How to Care for a Fiddle Leaf Fig
Ficus lyrata Moraceae
The Fiddle Leaf Fig has large, heavily veined and glossy violin-shaped leaves that grow upright on a sleek trunk, often branching out on the side.
Natural Habitat
The Fiddle Leaf Fig is native to the tropical parts of Africa therefore these plants prefer warm and wet conditions.
Soil Requirements
The Fiddle Leaf Fig prefers well draining soil. I have repotted my plant in a mixture of perlite, potting soil and orchid bark. After repotting the plant did drop three bottom leaves but has shown no other signs of stress. It produces four new leaves.
Lighting
The Fiddle Leaf Fig grows well in bright light therefore they grow best in front of east or north facing windows. My Fiddle Leaf Fig gets some morning direct sunlight and then some in the late afternoon as well. I have had it in different places with the same light conditions and my Fiddle Leaf Fig has never shown any problems. If these plants are grown in low light conditions then they will grow slow or start dropping leaves.
Water
The Fiddle Leaf Fig prefers moist soil but not drenched and it is good to let the soil dry out a bit more every now and then. I generally water my Fiddle Leaf once a week and in the winter i might skip a watering or two. I look at how much some leaves droop before I water it.
General Care
There are a few things that you can do that will ensure that your Fiddle Leaf Fig thrives in your home.
- Rotate the plant every time you water it in one direction. This will allow the plant to get an even amount of sunlight on its leaves which will cause even and straight growth.
- Wipe of the leaves with a wet cloth. This can be done once a month however I sometimes forget so once every two months is also fine.
Common Problems and Solutions
Yellowing leaves: This is caused by poor drainage or overwatering. To remedy this it is best to let the top layer of the soil dry out. You can also check that the pot has drainage holes.
Brown leaf tips: This can be caused by three reasons such as underwatering, over fertilizing and low humidity. Increase the watering and only fertilize once every two weeks during the growing season.
Pest infestations: Tree philodendrons can be susceptible to pests like spider mites, mealybugs, and scale insects. To fix this, you can try wiping the leaves with a damp cloth or using an insecticidal soap or neem oil to treat the plant. I have successfully treated spider mites on this plant by spraying a mixture of dish washing liquid and water on the bottom and wiping it off with a cloth. I repeated this every week for a month to get rid of the infestation.