Ficus leaf drop

Question

I have a ficus (true rubber plant – is this the benjamin’s?). I used to leave it outside from May to October, but it got too heavy and my back too sore, so I brought it in to stay two years ago. It did well, except it was too big – over 6 feet high. I pruned it back pretty hard 2-3 months ago and it seems fine until about a month ago. Since then, it has been dropping leaves like crazy. The leaves are green which, in my experience, means the plant is overwatered. Yet, when I stick my fingers into the soil, it feels dry. I have two meters. Both say the soil is fairly dry on top, and half dry down 8-9″.

House humidity is around 40%. Light level is low. The plant is in front of a triple window that leads to a back porch. The porch has three outside windows and one small skylight, so the only light is indirect.

Answer 1

The true rubber plant or rubber fig is Ficus elastica (big leaves). Ficus benjamina is “weeping Chinese banyan” (smaller leaves).
With the leaf drop that you describe, I suspect that your plant is Ficus benjamina, because this is a common phenomenon as a response to physiological stress. It could be due to drought stress or other factor.

https://www.plantopedia.com/ficus-benjamina/