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Lifespan of a Ficus Tree: Can a 50-Year-Old Be Saved?

A reader has three Ficus trees aged 45–50 years. One is losing all its leaves while the other two are fine. They wonder if age is the cause.

Age Is Not the Issue

Ficus trees can live 100+ years. However, older, large specimens become more challenging indoors—especially if they touch the ceiling and receive insufficient window light.

Diagnostic Questions (Expert Requests)

When was it last repotted?
How tall is it?
Indoors or outdoors?
Climate/location?
Light exposure?
Pot diameter?
Watering frequency?

With this information, the expert (Darlene) can give specific advice. She notes extensive experience with Ficus as both houseplants and bonsai.

House Plants: Outdoor Ficus benjamina Leaf Drop, White Powder on Bark: Root/Soil Stress, Likely Scale or Woolly Aphids—Nursery ID Needed; Diagnosing Leaf Drop in Ficus Trees; Ficus Tree Health: Sap Globules, Overpotting, and Light Needs; Ficus Leaf Drop: Reptile UV Light Insufficient; Large Ficus Tree Repotting: Not Needed, Consider Indoor-Only; Scale on Ficus: Identification and Alcohol‑Soap Treatment; Ficus in a Basement & Cactus Lighting: Fluorescent Solutions for Low-Light Spaces; Ficus Tree Leaf Drop and Fungus Gnats: Dry-Out, Fertilizer, and Light; Ficus Tree Crystalline Deposits: Not Scale, Likely Residue; Sticky Ficus Leaves Mean Scale Insects

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Ficus Tree Care Essentials: Light, Water, and the 6-Month Adjustment

Outdoor Ficus Trees in Extreme Heat: Daily Watering Needed

Ficus Tree Decline: Mealybugs, Galls, and Recovery Steps