First, you must understand my most fundamental need: light. I am a tall tree from the West African lowland rainforest, where I bask in bright, dappled sunlight. My large leaves are solar panels designed to capture that energy. In your home, if I am placed in a dim corner, I cannot photosynthesize effectively. I become weak, my growth stalls, and my lower leaves yellow and drop to conserve energy. Please move me immediately to a spot where I can receive plenty of bright, indirect light. An east-facing window is ideal, or a few feet back from a south or west window. Avoid harsh, direct afternoon sun that can scorch my delicate leaves.
My roots are incredibly sensitive to their environment. They crave moisture but demand oxygen, and they will quickly succumb to rot if left sitting in water. Conversely, if you allow my soil to become bone dry for extended periods, I will become stressed and drop leaves. The goal is a consistent, even moisture. Please check my soil before watering. Insert your finger two inches deep; if it feels dry, it is time to water me thoroughly until water runs freely from my pot's drainage holes. Then, crucially, empty the saucer afterwards. Never let my roots soak in the runoff.
My pot is my entire world. If I have been in the same soil for years, it may have broken down and become compacted, strangling my roots and preventing proper drainage. Furthermore, I deplete the soil's natural nutrients over time. If my growth is stunted and I look generally unhappy, consider repotting me in the spring into a pot only one to two inches larger using a well-draining, peat-based potting mix. During my active growing season (spring and summer), I require a monthly feeding with a diluted, balanced fertilizer to support the production of new, healthy leaves. This provides the essential nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium I cannot get from soil alone.
Please inspect the undersides of my leaves and along my stems. Look closely for tiny webbing (spider mites), small cotton-like masses (mealybugs), or small bumps (scale). These pests suck my sap, weakening me significantly and causing leaf speckling, yellowing, and drop. If you find any, isolate me from other plants immediately. Wipe my leaves with a soft, damp cloth or treat me with an insecticidal soap or neem oil solution. Furthermore, I am a creature of habit. I dislike being moved frequently or being placed in drafty areas near doors, windows, or heating/air conditioning vents. Sudden temperature changes and hot or cold drafts are a significant source of stress that can cause me to drop my leaves.
