Overwatering-induced root rot is arguably the most frequent cause of brown patches in fiddle leaf figs.
Root rot is a fungal infection that develops when roots are left in water for an extended period of time with inadequate drainage.
Particularly fiddle leaf fig roots require quick-draining soil with lots of drainage. You should take prompt action if you notice brown spots on your fiddle leaf fig caused by root rot. To stop your infection from spreading, try our Root Rot Treatment. You may also apply our Houseplant Leaf Armor to shield your fiddle leaf fig against bacteria, fungi, and insects.
The following are warning indicators of root rot:
- patches that are very dark brown or black and spread over the leaf over a period of days or weeks
- Your leaf has dark brown blotches at the base.
- the plant’s leaves that are falling off
How can the brown spots on my fiddle leaf fig be removed?
Symptoms of overwatering include brown spots or shaded regions along the borders and in the middle of the leaves, as well as yellowing foliage and leaf drop (lower leaves often dropping first).
One of the most frequent issues with fiddle leaf figs is overwatering. A fungal condition known as root rot might occur if your plant receives too much water. You’ll likely see spots and leaf drop on older leaves first if root rot is the cause.
How to Fix It: Make sure your plant receives enough of indirect sunshine and let it totally dry out before rehydrating to prevent root rot. With clean shears, you can remove any dark and mushy roots that may have developed as well as cut the leaves’ brown edges and patches.
Brown stains beginning on the edges of the leaves, curling leaves from the edges inward, and leaf drop are signs of underwatering (can affect all leaves on the plant, not just the lower leaves).
Dry, hard soil that retreats and shrinks away from the edge of the pot is another sign that your fiddle leaf figs are underwatered.
Follow a regular watering routine to fix it. The top inch of soil around fiddle leaf figs usually has to be watered once per week or when it seems dry to the touch. Try running a humidifier nearby or sprinkling the leaves with water once every one to three days to raise the humidity in the air to help counteract dry air.
Watering Tips
When it comes to their watering routine, fiddle leaf figs need consistency. Set a weekly reminder to give your Fiddle Leaf a drink. By following this timetable, you can prevent overwatering or underwatering your plant. However, it is crucial to check that the pot your plant is in has adequate drainage, since if it does not, your watering schedule may become messed up.
Why do the leaves of my fiddle leaf fig have brown spots?
After removing the brown-spotted leaves and the damaged roots, you must repot your plant. Be careful not to overwater it going forward. You can use a moisture meter to gauge when your plant needs water. But you don’t need to repot your plant to diagnose root rot and treat it.
As your plant tries to save the more recent development that is closer to valuable sunlight, root rot has an unusual tendency to attack older leaves first.
Root rot may be the cause if you see more brown spots on your older growth near the base of the plant.
Small black dots may develop into brown patches that grow in size until the leaf falls off. You can check the moisture towards the bottom of the roots using a moisture meter like this one if you suspect that your plant has root rot. Root rot is probably the reason for your reading’s excessive moisture.
The brown spots on your fiddle leaf fig leaves are usually caused by root rot if you think you’ve been overwatering it or if it has inadequate drainage.
This issue might get worse if there is not enough sunlight. The roots of your plant may become overly damp between waterings if the pot is too big.
What should I do about the brown stains on my Ficus?
A fiddle-leaf fig may become afflicted with a fungus that causes root rot or anthracnose leaf spot, two fungi that thrive in damp, humid environments and spread to leaves. In both situations, brown spots develop on the plant’s leaves, but in leaf spot, the spots may spread black specks that are fungal colonies and grow progressively in size. In root rot, leaves may darken from brown to black, curl, and then drop off. The best way to treat root rot is to wait until the soil is just beginning to become lightly dry before deeply watering and letting the soil drain completely. To treat leaf spot, remove the afflicted leaves and refrain from watering the foliage. The plant can eventually recover from either disorder if damage isn’t severe.
Why are brown spots appearing on my ficus?
The Fiddle Leaf Fig can genuinely get brown patches for a variety of different causes. Since they all exhibit different symptoms and some are more often than others, you should (should) be able to identify the issue your plant is experiencing and figure out how to stop the spread of additional brown spots on the plant.
#1 The plant is not receiving enough water
Ficus lyratas are very picky about how much water they need, even though it’s always preferable to submerge than overwater a plant to avoid root rot. Feel a few inches into the pot to determine whether your plant is receiving enough water.
It’s possible that your plant isn’t getting enough water if the soil is completely dry. When you water the plant, the water spills out the bottom of the plant pot and doesn’t sink into the soil, which is another telltale indicator that the plant isn’t getting enough water.
In order to make sure my Fiddle Leaf Fig is getting enough water, I personally check on it at least once a week throughout the winter and even more frequently during hot spells in the summer.
You must make sure that when you water, you soak the entire root ball in water rather than just using the “x” amount of water recommended online, which is not specific enough for your particular plant. Personally, I wait until my plant is almost completely dry before completely soaking it in water. Having said that, you should never let your plants stand in water that is still because this might cause root rot.
#2 The plant is receiving too much water
Unfortunately, both too much and too little water can cause brown patches to develop on Ficus lyrata plants. Overwatering a plant can cause root rot, which is very difficult for the plant to recover from.
Plant parents frequently deal with the dilemma of plants developing problems that first appear as a result of either excessive underwatering or excessive overwatering. In light of this, the plant can be receiving too much water if the soil feels wet to the touch.
Remove the plant from its pot and look at the roots to see if this is the case in more detail. Your plant has root rot if the roots are mushy and brown in color. Stop overwatering the plant right away, and after it has had enough time to dry up, start watering it less frequently again.
How are brown leaf spots handled?
Are the plant leaves on your houseplants displaying brown spots? Black and brown stains on plant leaves and stems that have been sopped in water are frequently an indication of a bacterial or fungal disease. Change the watering schedule and avoid letting plants sit in water that is too much. That alone can frequently halt the spread of the illness. Any soft, discolored stems or leaves should be cut off and thrown away. Repot the plant in fresh potting soil in a container that is a little bigger than the remaining roots, trimming off any decaying roots.
What do these blotches on my fiddle leaf fig represent?
Despite the fact that most parents of Fiddle Leaf Fig Trees overwater (keep the soil wet) and under-light (give it too little light), this problem is caused by drought-like conditions, which are typically accompanied by higher light levels.
Throughout the growing season, fiddle leaf figs require consistently moist soil (March-September). Ficus lyrata’s newest development is impacted by a problem that develops when the plant’s root zone does not have sufficient access to moisture.
The bottom sides of the leaves develop reddish, brown patches that are visible through the leaf.
According to the University of Florida, this illness is caused by excessive moisture stress, which sounds like there is too much moisture but is not.
That implies that the plant is subject to erratic watering schedules. Additionally, this frequently happens in conjunction with more light.
This produces the ideal storm to reveal the inconsistent irrigation patterns. The more light a plant is exposed to, the more water it will require because light and water are both consumed during photosynthesis. More information on that connection can be found here.
It is difficult for plants to absorb essential minerals from the soil when the root zone is dry. Keep the soil evenly moist for your Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree (Ficus lyrata) during the growing season, and let it dry out a little bit more in the fall and winter.
Also, make sure to illuminate it with bright, indirect light! In this one-minute video, that is explained.
How frequently should fiddle leaf figs be watered?
Overwatering or failing to provide adequate drainage are the two most common ways to destroy a fiddle leaf fig. About once every 10 days or once a week, water your plant. As we just discussed, FLFs are accustomed to receiving a massive amount of water with intermittent dry spells because they are native to a rainforest-like habitat. Therefore, it’s recommended to water indoor plants until the soil is barely dripping before letting the soil dry fully in between applications.
There are two ways to accomplish this. Bring the plant inside after watering it and letting it drip for an hour or two outside or in the bathtub. Place your FLF on a plant stand above a drip tray if you don’t want to carry it back and forth to be watered. Make sure the roots don’t spend a long period sitting in extra water, whichever method you pick.
Watering a Fiddle Leaf Fig
Overwatering or failing to provide adequate drainage are the two most common ways to destroy a fiddle leaf fig. About once every 10 days or once a week, water your plant. As we just discussed, FLFs are accustomed to receiving a massive amount of water with intermittent dry spells because they are native to a rainforest-like habitat. Therefore, it’s recommended to water indoor plants until the soil is barely dripping before letting the soil dry fully in between applications. There are two ways to accomplish this. Bring the plant inside after watering it and letting it drip for an hour or two outside or in the bathtub. Place your FLF on a plant stand above a drip tray if you don’t want to carry it back and forth to be watered. Make sure the roots don’t spend a long period sitting in extra water, whichever method you pick.
Not sure of the next time to water? Simply press your finger into the soil’s top 2 inches. If it’s still wet, don’t touch it. Don’t believe in yourself? Purchase a cheap soil moisture meter, and water when it indicates that the soil is practically dry.
Having trouble deciding when to water your fiddle leaf fig? Simply press your finger into the soil’s top 2 inches. If it’s still wet, don’t touch it. Don’t believe in yourself? Purchase a cheap soil moisture meter, and water when it indicates that the soil is practically dry.
Do fiddle leaf figs need direct sunlight?
Although they can withstand moderate sunlight, it’s not their preferred environment. It’s a good idea to put the plant near a south or west-facing window, but not directly in the sun, as it prefers steady, ambient light. They can tolerate up to six hours a day of direct sunlight, if necessary.
Finding a location where the conditions are as consistent as possible throughout the day is the finest thing you can do for these plants as they are creatures of habit. Placing your plant in low light is one thing you must never do.
Can my plant go outside?
Of course, you can take care of your fiddle leaf fig outside given the correct circumstances. It might perhaps act and develop to a height of more than 40 feet if you locate it in the ideal location. Your garden should, however, be entirely frost-free and never drop below 50 degrees at night in order to prevent any issues.
On summer days, you should use caution as well. Keep your plant from getting too hot too quickly and water it frequently so the roots have access to moisture all the time. Similar to when you keep it as a house plant, you should be watchful of how much direct sunshine it gets.
Why do the leaves turn brown?
You have some homework to complete if the leaves on your fiddle leaf fig are starting to turn brown. There are several potential causes, but light and water are the most frequent ones.
In most cases, water is the culprit if the edges of the leaves are becoming brown. If just the lower leaves are impacted, overwatering has created root rot. The likelihood of the plant being thirsty increases if all of the leaves are going crispy. Unhappy leaves that are going brown in the middle show that the plant needs more humidity since it is receiving too much light.
What’s the difference between a fiddle leaf bush and a tree?
An established fiddle leaf tree can cost hundreds of dollars, so you’ll probably end up nurturing a smaller plant to grow tall. Ficus lyrata likes to grow straight up if left unattended, but you can encourage branching by either pruning the new growth or notching the stem.
To notch, choose where you want a new branch to grow and make a 1/8-inch cut into the stem just above a node using a clean knife. The node should produce a new branch. The lower leaves can then be removed when your plant appears very healthy.
Should I mist my plant?
When caring for any rainforest plant, especially in the winter, misting is a need. Fiddle leafs prefer a humidity level of 65 percent, which is substantially higher than that of most houses.
Filling a spray bottle and leaving it next to the plant is the ideal method for misting. You can regularly spritz it with room-temperature water in this manner. Misting your plant is very crucial after dusting its leaves. For your plant, a humidifier is ideal if you can afford one, but regular misting with a spray bottle should suffice.
How long does it take for the plant to grow?
Most fiddle leaves can grow up to 10 feet tall indoors. They might even outgrow your home if they’re truly content. However, that may take up to 15 years. Of course you two want to stay together for that long, but it can be difficult to wait for a plant straight out of a magazine.
These are not the quickest-growing plants, but with proper care and fertilization, the 18-inch bush you purchased from the garden center should mature into a respectable-sized tree in 34 years.
Should I cut off brown spots off the leaves?
Although brown stains on the leaves are unsightly, you shouldn’t immediately remove them. After all, in order to photosynthesize, the plant requires its leaves. Your plant won’t thrive if the leaves are pulled out as soon as spotting appears.
Your plant is attempting to tell you something when its leaves turn brown, whether it’s water, fertilizer, sunshine, or pest control. The best course of action is to try to identify the issue, fix it, and then postpone pinching off the damaged leaves until your plant has produced some healthy new growth.
Are fiddle leaf fig toxic?
Yes. We’re not talking about plants that are aesthetically pleasing but dangerous here, but if you have kids or animals in your house, you should be cautious of them around any Ficus family plant, including your fiddle leaf fig.
A healthy adult won’t suffer long-term consequences from ingesting the plant, but cats, dogs, and small people can get hurt from the calcium oxalate crystals in the leaves. A burning, irritated mouth, trouble swallowing, drooling, and vomiting are indications of an adverse response. Consult a doctor straight away if you believe that your child or pet may have consumed a portion of the plant.