Ficus Alii Care - Dropping leaves, brown spots
cefandl
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (10)
Dave
5 years agocefandl
5 years agoRelated Discussions
Alii Ficus
Comments (22)".... is it a good idea to put it outside this summer?" Yes - I don't grow Ficus that don't tolerate full sun well (like Alii and excepting pumila) because the larger leaves don't reduce to the point they make realistic bonsai, but the plants I grow in full sun don't shed foliage when I move them back indoors under lights, though I'm sure they would if I just stuck them in front of a small window for the winter. I suppose it depends on what you're looking for and what kind of light you have indoors now. The advantage in the amount of added energy gained and stored by the trees moved outdoors in the summer probably outweighs the leaf abscission considerably in most cases. It's just hard to beat natural sunlight and the air movement found outdoors, which also (both) help to stimulate back-budding for a fuller tree and more pruning opportunities. "If I do so, won't I be inviting a leaf drop when I bring it back in at the end of summer." Since you should be growing the tree in open or dappled shade, or protecting it from midday sun, it may or may not shed foliage when you bring it in. It probably depends on how bright it is where you site it. It may drop some foliage, but it would probably be interior and lower leaves. Still, the gain in growth & vitality probably outweighs any loss of foliage in the fall. Leaves can adapt to changes in light only over a certain range. Explaining is a little difficult, but lets say that light levels are graded from 1-10 with 1 being dark and 10 being the brightest light. If you have a plant growing at a level of 5, the plant might only be capable of adjusting to light levels 2-3 levels on either side of 5. If it goes outside of that range, the leaves might easily be shed and the plant will use stored energy to push a new flush of growth. Try to protect your plant from temps below 55*. All of the tropical species shut down their photosynthesizing ability at temperatures much below 60*, and the interval between exposure to cold and the plant's return to normal photosynthesizing ability after temperatures return to more favorable levels is measured in days, not hours. I usually move mine outdoors after Memorial Day when I see by the long range forecast that nights should remain reliably above 55*. After that, they're on their own (temperature-wise) until they come back in in Sep. Take care - best luck! AL...See MoreFicus Alii leaf spots and drop-wait some more or do something ?
Comments (6)Al, Thanks so much again for your help. I could not seem to track down the Fafard51L or 3 but found 52, which I believe has 60% pine bark vs. the 40% in #3 and is closer to the 51L but with wetting agent ?) Which I am hoping is okay...the creepy crawlies were taking over and I felt I had to do something... So I repotted the tree (sadly I managed to lose even more leaves in the process as I clearly am not as skilled as you) I washed virtually all the existing soil away from the roots and used the 52 So you had been kind enough to offer assistance with things I can do to limit the soluble salts in the soil and I am all ears... If its not included in that advice...I also am guessing I could use some advice on how much to water for the container size...and when and if to fertilize (the diameter at the top is 15.5" and its about 14" high) I guess I also have the same initial question... which is assuming my soil is okay now... and I water appropriately... any guess as too how soon I should see improvement and when should the awful brown spots go away??? I'm not sure why I'm having such a hard time with this guy... my ficus benjamen has been happy as a clam for over 3 years and 2 repottings.... sigh, and I thought alli was supposed to be easier! Thanks again!...See MoreFicus elastica - dropping leaves, brown spots
Comments (5)Thanks, that's good to know! I was just telling my friend that if a plant is actively growing, then that's typically a sign it's faring okay in the conditions you're providing for it. Yours is definitely is a lot fuller than mine, and I certainly prefer a bushier ficus aesthetically. I will try moving it to a sunnier spot, that may prove difficult as fall has officially begun in Seattle - which means clouds and rain more often than not! Our apartment doesn't seem to get enough natural light to start with, imo - the sunniest side of our house is the east facing window and a lot of that light makes it onto our patio but not indoors, it seems. The ficus is also about a yard away from a 23W CFL bulb. Not sure if that is close enough to it to have any effect, because I know NOTHING about grow lights and can't ever seem to find any well-explained, beginner instructions regarding them on this forum....See MoreCosta Farms Ficus alii rescue doomed for failure
Comments (21)Even though those pots hold on to some water at the bottom, they still have those holes above that small amount of water. So the air supply to the roots isn't cut off, as it would be with a pot that had zero drainage holes whatsoever. And it still allows water to drain freely, preventing any salt or mineral buildup in the soil. As long as those roots have access to fresh air, they won't suffer from "overwatering." As you can see, these plants were grown in those pots in the nursery. They are used to the tips being in that small amount of water and grew just fine. It's not like they were just transferred to those pots before being shipped out to the stores. I would say that roughly 90% of its root mass is above that reservoir, taking in more than enough fresh air to maintain proper root functions. There is no need for concern from using these types of pots. The first year that I had mine, it lost almost all of its leaves over the winter. But it grew many more news ones throughout spring, and fully recovered itself over the summer of the following year. Ficus alii is no stranger to shedding its leaves. Especially when being moved into a new environment. I still say that your plant is healthy, despite losing some of its leaves. I would, however, refrain from pruning any more bare branches. Having bare branches doesn't necessarily mean that those branches are dead. They will send out plenty of new leaves, given enough time. If any bare branches remain in the summertime, then feel free to prune those away as needed....See Morecefandl
5 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
5 years agocefandl
5 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
5 years agocefandl
5 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
5 years agocefandl
5 years ago
Related Stories
HOUSEPLANTSHow to Grow a Happy Ficus
This houseplant’s reputation for being fussy shouldn’t prevent you from growing and enjoying it for years
Full StoryFOLIAGEEasy-Care Evergreen Plants and Combos for Stunning Shade Gardens
Here’s what to plant for year-round interest and minimal maintenance in full-shade to dappled-light garden beds
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESBackyard Birds: How to Care for American Goldfinches
The American goldfinch is a bright-in-the-summer visitor and one of the only vegetarian songbirds. Here's how to give them a healthy habitat
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESHow to Fix Bare and Yellow Lawn Spots
Restore your turf’s good looks by reseeding unsightly patches
Full StoryHOUSEKEEPINGOut, Darn Spot! Tips for Removing Carpet Stains
Know the right solutions and when to use them to prevent stains from pets, soda, chocolate, blood and more
Full StoryKITCHEN DESIGNKitchen Counters: Stunning, Easy-Care Engineered Quartz
There's a lot to like about this durable blend of quartz and resin for kitchen countertops, and the downsides are minimal
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESTree Care: Common Tree Diseases and What to Do About Them
Learn to recognize trees that may be affected by diseases or pests so you can quickly take action
Full StoryFALL GARDENING5 Ways to Put Fall Leaves to Work in Your Garden
Improve your soil and yard the organic way with a valuable garden booster that grows on trees
Full StoryHOLIDAYSHow to Care for Your Christmas Tree
Keep your tree looking lush until the last ornament is packed away with these tips for watering, using stands and more
Full StoryEXTERIORSCare and Training for a Vine-Covered Home
Love the look but don’t want the ruin? Learn how to have vine-draped walls without all the cracks and crumbling
Full Story
tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)