Plant care guide
Repotting Ficus: When to Do It and How to Avoid Leaf Drop
Updated
How do you repot a Ficus?
Indoor ficus such as weeping fig, rubber plant and fiddle-leaf fig like snug roots and only need repotting when roots fill the pot, circle the bottom or grow out of the holes. Repot in late winter or spring, one size up, and expect a few leaves to drop while the plant adjusts.
What to do first
Repot in late winter or early spring into a pot slightly larger than the old one, with drainage holes and general-purpose potting mix. Tease out circling roots, keep the same soil depth, water thoroughly once, and keep light and temperature steady afterwards.
Ficus trees are sensitive to change. Clemson Extension’s weeping ficus factsheet says weeping figs often shed leaves when moved or repotted. So the aim is to repot only when needed, at the right time, and with as little upheaval as possible.
The same steps suit the common indoor species: weeping fig (Ficus benjamina), rubber plant (F. elastica) and fiddle-leaf fig (F. lyrata).
Does it need repotting?
Ficus are happy slightly crowded. Illinois Extension’s weeping fig page says ficus like their roots crowded in a small pot. Clemson says weeping figs tolerate being slightly root bound. Once too crowded, though, new leaves come in small and growth slows.
Penn State Extension’s repotting guide gives three checks:
- The mix dries out very quickly, even in cooler weather.
- Roots grow through the drainage holes.
- Growth has stopped or slowed despite regular feeding in spring and summer.
If any apply, slide the plant out. Penn State says it is time to repot when roots circle the root ball, or fill the bottom third so densely you can hardly see mix.
Timing
Clemson says to repot in late winter or early spring. An Oregon State University Extension Master Gardener, answering a question about repotting a weeping fig, explains why. The plant is starting to grow actively after its winter rest.
Clemson notes that moving a weeping fig also triggers leaf drop. We avoid doing both at once, so let a newly moved plant settle first.
Bigger pot, or same pot?
To grow it larger, move it to a container only slightly larger than the current one, as Penn State advises. It must have drainage holes. Clemson recommends general-purpose potting soil. NC State Extension’s profiles of weeping fig and rubber plant suggest a soil-based potting mix.
To keep it the same size, Penn State describes root pruning. Remove the outer section of roots, return the root ball to its container with some fresh mix, and cut back some top growth. This suits a floor-standing tree that is already as big as the room allows.
How to repot
- Water first. Penn State suggests watering the plant in its old pot and letting it rest for an hour.
- Wear gloves. NC State says fiddle-leaf fig sap can irritate skin and recommends gloves. It notes that cut rubber plant leaves drip sap.
- Get it out. University of Maryland Extension’s repotting guide suggests tipping the pot and knocking it on a hard surface.
- Loosen the roots. Penn State suggests teasing matted roots apart. For a pot-bound root ball, Maryland suggests shallow cuts about 1.3 cm (½ in) into the roots, 5–7.5 cm (2–3 in) apart, and removing dead, brown roots.
- Set the depth. Penn State keeps the top of the root ball about 2.5 cm (1 in) below the pot rim. Maryland warns against a gravel layer in the bottom.
- Water thoroughly and let it drain, as Penn State advises. Then wait until the top of the mix dries before watering again, as Maryland suggests.
Aftercare and leaf drop
Clemson says that if growing conditions are adequate, a weeping fig adjusts, stops dropping leaves and puts out healthy new growth. Give it that chance:
- Keep it in place. Illinois says leaves drop if the plant is chilled or moved.
- Steady light. Clemson recommends bright indirect or curtain-filtered sun. NC State advises keeping rubber and fiddle-leaf figs out of afternoon sun.
- Warmth. NC State gives a minimum of about 13 °C (55 °F) for rubber and fiddle-leaf figs. Clemson suggests 18–21 °C (65–70 °F) at night for weeping fig.
- Careful watering. Clemson says keep the soil evenly moist in active growth and slightly drier in winter, never waterlogged.
Leaves that keep falling, or soft, dark roots, point to a deeper problem. See our fiddle-leaf fig leaf drop guide, fiddle-leaf fig root rot guide or rubber plant root rot guide.
Ficus are toxic to pets. The ASPCA lists weeping fig (Ficus sp.) as toxic to dogs, cats and horses.
To identify your ficus, see ficus varieties or the ficus hub. Species care is in our fiddle-leaf fig care guide and rubber plant care guide.
Related guides
Other ficus problems we cover: dropping leaves, scale.
References
- Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC: Weeping Ficus
- Illinois Extension: Weeping Fig
- NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: Ficus benjamina
- NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: Ficus elastica
- NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: Ficus lyrata
- Penn State Extension: Repotting Houseplants
- University of Maryland Extension: Potting and Repotting Indoor Plants
- Ask Extension: Repotting ficus benjamina (Oregon State University Extension Master Gardener)
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: Weeping Fig
How this guide was put together: Clemson Extension, Illinois Extension, NC State Extension, Penn State Extension, University of Maryland Extension, Oregon State University Extension (Ask Extension) and ASPCA guidance.