I've had this guy for about 6 months. I got him from a local plant nursery that didn't treat him very well. When I got him his leaves were a little dark around the endges and pretty tough (not very bendable). He was outdoors under a large tree and looked like he was being over watered. Since then, he's been kept inside my apartment next to a fairly large window that revives some good indirect light throughout the day. He's been pretty dormant since I got him and hasn't seen much growth but I'm aware it's probably due to the time of season. Because of that I've avoided watering him too frequently. I do mist, not daily but pretty often and have fertilized only once in the last 6 months. Our apartment usually sits at around 50-55% humidity and ranges from about 65f-75f.
So, the issue I'm having.
He originally has darkness on his leaves, I trimmed some of that away per an article I read that said it wouldn't necessarily but the tree but could help it. the darkening in his leaves has come back and he's started to drop more leaves. Granted, the leaves that have dropped are pretty dark in themselves.
I need help, what can I do to make this guy happy? I've attached some pictures of his most recent dropped leaves and some of the dark spots on the tree. Anything helps. Thanks guys!

where do you live? What are your outdoor conditions like at the moment? Do you live in a naturally humid warm (except winter) place? Do you have a balcony or lanai? Can it go outside?

@gina1960 I live in Houston Tx. It's currently 68f with a low of 49f. Humidity is at a 76%. It can totally go outside, we have a decent sized balcony.

That might be better than inside? Just a thought, you could mist it with a hose end mister for extra humidity

@gina1960 so you think it's a humidity thing? Do you think the low temps will do it harm if I put it out?

You know, I just got one of these. Our climate here where I live in FL is on almost exactly the same lat and long as Houston. I am actually from Texas and had a grandma and lots of cousins in Houston so I have spent a lot of time there in the past and lived on Galveston Island for a number of years as well. Our climates are very similar.
The thing about these popular 'houseplants of the moment' (I know I will get flack from someone for that but that's okay, that is what these are) is that this is a tropical evergreen tree. In nature, it comes from heat zones 10-12 in tropical West Africa. Its a fringe rainforest plant. It gets to be about 100 feet tall with a crown spread of up to 60 feet. It really is not supposed to be a houseplant. All that said, as long as it doesn't freeze, I personally would not worry. I wouldn't leave it out in temps between, say, 35-45, but I keep my tropical greenhouse heated to only about 55 in winter, so I don;t think the current temps will hurt it myself. But if you feel uncomfortable, keep it indoors. But it is a TROPICAL TREE. That means warmth, humidity, bright light, and being from the edge of the rainforest, water. Winter will not bring out its best traits either indoors or out.
I have read that the browning spots and leaf drop on this plant are actually natural a lot of the time....it drops its lower leaves as it grows taller.
I only bought one because it seems like everyone on this forum has one and is dealing with problems with it. I wanted to see what the fuss was all about. So I am going to grow mine like I do most of my larger tropicals that are not actually planted in the ground in the greenhouse...in the greenhouse when its really cold, out in the yard when its not. I don't actually keep houseplants. Unless you count a 1700+ square foot greenhouse as a house (its really kinda like the same thing) and I have 3 cloud forest bromeliads that cannot take the heat of Florida summers. That's it for houseplants for me. This is an experiment for me. Of course I want it to do well or I wouldn't have spent $17 on it. But anywhere other than its natural habitat, its probably going to have some issues of some kind.

@gina1960 you spoke briefly about water. I thought about that for a bit, knowing it's naturaly a rainforest plant. However, most of what I've read on this particular focus is not to water often...Some even say to water once a month. What do you say?

I intend to water mine about every 3 or so days once it goes outside. I intend to keep it on the porch, with some sansevieria that get watered once a week, and 2 containerized Caryota gigas palms that I water every 3 days. I have a sprinkler system (overhead) in my greenhouse that waters for 15 minutes every other day at 0500 once the temps get up to being regularly 80-95F. I hand water stuff like the Vanda and bulbophyllum orchids daily in hot weather to avoid heat stress. We had 10 straight days in February of 80-89F highs and frequently get 90F later in March. My plants tend to drink up the water. But I grow a variety of plants. Orchids, heliconias, gingers, aroids, palms, ferns, plumerias, hoyas, just lots of different things. In winter, I hand water because plants need less. I have watered the Ficus once since I bought it last week, it seems sufficient as it is warm here, but rainy at the moment so its very humid. I don't think it will need more water until the heat sets in. We are about to get a cold snap, 2 night predicted in the high 30's, so its staying in for now.

Virtually all plants used indoors as "houseplants" are tropical in origin. The ones that are commonly used indoors have proved to be popular because among other things they do not require high humidity even though they are native to humid regions.

FLF's tend to grow in irregular spurts when indoors but they do not have dormant or semi-dormant seasonal variations. From what you have written, I suspect that most of the leaf spotting is because you have been underwatering it. Whoever wrote to water it once per month has no idea what they are talking about and have badly misled you. Your tree will need a thorough watering as soon as the SURFACE of the soil feels dry. Given its location and pot size once per week would be about right.

Does the pot have a drain hole?

The light that yours receives in that location is less than ideal because the tree is getting larger than the window. Do you have a sunnier location for it?

Well I was all set to move mine to the porch when (surprise surprise) we are getting a potential freeze to 31F both tonight and tomorrow night. So I guess I am going to have to wait until this weekend when we will have 80's again.

Mark233 said:I've had this guy for about 6 months. I got him from a local plant nursery that didn't treat him very well. When I got him his leaves were a little dark around the endges and pretty tough (not very bendable). He was outdoors under a large tree and looked like he was being over watered. Since then, he's been kept inside my apartment next to a fairly large window that revives some good indirect light throughout the day. He's been pretty dormant since I got him and hasn't seen much growth but I'm aware it's probably due to the time of season. Because of that I've avoided watering him too frequently. I do mist, not daily but pretty often and have fertilized only once in the last 6 months. Our apartment usually sits at around 50-55% humidity and ranges from about 65f-75f.
So, the issue I'm having.
He originally has darkness on his leaves, I trimmed some of that away per an article I read that said it wouldn't necessarily but the tree but could help it. the darkening in his leaves has come back and he's started to drop more leaves. Granted, the leaves that have dropped are pretty dark in themselves.
I need help, what can I do to make this guy happy? I've attached some pictures of his most recent dropped leaves and some of the dark spots on the tree. Anything helps. Thanks guys!

Maybe your tree has a fungus try to get some Neem oil and soap and mix it 5ml of neem oil with one liter of water and mist all of it

I threw mine out under the oaks in the front yard. It seems to be loving it. Fortunately it did not blow away in the tropical storm force winds we had on Friday morning

When indoors, FLF's need lots of direct sunlight and constantly damp soil. Not getting enough of either can cause the brown patches on leaves. It is a tropical, non-seasonal plant that has no dormant period. It may grow a bit slower during the shorter days, but it never goes dormant and should never be allowed to get very dry.

Misting does not help or harm. Trimming off discolored leaves or brown patches will not affect the health of the plant at all. It will just make it look better. Existing brown leaves will never recover.

If you have a sunnier window, move it there. The more light t receives, the more leaves it can support. Allow no more than the top half-inch of soil to dry in between waterings. It will take some time, but you will see fewer brown patches and more healthy new leaf growth.