Fiddle Leaf Fig plants, or Ficus Lyrata, are beautiful plants that can improve the look of any room or garden. They are rarely affected by health conditions, but proper care is essential to encourage growth and development.
So what are the Fiddle Leaf Fig problems, care, and propagation tips you should know? Fiddle Leaf Fig thrive when exposed to stable temperatures above 18℃ (65℉) and indirect, bright sunlight. Water when the soil is dry, add fertilizer every second watering, and re-pot immediately if rootbound. The plant is easy to propagate from cuttings, leaves, and roots through water or soil.
Of course, there is a little more you should know to avoid having to deal with threatening conditions and see your plant thriving. Read on!
Fiddle Leaf Fig Problems and Solutions
Fiddle leaf fig plants have not just become as popular as they are now because of their charm, but also for their resilience and little attention required. Occasionally, you will have to deal with issues that can threaten your plant’s health.
Pests and Diseases
If not cared for properly, fiddle leaf figs are prone to the attack of diseases and pests that can quickly lead to the decay of the plant. Among the most common infestations you might have to deal with are:
- Mites
- Mealybugs
- Scale
- Whiteflies
- Aphids
The symptoms shown by a plant affected by pests include white or black spots, fuzzy patches, and webbing. In the case of pests and diseases, the best solution is prevention: check the broad leaves of your fiddle leaf plant regularly, and don’t forget to examine the underside and nodes of the plant.
If you notice signs of pests infestations on your Ficus Lyrata, you should proceed to remove them with a cloth or sponge using soapy water before they spread across the plant. It is essential to address the issue during the first stages of the infestation due to the high reproduction rate of pests.
Overwatering or Underwatering
Improper watering is among the most common issues affecting houseplant – not only fiddle leaf figs. However, these plants are highly susceptible to a change of watering regimen, which can quickly lead to decreasing their health level.
To avoid supplying an erroneous amount of water to your plant, you should:
- Adapt the watering regimen to the season – the same plant might need different amounts of water to survive, depending on the external temperature and sunlight exposure. Indeed, during the transitioning period between winter and spring, or between summer and autumn, the plant might respond differently to watering.
- Assess the soil before watering – assessing the potting mix before watering the plant can indicate whether your Ficus Lyrata effectively needs water. For this test, insert your finger in the ground, 5 to 7 cm (2 to 3 in) below the surface.
- Drainage – ensuring that the plant’s container boasts a proper drainage system and well-draining medium can help you control the moisture in the soil and avoid overwatering.
Overwatering and underwatering are conditions that can derive from a single episode or a prolonged watering regimen. In any case, it is essential to act as soon as you notice signs of illness to avoid having to deal with serious diseases such as root rot later on.
Fiddle Leaf Fig Not Blooming
Unlike other varieties of fig plants, such as the Ficus Carica, the Ficus Lyrata (Fiddle Leaf Fig) will not produce fruits or flowers if cultivated indoors. This characteristic is due to the lack of proper environmental conditions and pollinators. However, if the plant is outdoors, you will be able to see fruits occasionally, although these are not edible.
For your plant to be blooming, you could opt to transplant it outdoors and feed it potassium-rich fertilizer, which is the substance that aids in the production of flowers.
Fiddle Leaf Fig Care
Fiddle Leaf Figs are rarely affected by illnesses, diseases, and pests if cared for properly and healthy. The tips below can help your plant grow and develop while being resistant to detrimental health conditions.
Water Requirements and Schedule
Ficus Lyrata plants are highly susceptible to improper watering. To establish a correct watering routine, start by watering your plant exclusively when the soil is dry up to three inches (7 cm) below the surface.
Although when watering your plant, you should ensure that the soil is thoroughly moist, you should leave enough time between waterings for the soil to dry. Indeed, Fiddle leaf figs do not appreciate having “wet feet” – or sitting in stagnating water for too long. This condition can cause the roots to weaken and become more exposed to the pathogens’ attack, which can lead to root rot.
To prevent this, space out the watering schedule and ensure that their container boasts a proper drainage system.
Moreover, you should only opt for watering your plant with lukewarm water, as colder fluids might send the roots and stems into shock. If this happens, your plant might not be able to absorb the necessary nutrients as efficiently as it usually would.
Ultimately, improper watering consequences can be quickly resolved by re-potting the plant or letting the soil dry. However, familiarizing yourself with the signs of overwatering and underwatering (such as discolored leaves, wilting, etc.) can help you address the problem promptly.
Light and Temperature Requirements
Independently on whether you are cultivating your Ficus Lyrata indoors or outdoors, you should ensure the plant receives enough sunlight to thrive.
Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on May 26, 2020.
Fiddle Leaf Fig house plants prefer bright, filtered light, and they thrive when positioned by an east-facing window. This solution is optimal to ensure that the Ficus can receive sunlight throughout the day. In term of temperatures, you should maintain them stable between 18℃ and 23℃ (65℉ and 77℉).
Alternatively, for Fiddle Leaf Figs grown outdoors, you should ensure that both temperature and light requirements are met. For the optimal environment, the plant should be produced within USDA’sUSDA’s hardiness zones 9-11. These regions ensure the perfect climate conditions, with stable temperatures and favorable light exposure.
Container Requirements
Fiddle Leaf Figs can thrive in standard pots if they are large enough to accommodate the root ball and equipped with a proper drainage system. When firstly re-potting your plant, pick a container that is at least 3 to 4 inches (7 to 10 cm) more spacious than the previous one. This characteristic will allow the plant’s root system to grow and expand, encouraging its development.
Generally, a container that is not large enough to assist the plant during its growth phase will be a determining factor that can stunt its development. If your Ficus Lyrata is not growing, you will need to check if it is rootbound, and, in this case, transplant it into a more appropriate pot or outdoors.
Fiddle Leaf Figs don’t do well if kept with “wet feet.” Therefore, while you can propagate them in water media at first, you should avoid growing these trees into water bodies and aquariums. Since these are non-aquatic plants, an improper medium will cause them to rot.
Re-Potting Needs
After purchasing a plant in a plastic growing pot, you should proceed to re-pot it immediately into a better-sized container. The plastic containers you can see in warehouses have lateral drainage holes designed to keep the soil extremely dry and avoid root rot when the plant is still in the shop.
However, once it reaches its new home, it should be moved onto a pot that boasts drainage holes at the bottom edge and can help regulate the moisture level of the soil.
Signs that your plant needs re-potting include:
- Stunted growth – if the roots don’t have enough space to develop, the growth rate of your plant will be slowed down or stunted.
- Rootbound or potbound – a plant that is rootbound becomes so when the roots have outgrown the container. As the roots become closer together, they start to struggle to absorb the necessary nutrients and oxygen.
- Visible roots – signs that the plant is becoming rootbound include roots emerging from the soil and drainage holes.
- Decaying foliage – if you have not noticed changes in the root system, but your plant shows signs of discoloration and wilting, you should proceed to check whether the roots have enough space for development.
Fertilizer Needs
Especially if keeping your Fiddle Leaf Fig as a houseplant, you will need to enrich the soil with fertilizer to ensure the proper growth of your Ficus Lyrata. You should opt to add fertilizer into the potting mix if you notice signs of stunt growth, wilting, discolorations of the foliage, and leaves falling.
Although fertilization is essential, improper or too much fertilizer can cause your plant to suffer from fertilizer burns. Therefore, it is vital to dilute these commercial substances in water as specified on the package. In terms of frequency, you can add fertilizer every second time you water it, but you should do only during the plant’s growing season (usually summer).
Moreover, when picking a commercial fertilizer, you should select one that includes an NPK ratio of 3-2-1. Respectively, these values indicate the percentage of Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium in the blend. In particular, the higher quantities of Nitrogen can foster the production of new leaves and protect the existing ones.
Indoors or Outdoors?
Fiddle Leaf Figs make excellent houseplants, but they can also thrive in gardens and outdoors.
- Ficus Lyrata indoors – ensure that the plant is situated next to a window through which it can receive a steady flow of sunlight throughout the day, ideally east-facing. Moreover, temperatures should always stay stable, at around 18℃ (65℉).
- Ficus Lyrata outdoors – if you have decided to keep your plant outdoors, you should ensure that the minimum temperatures of the year don’t drop below the freezing point. Ideally, these plants thrive in hardiness zones 10 through 12, and they are not tolerant of frosts or cold.
Growth Expectation and Size
The growth rate of Fiddle Leaf Fig plants is considered moderate, and they can reach 10 to 15 meters (30 to 50 ft) in height at maturity when cultivated outdoors. However, these estimations can vary depending on the climate, sun exposure, and soil composition.
When grown indoors, the plant will grow up to three meters (10 ft). Even in this case, however, the pot’s size, sun exposure, and soil composition can impact the plant’s growth rate.
Fiddle Leaf Fig Care Propagation
Propagating Fiddle leaf Fig plants is a straightforward process that can be performed successfully from cuttings, leaves, and roots.
If your plant has been affected by root rot, you will need to select the cuttings in advance, before the disease spreads through the body of the plant. Root rot can indeed be a threatening disease for the health and life of the fiddle leaf – just as much for other house plants.
Often caused by improper watering, the stagnating moisture in the plant’s soil will weaken the roots, which will be more prone to contract fungi and bacteria. As the roots start to rot, they won’t absorb as many nutrients from the soil, resulting in wilting, discoloring, and falling leaves.
Although the first symptoms of this condition are visible in the roots only, it is essential to transplant it and prune it to ensure its survival.
However, if the disease has only just started to spread, you can collect healthy and strong cuttings and proceed to the propagation process. Ultimately, it is vital to understand that this plant can only be propagated successfully from cuttings or layering.
Cuttings and Stem Through Water and Soil
To propagate a Fiddle Leaf Fig from stem cuttings, you will need to start with the rooting process. This procedure involves inserting the plant into a water medium and waiting until the first roots are visible. Afterward, you can move the plant into a soil medium and allow it to grow further. The roots take between 3 and 4 weeks to develop.
Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on May 26, 2020.
- Pick the stem – select a 6in long (15cm) stem, ideally with two to three leaves attached to it. The cut should be 3in (7cm) below the last leaf. Avoid using just leaves as these will only produce decorative roots, which will not be efficient in sustaining the plant’s growth.
- Prepare a container for propagation – pick a pot that will sustain the growth of the cutting and roots, while keeping it upright and fill it with distilled water. Otherwise, use tap water, but let rest stay overnight, so the chlorine has the time to evaporate. Insert the cuttings in water as soon as removed from the plant. This step will ensure that the leaves stay above the surface.
- Add a rooting hormone – while this step is optional, adding a rooting hormone into the medium can speed up the development process of the roots.
- Place the plant near a source of light for a month – allow the cuttings to have direct access to a steady source of light throughout the day. After 3 to 4 weeks, you will be able to notice the first roots to have formed.
- Move the plant into a container – once the cuttings have rooted, it is time to move your plant into a medium that allows it to absorb more nutrients, such as soil. Insert the new roots into the ground, patting down the potting mix to ensure it adheres to the roots.
It can take several months – or up to a year – for the cuttings to develop into a plant.
Growing Fiddle Leaf Figs From Seeds
To grow a Fiddle Leaf Fig from seeds, you will need to plant the seeds into the soil and create the perfect environmental conditions for their growth. As seedlings originate from the coast of Central Africa, Ficus Lyrata will require high humidity, warm climates, and constant light exposure. Moreover, to turn into a developed plant, they can take up to 5 years.
Fiddle Leaf Fig Varieties
The Ficus Lyrata belongs to the family of fig trees – even if they don’t produce edible fruits. While there are over 800 varieties of fig plants, only some can be identified as Fiddle Leaf Fig trees. These include:
- Ficus Lyrata Suncoast
- Ficus Lyrata Compacta
- Ficus Lyrata Bambino
- Ficus Lyrata Variegated
Fiddle Leaf Fig Toxicity
While beneficial to keep in apartments and rooms, Fiddle Leaf Figs trees are toxic to cats, dogs, horses, and humans when these come into contact with the sup produced by the plant. In this instance, the consequences can include skin irritation and rashes.
Benefits of Fiddle Leaf Fig
Aside from their striking look, Fiddle Leaf Figs yield huge benefits when introduced into a well-lit, sunny room. Indeed, these plants can purify the air and increase indoor air quality, a characteristic that has made them popular as house and office plants. Additionally, these trees can help you control the humidity level of a room.
ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on May 26, 2020.
Final Thoughts
Loved for its oval-shaped, lush-green leaves, the Fiddle Leaf Fig tree is extremely easy to care for, but it needs some attention without which it cannot thrive. Regular light exposure and warm temperatures are the two main pillars to see your plant develop healthily. However, watering only when the soil is dry, and occasionally adding fertilizer can help its leaves stay green and lush.