The green on the end of the branches tells me it might still be alive. Scratch the bark in an inconspicuous area and see if there is green under there. I would water it by giving it a good soaking until water runs out of the drain holes in the bottom of the pot. Then get that thing outside in the sun. Start with partial sun in the morning and evening so as not to shock the tree. Ease it into full sun - but by all means keep it outside if you can.

Hi - don't immerse it, but do water properly from above. Stop spraying it because it's a total waste of time. Do put it outdoors for life, it has no business indoors. Do find a local club who can help you with how it should be potted - in what type of material (not 'potting' soil!) though this is the wrong time of year to do it. Water when at least half the soil in the pot is dry (now, until such time as you repot). It's not a house plant and you can't treat it like one.

Don't want to be the bad guy here but...it does look like a ficus retusa and there is probably no reason to repot it, at least not now. It's a tropical plant/tree, the leaf drop was caused by shock -- it was moved, watering habits have changed and probaby the light level it's use to.

There are several places on the web where you can get good general information about its' care, Google the plant name.

First it needs more than 2 hours of sun a day, not directly in front of a window because glass will magnify the suns rays and can damage it. This time of year it will live happily outside in 4-6 hours of direct sun or more in partial shade. You will have to water more after the foliage has returned, probably even daily. Make sure that the pot drains freely so the roots aren't sitting in water.

To check and see if it needs watered or not just wiggle your finger into the soil. It should be a little moist but not wet between waterings. Above all make sure the pot is draining well.

Most tropicals will go into shock when their environment takes a drastic change, they will recover. You live in Ca so it shouldn't be a problem.

Bob

HC - why does it look like a retusa to you? Going by the bark, it looks like a beech or even prunus to me!

I checked with my friend and it is indeed a ficus retusa. If I move it outdoors, will it be too much of a shock to the plant and can it kill it?

And what can I do to get the foliage back on it?

In the original post she said that her friend said it was retusa, the trunk looks like retusa or at least ficus.

You don;t have to do anything to get it to releaf, the plant will naturally recover as it aclimatizes to it's new location. Once it's leafed out again you can begin to give low doses of food once in a while.

It's been moved -- and shocked once, stick it outside where it will get decent full sun as I said above then just relax and wait. It may take a few weeks for it to recover but it probably will.

Keep an eye on the soil moisture/watering and make sure the pot drains well. Until it begins to releaf back off on the watering a little. It will help some to spray the area around the plant, the patio area I see in the background. The extra humidity will help.

Bob