HouseplantsDiscover the right indoor plants for your home.
Photo by : Shelsea Forward / Shutterstock
With Brobdingnagian , wavy green leaf that spring up to more than a metrical foot long , fiddle - leafage figs instantly give any elbow room a jungle - like vibe . Lush and sculptural , this tropic works is really a Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree able of originate up to 50 feet tall in its hobo camp home . Indoors , it grows very slowly and can be keep for many years before it set out to refer the roof .
But even if you have the distance to grow it , a fiddle - leaf figure Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree can be a challenging flora to live with foresightful - term . With a well - earn reputation for being finicky , this insensate - sore rainforest aboriginal take just the correct conditions in ordering to thrive indoors . It may not be the good houseplant for apartment dwellers or the horticulturally challenged , but those unforced to give it the extra attention it deserves will be well - pay back .
On this page : Basics|Growing Tips|Care and Maintenance|Troubleshooting
On this page :
BASICS
Botanical name:
Ficus lyrata
Origin:
Western Africa
Height:
Can grow up to 10 infantry tall indoors , or up to 50 foundation tall if planted outdoors in a tropical climate .
Hardiness zones:
9 - 11
Varieties:
ln addition to the species , several interesting cultivars are uncommitted , although they can be hard to find .
Longevity:
10 years or longer , or until the plant life outgrows its space
Special attributes:
The large leaf are bang-up indoor breeze purifier and filter out harmful VOCs .
Toxicity:
Leaves are toxic if run through . Keep out of reaching of children and ducky . Also void exposure to the sticky sap secreted from a impertinently cut leaf or stem , which may cause skin irritation .
GROWING TIPS
Location:
Choose a room that ’s big and bright , like a great room , Lord’s Day elbow room , large foyer , or atrium . This indoor tree diagram needs plenty of elbow and ceiling room to reconcile its eventual size and to show off the prominent leave .
Light:
Locate near an east or south - face window with shining collateral or brightly filter light . Avoid direct sunshine , which can fire the leaves .
Temperature:
violin leafage is very sensitive to temperature fluctuation , so place it in a fond way ( 60 ° to 85 ° F ) aside from drafts and heating and melodic line conditioning release . Do not corrupt your works in the wintertime ( or anytime the outdoor temperature dips below 50 ° F ) , so it wo n’t be expose to the cold when bringing it home .
Humidity:
The best gift you may give your violin - leaf is a humidifier because it prefers jungle - like , above - norm moisture spirit level . If the air in your home is dry , mist the leaves occasionally or place a little humidifier nearby .
Soil:
Use a good all - purpose potting commixture that drains well .
Watering:
From spring to fall , water system when the top inch of the soil experience dry ; water more meagerly during wintertime .
Fertilizing:
Fertilize during the active mature season ( natural spring through tumble ) with a high - atomic number 7 foliage flora food that admit micronutrients . you could even findfertilizers especially formulated for violin - leaf Libyan Islamic Group treesand other genus Ficus . Do n’t feast during the winter months .
FIDDLE-LEAF FIG CARE
Photo by : Ros Fraser / Shutterstock
Leaf care:
Clean the leaves every one to two week with a damp material to rid them of detritus and keep them squeamish and glossy . Removing dust will also permit more sunlight get to the leaf and aid in photosynthesis . Also dress off any brown or discredited leaves ; they ca n’t be revived , and your plant will look better and stay healthier without them .
Repotting:
When your fiddle - leaf is young , repot it every springtime into a smoke about 2 in in diam larger than the current one . Use a heavy container to avail prevent toppling , or nest a fictile container with drainage holes inside a sturdier one made of clay or ceramic . You may also need to add a bamboo cane or moss - covered pole for reenforcement . As the industrial plant matures and becomes too unwieldly for repotting , top dress it instead by scoop out the top 2 to 3 inches of grease and replacing it with sassy potting mixing .
Pruning and shaping:
Fiddle - leafage takes well to pruning , allow you to moderate its meridian and shape .
TROUBLESHOOTING
Leaves drop:
A sudden red ink of leaves is usually a polarity of a stressed - out plant . “ Fiddle - leaf fig does n’t like being move around , so once you have find the right spot for it , leave it there , " says Veronica Peerless , author ofHow Not to Kill Your Houseplant . Other causes of stress could be vulnerability to dry air or drafts and over or under watering . Peerless recommend giving your plant about six weeks of recuperation sentence after a stressful move .
Yellowing leaves:
This is usually a sign of overwatering or not enough sunlight . When watering , aim to get the potting mix moist but not inert .
Leaf tips turn brown:
Probably due to broken humidness or under lacrimation . Peerless suggests misting the leaves regularly , especially in centrally heated suite , and take care to piss at regular intervals , ensure the entire root ballock becomes well moistened .
Dark patches or spots on leaves:
Dark patch could be sunburn from exposure to direct sunshine , and modest morose spots could be a polarity of leaf pip disease , says Peerless . due to bacteria or fungus , leaf spot is more potential to occur in moist conditions or if water has been depart on the leaves . The full remedy is to take away any affected leaves and treat with a fungicide .
Plant is leaning to one side:
Most likely , your fiddle - leaf is merely trying to get closer to the lightheaded source . work it regularly or connect the body to a support .
Pest control:
violin - leaf figs are susceptible to number of plant pests , especiallyspider mitesandscaleinsects . Inspect the leaves often , and if your plant becomes infested , gently moisten the farewell with a damp cloth and treat with anorganic pesticide . ( See more onhow to get rid of pestilence on houseplants )
