If we have a warm fall, the growth should get a foot or so long by Thanksgiving/season's end. Give it good care. In spring, just as it begins to leaf out, start shaping it to the form, single or multiple trunked as you choose. It should sprout new growth down low that you can encourage if you want a multi-trunk fig tree. There is a fig nursery out your way in NJ, French Fig Farm, frenchfigfarm@gmail.com. Give them a call or visit. Their web site is extremely informational for cold climate fig growers like us. Keep your fig between 40 and 25 degrees F. all winter long. No light is needed. Water when needed just to keep soil moist. Do not let the fig sit in water in a catch tray. Its roots will rot. My largest fig pot is 10 gallons. I use black nursery pots, Gro Pro pots, made in USA, and BPA free, are best. Through periodic root and branch pruning a fig tree (I keep my fig trees at 4-5' X 3-4'), can grow excellently, and produce tons of figs. You don't need a larger pot to have success. Of course, a larger pot is perfectly OK, cumbersome, but fine, too. The larger the pot, the harder it is to shuffle it around. Your back will not thank you. I wish you great success. Moses