On 14 Jan 2004 22:40:36 -0800, (Mike) wrote:

I have a fiscus(?) that I bought from Wal-Mart a few years ago (is
this the same as a rubber plant?). For awhile, all of the leaves were
dropping off like crazy, which was partially due to the fact that I
didn't know how to water it properly. Before long, I only had 14
leaves left on the whole thing!

The "rubber plant" (Ficus elastica) is quite different from the
"weeping fig" (Ficus benjamina), 'though both are popular houseplants.
One annoying habit of Ficus benjamina is that it drops all its leaves
when moved into different light conditions, 'though soon produces new
ones. Don't know about F. elastica. The outdoor edible fig tree (well,
the *tree* isn't edible -- the fruit is) across the street is about
20' tall with large (6"+) leaves in summer, pounds and pounds of fruit
in late fall, and is now completely bare -- all the leaves on the
ground.

Interesting to find how many species are included in this family, from
the Banyan to the Sycamore. Best go look at some pictures to see which
yours is. They all seem fairly prone to drop their leaves for many
reasons.