Houseplants for Beginners: The Fiddle Leaf Fig

If you have ever watched Fixer Upper or flipped through any decor magazine, you are probably familiar with the Fiddle Leaf Fig. This beautiful plant is not actually a fig tree, but rather a member of the ficus family. It gets it’s name from it’s violin shaped leaves. Constantly seeing this plant was actually what sparked my interest in plants. I finally decided to get one in February of 2019, and I named her Fiona (just like Shrek’s wife).

There are a few very important things to consider when deciding to get a fiddle leaf fig.

1. They are super temperamental! If you move a lot, this is not a good plant for you. You need to find a location for your fiddle leaf fig, and keep it there!
2. They like bright indirect light, so putting them near a window is perfect! However, make sure they don’t get too much sun or the leaves can burn. Mine is in front of a south facing window, and seems to do pretty well.
3. Repot only when you have to! I’ve only had to repot Fiona once so far, and that was only because her roots were growing up because she was so squished. Aim to repot in the spring or summer, so there is plenty of time for the plant to re-acclimate to the change before winter. Also, don’t be alarmed if your fiddle leaf fig starts dropping leaves after being repotted, it’s normal and will hopefully only happen to the lower leaves. Also, when I repot I also fertilize using this fertilizer!
4. Prune the leaves towards the bottom of the plant if you want it to be more “tree like” rather than a “bush.” The leaves at the bottom would likely fall off on their own eventually, but pruning them will help speed up the process of the tough trunk forming in it’s place.
5. The first two new leaves Fiona grew when I got her were covered in brown spots. I did a ton of research and it turns out this is caused by inconsistent watering. These leaves are not as healthy as the rest of the leaves and I will likely loose them soon, but I fixed the issues have grown two super healthy leaves also.
6. Watering is important! There is a science to watering these plants. I’ve found that every 10 days in the warmer months and every 14 days in the cooler months is the way to go! Each plant and enviornment is different, but feel the soil and if it’s dry two inches deep, its time to water. Once you figure out how often your plant needs water, stick to it!
7. This isn’t really proven, but if you can avoid buying your fiddle leaf fig at a chain type store like Lowe’s or Home Depot, I would. Mine is from Home Depot and I regret getting it there. The leaves were in bad shape and the plant had gnats in it. I didn’t know what I was doing back then, but if I could go back, I’d spend an extra $10 and go to a nursery instead of Home Depot. If you’re in the Raleigh/Durham area, I highly recommend For Garden’s Sake! They have tons of Fiddle Leaf Figs in all different sizes to meet any need.

Those are my tips for caring for a fiddle leaf fig! Fiona has been so fun to have because watching her grow is super rewarding. Don’t let this higher maintenance plant scare you!

Here are a few photos I took when I was being a proud plant parent and Fiona was growing new leaves.

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