Question

Fica  

Fica   I recently bought an indoor plant at a local nursery.
The owner said it was a type of Fica plant but could tell me very little.
I have new growth at the top but the leaves are dropping and showing brown areas.
The leaves are large and grow straight up the stem unlike other fica trees I know.

Please help me to identify this plant and give it the proper care.

Answer
Cindy
The 1st picture looks like a heart-shaped large-leaf Ficus (Ficus auriculata)...The 2nd picture looks more like a fiddle-leaf Ficus (Ficus lyrata)...I would need more pictures from different angles to be more positive...Type these Ficus names into your search engine and compare the pictures to your plant...Let me know what you think after comparing your plant to the pictures...
Ficus plants are not that hard to take care of as long as you do what is needed when it needs to be done...Watering it properly and doing other proper maintenance should improve it quickly...
Water by weight. Put a saucer under the pot. Water and let the plant sit in the excess water for 5-10 minutes. After that time pour off any excess water in the saucer. Pick up or lean the pot. It should feel heavy. Don't water again until it feels considerably lighter in weight. You an also poke your finger into the soil to make sure it isn't too wet. Watering frequency depends on many factors(sun exposure, type of plant, wind, day temps, etc.). Plants die from too frequent waterings - not from too much water at one time. They can also die from being allowed to be too dry for too long.
You also need to add fertilize on a weekly to monthly basis during the growing season...Ask someone at the garden center what to use and how to fertilize your ficus plant.
Ficus plants don't like to be moved a lot...They respond by dropping foliage and yellowing leaves. They don't like direct sun lite either. Just a bright location...
Remove damaged leaves to make the plant function & look better...
Good luck...
Rick in southern NJ...