Caring for Your Fiddle Leaf Fig Will Be Easy With This Guide

The fiddle leaf fig has been the “it girl” of the plant world for at least five years now, and thanks to the increased availability of these tropical plants in the U.S., it shows no signs of slowing down. Despite the momentary dethroning by the olive tree, the fiddle leaf fig reigns supreme when it comes to adding a lush, verdant touch to any room in your house. If you’ve recently brought home a fiddle leaf fig of your own (or are contemplating a purchase), use the below as a field guide for this ubiquitous house plant. 

Characteristics 

The fiddle leaf fig is part of the ficus genus, which encompasses a wide variety of fig plants like the rubber tree, weeping fig, ficus Audrey, and more. The fiddle leaf, though, doesn’t produce fruit, and is easily recognizable thanks to the glossy, bright green leaves that resemble—you guessed it—a fiddle. The leaves are long and broad, with a leathery texture and prominent veining. They can reach heights of up to a whopping 49 feet, but expect an indoor tree to grow a maximum of 10 feet.

Though it has origins in the tropical rainforests of Western Africa (in countries like Cameroon and Sierra Leone), they’ve become a wildly popular houseplant thanks to their show-stopping presence, but they’re not without quirks. A quick search for the plant on TikTok yields thousands of videos on the notoriously finicky plant, ranging from exasperated plant parents mourning dropped leaves to owners of large, flourishing plants sharing their best care tips.

Care Tips

Light

According to Bloomscape, the fiddle leaf fig does best with bright, indirect light. This means that it shouldn’t be sitting directly in the sun at any point of the day, so you can either place it near a window with direct light, or next to a window (ideally eastern) with sheer curtains to diffuse the light. They won’t tolerate low light, though, so be sure to find a bright spot in your home or the leaves will yellow and eventually drop. 

Temperature and Humidity

The temperature surrounding your fiddle leaf fig should be between 60 and 80°F, and the humidity should be somewhere in the middle (not too arid or muggy), but your plant certainly wouldn’t mind an extra boost either with a humidifier near it or with a spritz from time to time. (It's technically a tropical plant, after all!)

Water

As for watering, wait until 50 to 75 percent of the soil is dry to water. Allow it to fully penetrate the soil and run out of the drainage hole—this will promote a healthy root system. 

Soil

Fiddle leaf figs enjoy a slightly acidic soil that’s high in organic matter. This means the soil should ideally contain an equal ratio of compost, peat moss, perlite, and sand to help retain moisture and nutrients. Fertilize your fiddle leaf fig once during the spring and monthly throughout the summer. Be careful not to over-fertilize, though, as this could cause your plant to grow leggy, meaning there's too much stem, causing it to bend and weaken. This is potentially fatal for your plant.  

Where to Purchase 

Thanks to their boom in popularity, fiddle leaf figs are pretty widely available now, and while they were once a plant with staggering price points, they can be found quite affordably at hardware stores like Home Depot, local plant nurseries, and even at Trader Joe’s or IKEA from time to time in their house plant section.