Fiddle Leaf Fig Care: How to Grow and Maintain Ficus lyrata Indoors

Fiddle leaf figs don’t have to be challenging to care for. Follow these care tips for the best results.

• Light intensity is critical when trying to keep your fiddle leaf fig happy. They prefer bright, indirect light or a bit of gentle morning sun. They typically don’t like being directly in the window but prefer a location a few feet back. Too little light will result in slow growth.
• Issues with proper watering—whether over or under—are common and most likely to cause the dreaded leaf drop temper tantrum. Don’t worry. Your fiddle leaf fig won’t dump all its leaves at once. You’ll get a few chances to fix the error of your ways. While they like moist soil, like many plants, they detest being in soggy conditions. Check before watering by inserting your finger into the potting mix. Water when the top 2 inches of soil feels dry. Resist the urge to water on a schedule without checking the moisture first. When it is time to water, give it a thorough drink.
• Drainage is important. Besides well-draining soil and a pot with holes in the bottom, check the drain pan or saucer under the plant. It’s easy to water your plant and forget that the excess water has accumulated in the tray. If that happens, the plant is still sitting in water. Empty it out after you’re done watering.
• Humidity and fiddle leaf figs go hand in hand. They are found in a warm, humid climate in the wild. Group other humidity-loving plants together to take advantage of the humidity boost caused by transpiration. Pebble trays, or a small room humidifier are other ways to raise the relative humidity in the room for your plants. Visit this page from the University of Nebraska Extension for more information on how to raise humidity for your houseplants.

Propagating

Fiddle leaf figs can be propagated with stem cuttings you remove when pruning. Rooting cuttings in water is the most common method, although they can also be rooted in potting medium.

• Cuttings of fiddle leaf fig will be large, so you’ll need pruning shears. Pick an actively growing branch or stem. If it has new green growth, follow the stem until it changes from green to brown and woody. Make the cut just below a node.
• You may need to remove some leaves from your cutting. Grab the leaf at the base and pop it off with a twist.
• You’ll need a tall container with a heavy bottom to hold the cutting upright. Fill it with clean, room-temperature water and add the cutting. The node should be underwater, but not the leaves.
• Place the container in a warm spot with bright indirect light.
• Change the water weekly; change it more often if you notice it is cloudy. 
  In 6 to 8 weeks, white roots will appear. When the roots are an inch long, transplant the new fiddle leaf fig. Keep the mix moist while the plant is becoming established.