Sad ficus

[Lorax7]

What is wrong with this poor ficus retusa? I planted this as a cutting after doing a trunk chop on the parent tree. At the time, I cut all the existing leaves, leaving 10 to 30% or so of the foliage area on each. It grew all new leaves and was looking great.

This week, it took a turn for the worse. First, the leaves started turning yellow. Now they’re curling up from side to side. I initially thought it was chlorosis and had intended to supplement with iron and nitrogen. But, the leaf curl makes me think it’s a pest instead. I don’t have any idea what kind of pest though (or if that’s even a correct assessment).

What do you think?

 

[barrosinc]

that's a cutting?? cuttings are a race of dehidration and ability to create roots. This probably didn't make it. The soil seems to coarse for a cutting to grow.
If it is a cutting, fertilizing is not a good idea.

 

[Lorax7]

that's a cutting?? cuttings are a race of dehidration and ability to create roots. This probably didn't make it. The soil seems to coarse for a cutting to grow.
If it is a cutting, fertilizing is not a good idea.

There’s some smaller particle size perlite below that layer of lava rock. I just happened to run out of perlite at the time I was planting it and used lava rock for the last bit.

I’m aware of the dehydration race with cuttings, which is why I cut every leaf on the tree at the time it was planted in order to reduce transpiration demand. I thought it had “made it” when the tree pushed a full set of new leaves, on the theory that if it’s pushing new foliage above then it would simultaneously be pushing new roots proportionally below. I guess if it’s dead, I’ll find out how much root mass it did or didn’t push when I pull the tree out of the pot after the leaves are all crispy and hope is gone.

 

[ColinFraser]

How long ago did you take the cutting? I've had cuttings grow new leaves and look great for months while still having no roots at all (not necessarily ficus, as they're pretty easy usually, but definitely with maples and bougainvillea).

 

[Lorax7]

How long ago did you take the cutting? I've had cuttings grow new leaves and look great for months while still having no roots at all (not necessarily ficus, as they're pretty easy usually, but definitely with maples and bougainvillea).

It was planted June 11th.

 

[ColinFraser]

It was planted June 11th.

Seems pretty likely to me that it doesn't have much in the way of roots