This query is frequently asked in our Facebook group for fiddle leaf fig resources: Why are the leaves on my fiddle leaf fig’s trunk sprouting at the base?
We enjoy watching the fiddle leaf fig trees grow, but we prefer to see new growth near the top of the tree rather than at the very base. An ornamental plant shouldn’t have a bushy or even unbalanced appearance, which is what leaves at the base of the tree may do to your fiddle.
Are the leaves at the tree’s base a sign of illness? What ought you to do about them? Let’s examine the causes of this growth and possible solutions.
A fiddle leaf fig should be watered either from the top or bottom.
The fiddle leaf fig tree really cemented its position as a mainstay of interior design several years ago. If you don’t believe me, simply quickly go through any interior design Instagram account or Pinterest, and I can almost assure you won’t miss this stunning plant. Personally, I’ve been cultivating them in my house for many years. I had a sizable one in my Beverly Hills condo’s living room, numerous others dotted around my old Palisades property, and I now also enjoy them in my present Laguna Beach home. The longest one I’ve ever had, I must say, lasted for approximately eight years! Which means I’ve been able to care for these picky indoor plants for a lot longer than I anticipated. Even though I’d like to think that I have the famous “green thumb,” the truth is that I only stick to a few guidelines that I’ve learned over the years to keep my trees growing and their leaves sporting a vibrant shade of green.
I’d want to impart some of those knowledge on how to grow a beautiful and robust fiddle leaf fig tree today. I’ve asked Mackenna Rowley of Piep Co, owner of a plant store and proponent of the green thumb, to share her knowledge with us. Many of her suggestions are ones I’ve used for years, but there are also some excellent success hints in here. What you should know before planting a fiddle leaf fig tree is as follows:
1. Make sure it gets enough water. When watering this plant, Mackenna advises remembering the following maxim: It’s better to submerge than overwater! She strongly advises bottom watering your violin and advises letting the top 1-2 inches of soil dry out between waterings. “According to Mackenna, a common issue with our customers is that they tend to water their larger plants from above when they notice that they are beginning to grow brown and dry. “But doing so never actually completely drenches the potting soil. Then they keep watering the plant more and more, which causes it to be generally underwatered and to occasionally develop root rot. Potting mix has a little hydrophobic quality, so when you water from above, it’s simple for the water to just flow down the path of least resistance and not actually fully saturate the root ball—especially with larger plants in big pots. You should always water your potting mix well, so Mackenna suggests soaking your fiddle overnight in a tub filled with water that comes halfway up the pot. This will let the potting mix to completely absorb the water. In addition, it receives a welcome boost in humidity this way. Crispy, dry leaves are typically the result of underwatering and insufficient humidity, whereas soft, yellow leaves are typically the result of overwatering.
2. Bring clarity. When deciding where location to place your tree, it can seem natural to only take décor and aesthetics into account. However, there are many more factors to take into account before placing your tree. I’ve learned that my trees thrive with a lot of direct, strong light. You should keep it out of any direct light until it’s a reasonably mature tree, which takes a decade or more, according to Mackenna. Therefore, if you believe that giving your tree a little sunbath on your balcony or patio will benefit it, reconsider. Until it is old enough, at least. When the leaves are exposed to direct light, they may become dry and brown. I advise putting yours close to a window that lets in lots of gentle, indirect light. Also, consider the direction that the light is coming from: windows facing north will receive the least sunlight, windows facing east will receive morning sunlight but not enough throughout the day, and windows facing west will receive strong afternoon sunlight that could burn the leaves and dry out the plant. The greatest windows are those that face south since they will receive just the right amount of light without getting too much. It’s also crucial to keep in mind that your instrument will incline toward the light, so if symmetry is what you’re after, make sure to spin it frequently.
3. Take into account the pot and potting soil. You should use a high-quality, well-draining potting mix for your plants. Additionally, you should check that the bottom of your pot has sufficient drainage. Because the FLF is prone to root rot, you must ensure that it can drain after watering. Furthermore, a pot lacking drainage holes cannot be bottom-watered! The advice of Mackenna is to place your tree in a slightly larger decorative pot or basket while still in its original plastic growing container (I love using these from The Little Market). Growing plants always need enough drainage, so it makes it much easier to transport when you’re dragging it off to the tub. Additionally, you can still use a decorative pot if it doesn’t have drainage holes and you don’t want to drill them yourself.
4. Watch out for wind. Mackenna advises keeping FLF away from frequently opened doors or windows, heating or cooling vents, fireplaces, or other draft-prone areas because FLF are relatively susceptible to them. Keep in mind that FLF prefer some humidity, which is diminished by drafts.
5. Show it off in style! I like the fiddle best in a plain pot or tucked within a woven basket because it is such an eye-catching, sculptural plant. Why detract from those enormous, magnificent leaves? Because the pots need to be pretty large, Mackenna advises choosing only one color or pattern rather than both if you want to make your pot stand out a little more. Unless, of course, you like it that way in which case, go for it!
6. Maintain it. Cleaning the leaves frequently is one of my best recommendations. Your plant will develop large, dust-collecting leaves as it grows, which can actually stunt growth because it blocks sunlight. When cleaning the leaves, Mackenna advises applying a little coconut oil because it also adds shine (a tip I had never heard of but adore and am eager to try myself!). But make sure you only apply it to the leaf’s tops. Susing it on the bottom may cause the plant’s stomata to become blocked, preventing it from breathing.
So there you have it! I want to thank Mackenna once more for these useful information. I’m curious to know now…
Do fiddle leaf fig bottom leaves grow back?
It is rather simple to identify the root of your fiddle leaf fig’s negative attitude if it is anything other than green and full. Indoor fiddle leaf figs typically have a problem with either light, irrigation, or both. You can restore its health with a little work before it’s too late. Simply keep an eye out for the warning symptoms listed below and administer the appropriate treatment.
One thing to remember with fiddle leaf figs is that once a leaf is injured, it can’t truly be repaired. We’re diagnosing the issue and taking action to maintain the plant’s health going ahead. The tree will likely stop providing energy to the injured leaves when new growth begins to emerge, and they will eventually dry up and fall off. Last week, I got home to precisely that circumstance. The lowest leaf on the tree with damage was this one. The plant consumed all of its resources until it was entirely dried out, at which point it let go of it.
Unlike rubber plants, which can recover fallen leaves, fiddle leaf figs cannot. Because once the leaf is gone, it’s gone, maintaining their health is crucial.
Should I remove the fiddle leaf fig’s bottom leaves?
You should be aware of what those bottom leaves do before selecting when to remove them.
Lower foliage has the same function as that fresh, vibrant growth up top: the leaves work to mix that green chlorophyll, commonly known as “the meat of the leaf,” with sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to produce sap, the plant’s own sweet food.
So let them alone if you want the trunk, roots, and new growth to continue receiving energy from the sun through the foliar producers and absorbing it.
Another advantage of the lower leaves is that this is typically where the most frequent watering issues show up. To put it another way, many owners of fiddles may detect overwatering and underwatering based on early warning indicators from these bottom leaves. You lose access to one of the plant’s early warning systems if you remove them.
Keep in mind that the lower leaves should be saved for the very last stage of shaping because they AID in giving the tree its characteristic shape.
Once more, deciding whether or not to remove these lower leaves depends on what they do for the plant.
How do fiddle leaf figs move?
The Ficus lyrata, commonly known as the Fiddle Leaf Fig, is featured on the covers and in images of numerous design journals. Its tall stature and large, graceful leaves add drama and height and unify entire rooms. Despite where you’ve seen Fiddle Leaf Figs in pictures, some individuals don’t aware that they need to be placed just in front of a window. They can be challenging to care for until the plant adjusts to your environment and until you figure out when to water them. Continue reading to discover how to keep your fiddle leaf fig alive and healthy for many years to come.
Light
The best setting for Fiddle Leaf Figs is in front of a window that gets direct morning or afternoon light. The ideal window to choose has a primarily unobstructed eastern, western, or southern exposure. You don’t want the window to be shaded by nearby trees or buildings. If your Fiddle Leaf is positioned right in front of the window, a north facing exposure can also work if there is enough room and nothing blocking your view of the sky. You should gradually adapt your tree to being in several hours of direct sunshine if you plan to set it in front of a southern exposure. The leaves could burn and develop brown scorch scars if they receive too much direct sunshine too rapidly. Over the course of 1 to 2 weeks, gradually increase the amount of time it spends in front of a southern window.
The amount of light your Fiddle Leaf Fig need to thrive depends in part on its size. The amount of light a plant needs will increase with its size. For instance, a window would need to be much taller to accommodate a 7′ tall tree than it would a 4′ tall tree.
In general, your fiddle leaf fig will require more light to preserve its existing leaves and spur the growth of new ones the more leaves it has. In order to tell us that it isn’t getting enough light to support all of its leaves, a plant will respond when it isn’t getting enough light by losing lower and interior leaves.
It’s crucial to maintain your plant in front of the window during the winter months when natural light isn’t as abundant but also ensuring sure it doesn’t catch any chilly air from drafts that blow in. If your windows are drafty, try moving your Fiddle Leaf 2 to 3 feet away from the window to observe how it reacts. In most cases, keeping plants at this distance allows them to avoid any sporadic cold air blasts while yet receiving an equivalent quantity of light. For more advice on winter maintenance, keep reading.
Does my fiddle leaf fig need to be shaken?
The majority of tall houseplants don’t need to be shaken in order to keep themselves upright as they grow, and there really is no need unless you are putting them outdoors, according to Richard Cheshire, plant doctor at Patch Plants (opens in new tab). In all honesty, if you place your plants outside for the summer, you won’t need to worry about shaking them because there will be some actual wind to do it for you.
There is scientific proof (opens in new tab) that plants benefit from thigmomorphogenesis, a process that describes how plants react to the many types of “mechanical disturbances” they encounter in the field. Wind is one among them, but there are also raindrops and animal brushes and nibbles as they go through the forest. Plants have developed to react to even light touch over millions of years, which triggers several survival mechanisms in the plant leaves.
Therefore, if you wish to do this, occasionally touching your house plants will undoubtedly benefit them, even if they presumably receive enough stimulation from the water droplets if you regularly spritz them with water.
The ever-popular fiddle leaf fig is one plant that actually benefits from being shook rather than just touched. As a result of the lack of breeze indoors, fiddle leaf figs in particular can become rather frail and struggle to maintain themselves, according to Richard. Giving them a firm shake now and then is always a good idea.
So shake away if you do have a fiddle leaf fig at home. All other indoor plants will thrive with just a light touch or spritz every so often.
The leaves drop from the bottom
Since fiddle leaf figs experience the most of their new growth towards the top, the bottom leaves are typically the oldest.
Bottom leaves typically droop and finally fall off since the tree no longer requires them.
The dropped leaves are free of brown spots
Brown spots are the most common indicator of health issues in fiddle leaf figs, so if your tree is losing lower leaves that are generally unblemished, without brown spots or dots, and with little to no crispiness, it is likely just normal, healthy leaf fall and does not portend a more serious problem.
Dropped leaves may be a little yellow
Yellowing on fallen leaves is usually not a problem, but brown areas should be taken seriously. If your tree has many yellowing leaves, it may be receiving too much water, not enough light, or not enough fertilizer. However, if a lower leaf yellows and falls off, the tree is no longer caring for that leaf and is just done with it.
In conclusion, you can relax if your tree periodically drops a lower leaf that is typically unmarked but maybe a touch yellow. Your fiddle is in good health and only going through a normal process.