When there is a problem, fiddle leaf figs can communicate very effectively. The most typical indications that your Fiddle Leaf needs assistance are as follows:
Brown spots are a sign that there is watering stress at play. Spots can develop as a result of excessive watering or inadequate drainage, which can also result in fungi such root rot.
Yellowing Leaves: This symptom is caused by a few different things. Yellowing leaves are typically caused by inadequate light, a lack of nutrients, excessive fertilization, and an imbalance of water. Check out our more detailed guidance on how to recognize and treat yellowing leaves if you’re not sure why your plant’s leaves are yellow and you’re not sure why.
Leaf Drop: This symptom can be caused by a variety of factors, but for Fiddle Leaf Figs, temperature and light fluctuations as well as irregular watering schedules are the main causes. Visit our page on how to prevent leaf drop to find out more about leaf drop problems with other houseplants.
Why are the leaves on my fiddle leaf fig spotted?
Edema is the most frequent cause of little red dots on fresh fiddle leaf fig plant leaves.
Edema, also known as oedema, is frequently a sign of moisture stress, which is brought on by inappropriate irrigation. According to the Missouri Botanical Garden, a recognized nonprofit known for horticulture education, the ficus is particularly prone to edema.
Pressure rises till the leaf cells break when a plant’s roots absorb more water than the leaves can use or transpire. Dead cells then manifest as blisters or deep, 1- to 3-mm bruises.
Do not be alarmed; moderate incidences of edema are very common and even expected, particularly during periods of growth when you want to make sure your plants have enough water to support the growth of new leaves.
Fiddle leaf fig trees love to dry out between waterings, as you may have heard before. While occasionally true, a more accurate and healthy technique is to pay close attention to the health of the tree’s roots, boost watering when the tree is sprouting new growth, and take your signals from the plant’s growth cycles. This will allow you to tolerate minor edema without worrying about root damage.
Your newly speckled leaves may eventually grow out to seem fully normal and healthy, depending on how severe the condition was initially. A few weeks later, the above-mentioned problematic leaf is now recovering.
In fact, the spots will entirely disappear with the proper watering routine (going forward). New growth will eventually seem smooth, clean, and bright green. That is the most typical result for careful caregivers. Undoubtedly a promising prediction!
Unfortunately, the subsequent growth that appears after this spotty version will look even worse if the watering issue is not resolved. Leaves will soon arrive and look dead.
Potential Cause 1: Root Rot
Brown stains on the roots from a fungus caused by too much moisture. Root rot is brought by by over watering and bad drainage, and it eventually affects your plant’s leaves.
How to Correct It
Removing the pot and looking at the roots is the only way to be confident that your plant has root rot. Root rot is at blame if the roots are mushy and discolored. Let your plant dry out for around two weeks if there are only a few brown patches on the leaves so that the roots have enough time to heal.
Make sure your plant gets enough light, and remove any damaged leaves. If there are several brown patches, you should remove any brown, mushy roots and the affected leaves before repotting the plant and being careful not to overwater it in the future.
Potential Cause 2: Bacterial Infection
In addition to the brown spots, your Fiddle Leaf Fig’s leaves will yellow as a result of bacterial leaf spot. In contrast to bacterial leaf spot, which causes the leaf to turn yellow as the brown spot spreads, root rot often causes the leaves to remain dark green with brown patches. Your Fiddle Leaf Fig’s leaves will eventually drop off due to both bacterial leaf spot and root rot. Since bacterial leaf spot tends to feed on new growth, it is likely to be to fault if your younger leaves are suffering more than your older leaves.
Unfortunately, this is the Fiddle Leaf Fig condition that is most difficult to treat. It can already be too late for your plant, even with the right care and watering. Cut off all of the leaves that have brown spots if the damage is not severe, then repot your plant in new, sterile soil. While it is healing, give it lots of light and don’t water as frequently.
Potential Cause 3: Insect Damage
Although uncommon, insect illnesses leave clear signs. Check your plant for webs or insects using a magnifying glass. Small patches that develop into holes on the leaves are a sure sign of insect damage.
Treatment for insect infestations is simple. Use neem oil products made specifically for indoor plants. Alternately, you might make your own cure by mixing a few teaspoons of mineral oil and baking soda in a spray bottle with water. Spray the entire affected area of the plant after thoroughly shaking the solution. Your other houseplants should not be near diseased plants. Neem oil has an overpowering odor, so move your plant outside if you can. Spray your fiddle leaf fig’s leaves with a strong mist. Don’t forget to spray the area where the leaf meets the stem after turning each leaf to cover the underside. If more spraying is required, wait two weeks, inspect once more, then repeat the process.
Potential Cause 4: Your Plant is Too Dry
Dry tan or brown regions that originate at the edge of the leaf and force the leaf to curl make dry plant brown spots simpler to identify. Your plant will occasionally appear dry or wilted overall, and the dirt may have retreated from the pot (shrinkage). This may result in the water never reaching the root ball and instead running between the pot and the soil.
Consider transferring your Fiddle Leaf Fig to a more moderate area if it is currently close to a heater or in an extremely dry environment. When the soil is 50 to 75 percent dry, water as needed, and keep an eye on your plant to make sure it’s getting enough hydration. Use a humidifier close to your plant or try misting it once to three days. Make sure the root ball of your plant is completely submerged in water by giving it a long sip. Make sure the pot’s bottom is dripping with water. Before placing the plant back on its saucer, let it to rest and drain any extra water.
My fig leaves have spots; why?
My three-year-old fig tree has black blotches on its leaves, especially near the top of the tree. Is there anything I can do to deal with this and protect the tree? Thanks. Nancy Pizzo.
SUMMARY: This is fig rust, a widespread fungal disease of figs. As we get into the fall, spotting is probably going to get worse. Late summer and fall rain will accelerate the sickness, whilst dry weather will sluggish development. Eventually, the speckled leaves will fall off. Fig trees frequently succumb to this disease’s early defoliation. However, there is no reason for excessive worry or action. The trees survive the illness well, and there are no long-term health problems despite the unsightly spotting and leaf loss.
The primary crop of figs will be taken by the time this illness truly takes off in the future, when your young tree is generating healthy fruits. The next spring, your tree will generally begin to produce a lot of healthy leaves.
Why are there brown patches on my fiddle leaf fig’s fresh growth?
Fiddle Leaf Figs are infamously difficult to grow. There are a few typical maladies of this plant, like brown spots and leaf drop, that can make it sick or, worse, fast bring about its demise. The secret to keeping your plant happy and healthy is to keep an eye out for them and catch them early. Keep an eye out for these indications of a possibly sick fiddle leaf fig.
Brown spots on the leaves
The leaves of fiddle leaf figs are incredibly prone to browning. Brown spots that start to form and spread should be investigated even though a few small markings here and there are not a cause for concern.
Due to two opposing factors—either overwatering or underwatering—most brown patches on fiddles are unfortunately difficult to diagnose. Here’s how to distinguish between them:
Overwatering, which results in root rot, is probably to blame for brown patches that appear in the center of the leaf and spread outward. A fungal illness called root rot will eventually kill your plant by spreading to the leaves. You should repot your plant as soon as possible if it has root rot. Take the plant out of the ground, wash the roots thoroughly, and cut off any that are brown or mushy. After that, repot the plant in new soil with adequate drainage and remove the damaged leaves.
Are the brown spots on your fiddle beginning at the outside border of the leaves and moving inside? The plant is probably too dry for this to be the cause. Give your Fiddle a thorough rinse, and make sure it’s not too close to any heaters or air vents because that will likely cause the plant to dry out more quickly than is desired.
Finally, trauma may cause brown spots to form at random. A plant can suffer trauma just by changing homes (i.e. changing environments). If only one or two of your plant’s brown, damaged leaves are present, remove them at the stem and give your plant some time to heal.
The new growth is smaller than the older leaves
A healthy plant always shows new development, and if your Fiddle’s leaves are getting big and strong, your plant is doing fine.
The presence of little, stunted new leaves, however, may indicate that your plant is deficient in nutrients. Consider repotting your plant if it has been a while since you gave it fresh soil, or just fertilize it in the spring and summer to give it the extra nutrients it requires.
Dropping leaves
Fiddle Leaf Figs can appear to drop their leaves out of nowhere. One leaf here and there is normal; but, if several leaves have fallen off in a short period of time, you must act quickly to rescue the tree. Once more, underwatering or overwatering are the most likely causes of leaf drop in fiddle leaf figs. How then can you distinguish between them? Look at the direction in which the leaves are falling from the plant: if the older leaves (at the bottom) are dropping first, overwatering is probably the cause. On the other hand, if the plant’s leaves are falling off all around, it’s probably not getting enough water. Here are a few more techniques for differentiating.
Leaves turning yellow
Do your fiddle leaf fig’s leaves appear to be yellow? There are several potential reasons:
inadequate lighting Fiddle Leaf Figs require as much direct, strong light as they can get. Even a little direct sunshine is acceptable, but stay away from locations with medium or low light. Remember that a Fiddle that receives insufficient light is more likely to overwater.
a lackluster diet. Due to a deficiency of nutrients in the soil, your Fiddle plant may have yellow leaves. You may want to attempt fertilizing it with liquid fertilizer.
Pests. If fiddles are being attacked by insects, their leaves may also turn yellow. If you have a suspicion that this is the case, thoroughly check the leaves’ top and bottom surfaces for any potential bugs.
Stunted or slowed growth
During the spring and summer, healthy fiddles typically produce new leaves every four to six weeks. It’s possible to see your plant add numerous new leaves in only a few days or weeks because growth usually occurs in spurts. It’s typical for there to be no new growth during the winter. Again, if you don’t observe the expected growth in this plant, it may require new nutrients in the form of a quality plant fertilizer.
Dirty or dusty leaves
When was the last time you washed your plant’s leaves? Plants breathe through their leaves in addition to absorbing sunlight through them. Your plant won’t be able to carry out either of these tasks as effectively as we’d like if a layer of dust is present on its huge leaves. A fantastic technique to keep your Fiddle Leaf Fig plant bright, healthy, and vibrant is to clean the leaves every few months. You may read about various cleaning techniques for your fiddle leaf fig here.
Fiddle Leaf Figs are known to be pickier than most plants, despite the fact that they can be quite low maintenance. Maintain a regular watering routine, fertilize in the spring and summer, and most importantly, ensure that your plant receives enough light year-round (yes, this may require moving it in the winter!). Keep a watch out for any of these symptoms since treating them quickly is essential to keeping your plant healthy and looking nice.
This article was modified from Claire Akin’s Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant Resource. For additional information on how to take care of the fiddle leaf fig, see their website.
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.