Looking for a lush tropical houseplant to bring some soothing nature into your home ? Ficus lyrata , also known as the violin leaf common fig tree , may be the staring alternative for you . This indoor tree — with its easy recognisable , leathery lyrate leave — can grow monumental with the right precaution and give your dwelling a great hobo camp vibe ( without the mess of vines trail everywhere ) .
Keep read to discover out everything you need to know about Ficus lyrata and how to manage for this wildly popular houseplant .
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About Ficus lyrata
Description
It ’s easy to see where the fiddle foliage fig got its name . The leaf on this tree species are indeed lyrate ( mean lyre - mold , which also explain the scientific denomination ) . A fiddle ’s leaf can develop very enceinte , with leaves reach up to 15 inch in duration on adult plants . conflate that with the species ’ elegant , thin automobile trunk and it ’s no wonder houseplant lovers worldwide have long swooned over this flora !
In the wild , fiddle leaf FIG can get to a whopping 50 feet in height . fortunately , they stay much humble indoors .
Natural habitat
The fiddle leaf fig is by nature found in western Africa , where it grows in tropic rainforest . It ’s also an introduce species in a few other places , such as the Canary Islands .
Ficus lyrata varieties
Unlike some vernacular houseplants , of which hundreds of different selectively bred varieties subsist ( AglaonemaorPhilodendron , anyone ? ) , there are n’t very many fiddle leaf Libyan Islamic Group cultivar to choose from .
As far as I ’m mindful , there are two :
I ’ve also get word references to a Ficus lyrata ‘ Compacta ’ , but I ’m think this might just be another name for ‘ Bambino ’ . There ’s no patent of invention to be detect , and the character reference to density make it sound like a ‘ toddler ’ as well .
Where to purchase
Fiddle leaf figs
Caring for Ficus lyrata
Light and temperature
The fiddle leaf fig may be fantastically popular , but it ’s also infamous for being a species that many houseplant enthusiasts struggle with . A lot of this has to do with lighting : your Ficus really wo n’t permit being aim in a shady corner .
Many sources recommend indirect light for a violin leaf fig . But … I do n’t harmonise .
Think about it : In their natural habitat , these Guy would be blasted with sunshine ! It ’s better to place your fiddle in front of a sunny windowpane , preferably a Dixieland - facing one ( although you should acclimatize it slowly if it was in a more shaded spot before ) .
A plant life that ’s receiving enough visible light will be much more forgiving in terms of watering and any beginner care mistake . If you ca n’t offer a lustrous windowpane , you’re able to also debate a grow visible light .
As for temperatures , this is a tropic . In warm climates it ’s commonly grown as an ornamental in parking area and garden , but unless it stays toasty year - round where you live , your fiddle leaf fig is serious off as a houseplant — at least during winter . It prefers elbow room temp or above .
If you ’ve got outdoor space usable , you’re able to place your tree outdoors during summertime . It ’ll make love soak up the extra sun ( though again , careful acclimation is fundamental to prevent the leaves from burning ) . Take the plant back in once nighttime temperatures begin falling to 50 ° F or your Ficus might part drop its leaves .
Did you know?
If you ’re not an experient houseplant grower ( yet ) , the somewhat fussy fiddle foliage fig may not be the good choice for you . Why not try thesturdier Ficus ‘ Alii’instead ?
Water and humidity
Attention , please ! lachrymation is where thing tend to go to the south with this slightly finicky Ficus . The majority of violin leaf figs is bang to death — they like a good sip of piss , but if the territory stays stiff for too long , root rot can set in .
Do n’t blindly irrigate on a weekly agenda . The amount of water your violin needs depends on cistron like the season ( light , temperature ) and the soil case you ’re using . It ’s better to check the soil moisture tier first and decide whether to give the plant a drinkable based on that .
bewilder a finger’s breadth into the soil . If it feels around midway ironical ( and especially if the leave seem a routine limp ) , you’re able to go out front and water supply . Still moist ? Give it another day or two . If the soil feels wet , you should cut back on the watering to prevent trouble .
In practice , you ’ll normally finish up lachrymation once or twice a week during the ardent summertime months ( possibly more if your fiddle leafage fig is outdoors ) . In winter , when most of our houseplant are more or less dormant , a fiddle may only take tearing every one - and - a - half to two weeks .
Quick Tip
If you ’ve just brought your fiddle leaf fig home , it may drop some of its leaves . Ficus plants really do n’t like to be moved . Do n’t lead off watering a bunch in an endeavor to compensate , as that ’ll only make thing worse !
Soil and planting
At least there ’s one thing violin leaf common fig are n’t too particular about : dirt . The principal thing is to practice an airy soil mixture that allows excess water to drain chop-chop , as our houseplants , include this one , do n’t care wet feet .
Mixing grime for your violin leafage fig can be as promiscuous as combining normal houseplant pot territory with a smattering or two ( about 10 percent of the mix ) of perlite .
If you ’ve got some organic stuff on hand , be certain to supply some of that as well . Compost or dirt ball cast are large . you may also use peat or coco coir , especially if you tend to underwater ( both of these cloth are water - retaining ) .
The eccentric of planter does n’t matter much either , although it should definitely always have a drainage maw in the bottom to help prevent stomach water . For large fiddle folio Al-Jama’a al-Islamiyyah al-Muqatilah bi-Libya , it ’s honorable to use a sturdy and broad mass so your flora does n’t tumble over if you unintentionally bump into it .
Depending on how well it ’s growing , you’re able to repot your Ficus every one to two old age . You ’ll know it ’s time for a repot next spring if the soil is commence to dry out out more and more quickly , or if the plant ’s root are starting to peep out of the drainage hole . Go up one pot size and do n’t forget to give your fiddle some overnice novel dirt .
Recommended products for fiddle folio fig care :
Fertilizing
Although fiddle leaf figs are n’t the quick growers , they do appreciate some excess fertilizer during the spring and summertime growing months . A regular balanced houseplant fertilizer should bring exquisitely , as would an all - purpose indoor plant food with anNPK ( Nitrogen , Phosphorus , Potassium ) ratioof 3 - 1 - 2 .
commend fertilizers for violin leafage Libyan Islamic Fighting Group care :
Pruning
There ’s usually no need to prune a violin leaf Al-Jama’a al-Islamiyyah al-Muqatilah bi-Libya . If yours has been through some worry and one or more of the branches is stark , you may remove it , but it ’s also fine to just leave it on . It may storm you and resprout !
Any dead leaves can be removed when they ’ve go fully brown and crispy . If you want to naturalise an unruly works , check out the plane section on extension ( below ) to obtain out how to receive more violin folio figs while doing so .
Dividing or repotting
Fiddle leaf figs are not known for producing offshoots , so there ’s not much you’re able to do in the way of variance . If yours has outgrown its plantation owner , just go forward and repot it .
Propagating Ficus lyrata
Because Ficus lyrata is a type of tree diagram with a woody stem , it can be a little more challenging to propagate than other houseplant . But do n’t worry — it can be done . By “ behead ” your plant and set the leave cutting in piddle or fresh soil , you’re able to cultivate a brand new one ! You just call for a healthy battery-acid of patience .
Here ’s how it work :
If you ’re propagating in piss , you ’ll see the first roots pop up within a few weeks to a few months ( it can be a wad slower in winter ) . you could move your brand young fiddle folio fig to territory once these roots have reached around 2 inches in distance .
If the cutting is in filth , you could start giving it a weekly wanton tug after around a month . If you feel any resistivity , that means it ’s root ! Once the first new leaves appear , you may call your multiplication try a winner .
For those concerned , you may also propagate a fiddle leaf fig using the air layering method . This takes longer , but it does improve the chances of the cutting pickings . The concept is to create a lesion on the stem turn and then covering it in moist sphagnum moss . Your Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree will think it should start producing roots in the damage spot .
When the root have reached a salutary length , you thin out the theme right below them . Voilà , a pre - rooted press cutting ! All you have to do is plant it .
If you site a fiddle leaf Al-Jama’a al-Islamiyyah al-Muqatilah bi-Libya leaf in piss , it will often finally grow root word . The leaf will stay intact indefinitely , although it will never produce a new plant life . Still , it front nice in a vase , and it sure lasts longer than cut heyday do !
Is a fiddle leaf fig toxic to cats and dogs?
Although taking a bite out of your fiddle foliage fig wo n’t be the end of your furred friend , this Ficus is indeed considered toxic . The latex paint - like sap can rile the skin and mucous secretion membranes due to a chemical compound it contains called ficin . This substance causes swelling and efflorescence , and can also provoke vomiting or diarrhea .
If you intend your pet has lead a bite of your violin leaf , put up plentifulness of water and detect the animate being closely for the next 24 hours . If you ’re unsure , meet your veterinarian for advice on whether you should come in or not .
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