Ficus lyrata is one of our most popular plants at Flora Grubb Gardens, our nursery in San Francisco, and we almost always have it in stock. Come get yours right now! Continue reading for advice on how to grow and take care of these plants.
The fiddle-leaf fig, or Ficus lyrata, is the ideal interior specimen plant. The plant has erect, violin-shaped leaves that are enormous, densely veined, and tall. Our retail plant shop in San Francisco almost always has Ficus lyrata on hand.
These plants are indigenous to the tropics, where they flourish in hot, muggy weather. As a result, the home grower may find it difficult to replicate these steamy circumstances, making them a little more difficult. Fortunately, they are rather resilient plants that can endure less-than-ideal conditions for a fair amount of time. Last but not least, F. lyrata are really produced as larger specimen plants. If you can place them in a floor-standing planter that will allow the plant to grow to at least 6 feet, that would be ideal. In tropical settings, trees frequently reach heights of 40 feet or more. These are not naturally trimmed down to reasonable sizes due to their enormous leaves, though they can be shaped with light trimming.
Ficus lyrata plants don’t require much maintenance. Spotting on the leaves, which is particularly obvious in a plant with such huge leaves, is one of the most prevalent complaints about these plants. This spotting is typically brought on by a leaf injury, such as mechanical harm or a mite infestation. When exposed to air, the sap of Ficus lyrata can produce these brown patches. The plants are also vulnerable to a number of leaf-spotting and fungus diseases, which are often brought on by poor air circulation and an excessive amount of moisture that collects on the leaves. By keeping the plant well-trimmed and eliminating any dead leaves or twigs that you spot, you can assist stop this form of attack.
However, if your plant is dropping leaves, it’s probably due to inadequate moisture at the roots, low humidity, and cold, dry air. To raise the surrounding humidity, try spraying the plant frequently. Finally, because these plants are particularly sensitive to high salt concentrations, flush your potting soil completely on a regular basis, preferably once a month, to avoid salt buildup.
Pests include aphids, mealybugs, mites, scale, and whiteflies can harm Ficus lyrata. If at all feasible, locate the infestation as soon as you can and use the least hazardous remedy.
Repotting: Healthy specimens have vigorous, quickly developing roots (which is pretty typical for any ficus). Try to repot the plant once a year, increasing the pot size by two to four until the plant is the required size or you can no longer handle the container. After placing plants in large containers, remove the top few inches of soil and replace it once a year with new potting soil.
Advice: Avoid often turning or moving this plant. The plant should be placed permanently, and to keep it clean, use an old T-shirt to dust it. As necessary, stake and prune. Only leaves facing the light will remain on Ficus lyrata; ones facing a darker wall or corner will wither away. If you move or reposition your ficus, be prepared for leaf loss.
Ficus lyrata need strong, filtered light. Even a little sun won’t kill them, especially if they’re in an eastern-facing window. When housed in a too-dark environment, plants won’t develop quickly.
Water: Keep it moist, but don’t let it stand in water because that will cause it to lose leaves and develop root rot.
Fertilizer: For plants that are not in ideal conditions or are recuperating from stress, apply Maxsea All Purpose Fertilizer seasonally and up to monthly.
How frequently do I need to water my ficus lyrata?
Watering: Always keep the soil evenly moist. (about 2-3 times weekly) Avoid overwatering or letting the plant sit in water.
During the growing season, fertilizer should be applied every two weeks as a mild liquid solution for green plants.
Repotting: Every year, switch the soil and move the plant to a bigger pot. This plant needs both height and space for its roots to spread out because it naturally wants to grow big.
Other – A lot of people discover that their Ficus lyrata plant is losing leaves or developing brown spots on the foliage. As long as they don’t occur frequently, both of these traits are typical and part of a growing plant. The plant produces a sap that, when placed on top of leaves and exposed to air, induces browning. Be careful that incorrect air movement and a lack of humidity in the home can also lead to excessive browning and leaf-dropping. Humidity can be increased by placing a humidifier nearby or sprinkling the area around the plant (NOT directly on the foliage). Make sure to fully water the plant once every month to remove any salts, toxins, or contaminants that accumulate in the soil. Ficus are well known for being chemically sensitive. Use the least chemically strong insecticide if there is a danger of pests.
Is it necessary to mist my ficus lyrata?
Our preferred approach for giving your violin humidity isn’t misting, but fresh leaf buds are the one exception.
The emergence of new baby leaves from their leaf sheaths can result in tearing since they are thin, sensitive, and have a tendency to stay together (see, that almost rhymes!).
New leaf buds should be misted, but only the lead buds, and not so much that the water runs off onto the surrounding leaves.
Give your new baby buds a nice sprinkling a few times each week, and if you’d like, gently dab up any surplus water with a clean, soft towel.
In a dry climate, you can still grow a healthy fiddle leaf fig. It requires a few additional tools, but it is entirely possible! Even if you reside in the middle of the desert, follow these recommendations for a beautiful, healthy tree.
Light and Location
Of fact, light is necessary for all plants to grow. But for the Ficus Lyrata to flourish and develop into a large mature plant, it needs a specific kind of light. The ideal sunlight is indirect. You can make sure your Lyrata has adequate light in your space by placing it close to a window or skylight. Steer clear of any direct sunlight because it could impede the plant’s growth or possibly kill it.
Rotation is also crucial. Your Lyrata will soon start to bend and reach for the light, as you will soon observe. Turn the plant so that it must bend the other way. It will grow straight and tall as a result of this.
Watering
Another obvious choice… Of course water is necessary for the survival of your fiddle leaf fig. But if you give it too much water, it’ll die. The best method for determining how moist or dry the soil is is to stick your fingers a few inches into it. Water your Lyrata if the soil is dry a few inches below the surface. Delay watering until the earth is dry if you feel the soil is moist. Keep your Lyrata out of water for no more than a day or two at a time. The ideal way to water is with warm or room temperature water.
Fertilizer
The Lyrata should be fertilized once or twice a year. especially with peaty soil that is rich and well-drained. The roots of your Fiddle Leaf will start to gather together once it has outgrown its pot or container, and they may even start to push through the drainage hold. This may result in circulation problems or possibly root rot. Make a new habitat for your Lyrata so it can develop to its full potential!
Cleaning
Cleaning your Lyrata is a requirement! The plant may be unable to absorb sunshine and essential nutrients as a result of those large leaves’ excellent dust-gathering abilities. Once each month, clean the leaves on your Lyrata using a moist cloth. This will guarantee that it not only looks wonderful but also that it is healthy.
Is Ficus Lyrata challenging to maintain?
Even if not having a green thumb isn’t the worst thing in the world, things can get quite irritating if you’re also burdened with the inability to keep plants alive and the want to make your house into an Instagram-worthy plant paradise. Being a good plant parent to a few succulents here and there (and even those may be difficult!) is one thing, but maintaining a towering tree like the fiddle leaf fig alive and well is quite another. And it doesn’t help that you are always surrounded by happy, healthy plants on influencers’ Instagram accounts, virtually in droves, mocking you with their gorgeous, lush leaves and making you, ahem, “green with envy.” Sorry, but I had to.
The good news is that you can maintain a fiddle leaf fig even if it seems impossible and even if you struggle with the simplest, lowest-maintenance plants available. All you need to do is know what you’re doing, and then everything will be alright. Grab your watering can, take a deep breath, and get ready to learn.
Does a ficus require sunlight to grow?
Ficus enjoy a lot of direct, bright sunlight. In the summer, your plant will appreciate being outside, but avoid exposing it to direct sunlight until it has gotten used to it. Keep your plant out of drafts and out of spaces that are too cold during the winter (between 55 and 60 degrees F).
How can I tell if the light reaching my fiddle leaf fig is adequate?
Measuring the space between the leaves on your fiddle leaf fig tree is another proven way to determine whether it needs more sunlight.
The leaves of a fiddle will grow more closely together than those of a fiddle that must reach for its solar energy.
Here is an illustration of a fiddle leaf fig that displayed these precise signs. Just two years ago, I gave my mother this beautiful plant:
As you can see, the leaves were able to remain near to one another without suffocating one another due to the abundance of sunlight offered by the greenhouse environment. It was flawless.
I sent it over to my mother without checking for a bright spot in her home. The greatest spot she could locate in her house was close to a window, although it received little natural light.
After a year, she was able to move the large plant outside for some summer heat and humidity, but as you can see, the branches had already started to spread:
This fiddle leaf fig tree had a terrific summer, but when winter arrived, it had to return indoors.
It is now as follows:
Watch for this lanky, “reaching” appearance and address it right away by moving your plant steadily closer to the sun.