How to Grow a Thriving Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree

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Once upon a time, my youngest gave me a Fiddle Leaf Fig plant for Mother’s Day. It had maybe seven leaves, all small, and it came in a square pot with blue hieroglyphics on the side. Stuck in the dirt was a wooden stick on which he’d written, “Happy Mother’s Day”.

Fiddle Leaf Fig plants had just come upon the plant scene – or it was the first we’d seen them. We’d been at the plant store together and we both swooned over the tall, full fiddle leaf fig tree. But we really swooned when we saw the price tag . . . a cool $550.

Where had these amazing trees come from

I looked up these stunning plants when we got home and learned their scientific name is Ficus lyrata, and they’re native to the West African rainforests, and found in countries like Nigeria and Sierra Leone.

Fiddle Leaf Fig plants belong to the Moraceae family and have relatives in the Rubber Plant and the Weeping Fig. My research confirmed those towering plants at the plant store did indeed have leaves reaching 12-15 inches long.

This is a beautifully robust-looking Fiddle Leaf Fig tree!

A Mother’s Day wish come true

My little Fiddle Leaf Fig plant was a tiny version of these full-on trees. Still, it thrilled me. I had visions of mine growing by leaps and bounds and needing a corner all its own, just to have space to spread its leaves. It was the perfect Mother’s Day gift, one that showed he’d really thought about what I’d like. Perhaps even more so, it would forever remind me of our discovery of these grand plants and the day we’d spent together.

How to grow a Fiddle Leaf Fig

As with most plants, Fiddle Leaf Figs (FLFs) do best when you can replicate their natural habitat. Here’s a breakdown of the ideal growing conditions for a thriving FLF:

Light

FLFs like bright, indirect light. Their native environment provides them with filtered sunlight, coming to them through a canopy. When indoors, they do best near a bright window with indirect sunlight. Avoiding direct sunlight helps ensure the leaves don’t get scorched.

Temperature

FLFs are tropicals and like warm temperatures between 60-75°F. Given this, you need to keep them away from cold drafts, air conditioners, heaters, or drafty windows.

Humidity

Again, as a tropical plant, FLFs thrive in higher humidity levels. If the air in your home is dry, especially in winter, you may need to increase humidity by placing the plant near a humidifier or grouping it with other plants to create a more humid microclimate. Also, misting the leaves, periodically, boosts humidity. Don’t overdo it though, as excess moisture can lead to fungal issues.

I absolutely love this mister. It’s both really functional and it’s pretty, to boot!

Soil

FLFs need well-draining soil that allows water to pass through easily. A good potting mix that contains perlite, bark, or coconut coir is ideal. Soil that holds moisture too long can cause the roots to rot, so it’s important to avoid overly heavy, moisture-retentive soils.

Watering

FLFs are very sensitive to both overwatering and underwatering. The soil should be consistently. moist but not soggy. Water the soil when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch. Be sure to water deeply, allowing excess water to drain out of the bottom of the pot, ensuring the roots don’t sit in standing water. During the FLF’s growing season – spring and summer – you may need to water more frequently. In fall and winter, when the plant’s growth slows, you can probably reduce the watering.

Armed with the knowledge to succeed

I’d done my reading and I was set to watch ‘the fig,’ as we’d taken to calling it, explode with growth. I even went so far as to envision my son leaving for college in a year or two and returning home over break to see a six foot tree looming above us in the living room.

I tended and watered the fig, and carefully dusted its small leaves. And slowly, one-by-one, every week or so, I’d find one of its seven leaves, fallen onto the table beside its pot.

I’m pretty decently skilled with house plants. Nothing prize winning, but I’m certainly capable. I could not understand what was going on. I’d done the research, moved it to a different window each time I’d find a fallen leaf, and switched up its watering schedule.

I’d even bought dedicated plant food in the hopes of resuscitating it.

By the time I found the third (of its seven leaves), fallen, I’d taken to verbally imploring it not to leave us.

Back to Google for answers

What I found was that although many sources claimed the Fiddle Leaf Fig was a ‘low-maintenance’ houseplant, this was a lie. At least in the case of my fig.

Troubleshooting Fiddle Leaf Fig issues

Although apparently “low-maintenance” (lies), FLFs can be prone to several common issues:

Brown spots on leaves

When the FLF is exposed to inconsistent watering, such as drying out too much between waterings, or from water droplets left on the leaves when exposed to sunlight, brown spots can occur. Consistent watering is really important and also avoiding splashing water onto the leaves. If the spots are persistent, consider removing the affected leaves to prevent the spread.

Yellowing leaves

Yellow leaves can be a sign of overwatering, poor drainage, or a lack of nutrients. First off, make sure the fig isn’t sitting in water and that the soil drains well. If the yellowing persists, it could be time to repot or possibly switch up its light and nutrients.

Pests

Although they’re not really prone to pests, FLFs can occasionally attract mealybugs, spider mites, or scale insects. If so, you’ll notice small spots or sticky residue on the leaves. You can treat this by wiping the leaves with a mixture of water and dish soap or using an insecticidal soap.

Leaves dropping

Apparently, dropped leaves is one of the most common issues plaguing FLFs. This can happen for a number of reasons:

• Watering Issues – Either overwatering or under-watering can cause leaves to drop. The advice is to be sure you’re watering the FLF correctly, and allowing the soil to dry out between waterings
  
• Environmental Stress – FLFs are sensitive to temperature changes or drafts. Again, be sure it’s not placed near a heater, air conditioner, or cold draft
  
• Low Light – Insufficient light can cause the leaves to yellow and drop. Try moving it to a brighter location
  

Hiding ‘the fig’

I was out of answers for my fig. Its remaining leaf clung tightly to the stem and I continued my rotation of lighting, draft-free living, and pest inspection. I was stumped but determined.

About this time, our youngest having started college and the other two launched, my husband and I started to consider downsizing. Suburbia felt different without kids and we’d always wanted to be near the City Lakes of Minneapolis, so we made the move.

Moving with ‘the fig’ in tow

I carefully wrapped all my house plants before the move, and vowed to move them myself to save any catastrophes. With its one leaf continuing to hold on, I refused to even wrap it but instead held it in my lap as we drove to our new home. And I carried it up to its new perch, setting it on a deep window ledge in front of a sunny window. One without a draft.

I watered it and continued to care for it, but I honestly kind of forgot about it for a while with everything else going on post-move. Then, lo and behind, one day as I went to water it I spotted what I could swear was a bud beneath its one remaining leaf. Afraid to believe it, I carried on, trying not to get over confident. I would wait to look at it again until its next watering.

The little ‘fig’ that could

Lo and behold, that one tiny bud turned into a leaf. And slowly, but surely, that second leaf turned into three, four . . .

That little, one-leafed fig grew and grew until I quit counting its leaves there were so many. And then once it had a respectable number of leaves, it started to shoot upwards. This didn’t happen overnight, but it seemed to love our new location, its new home, or maybe it’d just been tired and needed to lie dormant for a while, sequestering its strength until it had enough. Or, maybe it had been trying and trying, all along, until one day a new leaf sprang forth.

My kids’ favorite book when they were little was The Little Engine That Could. Somehow, this always pleased me as I liked its message of don’t give up, keep trying, and you’ll be amazed at what you can do. The fig had been listening.

A new problem

The fig’s astonishing rebirth continued. We made yet another move and settled into our new condo. I repotted it to a slightly larger pot once once we settled in to our new place, hoping the change of location and pot size wouldn’t be too much change, all at once.

If possible, I think ‘the fig’ loved its newest location the very best of all because it seemed to grow about a foot in our first year at the new place. I’d actually quit worrying about it, pretty sure I had this FLF-thing down.

Then, suddenly it looked a bit peaked. No change of draft, no pests, no fertilizer change, great light.

Our youngest was due home for a visit so I told ‘the fig’ to hold on.

“The fig is root bound,” my son said, as soon as he saw it. And it was true, when we tipped the pot we could see roots coming through the bottom. And it had started to look a bit top-heavy, too.

Repotting the fig

Again, the research told me FLFs can grow quite quickly, when in the right conditions. Some need to be repotted every one to two years.

When to repot

Some of the obvious signs it’s time to repot your Fiddle Leaf Fig can include root growth coming out the drainage holes, the plant becoming top-heavy, or the soil becoming compacted, or drying out more quickly than before. Also, if you notice the plant’s growth slowing down, it may be time to consider repotting. This can be every 12-18 months but it’s dependent on the plant’s growth rate and the size of the pot.

How to repot

To successfully repot, choose a pot that’s 1-2″ larger in diameter than the current pot. (Using a pot that’s far larger can shock the plant.) Again, make sure there’s drainage. Gently remove the plant from its current pot, loosen the roots of they are circling around the root ball, and place it in the new pot with fresh, well-draining soil. Water thoroughly after repotting and allow the excess water to drain away.

When my son and I repotted the last time, he said we should leave it outside the pot overnight, so the roots could dry out a bit. Root rot is a killer of many potted plants and these looked a bit damp. Sure enough, in the morning, the roots looked healthier somehow and we proceeded with the repotting. To great success, I might say!

All living things can be a challenge

I’ve decided all living things, whether they’re Fiddle Leaf Figs or children, require continuously updated advice, lack-of-advice, compassion, individualized attention, and occasional ‘repotting’ (in the case of children, incremental adjustment of all-of-the-above), to thrive.

Every dropped leaf doesn’t require a full-on investigation, but the pattern is probably signaling your living thing may need a readjustment, a venue change, or maybe just a bit more parental TLC to regain his footing.

And if you sense your living thing is down to its last leaf, stay-tuned. The first rule of houseplants and kids is just when you think you know what to do, how to help, you realize sometimes you don’t, and you can’t.

But being there to remind them of the sunny side of the room, or the need to rest more and hydrate, or even to ‘repot’ themselves to a new situation or location, can help them keep chugging forward, just like little engines that could. And before long, you’ll quite possibly be surprised to see they’ve sprouted a new leaf.

Last update on 2025-08-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API