Fiddle Leaf Fig Care: How to Fix Brown Spots, How Often to Water (Indoor vs Outdoor)

The Fiddle Leaf Fig isn’t a plant it and forget it type of gardening species, which is why using optimal Fiddle Leaf Fig care and maintenance is essential for your plant to flourish.

In fact, knowing how to water these plants, (both indoors and out) is crucial to their survival.

You may see Fiddle Leaf Fig Plants often and not realize it. They are favorite in professional and business offices for the lush greenery they provide, and are oftenused by interior designers to tie together the aesthetics, colors, and furniture placement in a room thanks to their wide-width violin-shaped, glossy, and attention-grabbing leaves.

If you’ve recently purchased or inherited a Fiddle leaf fig, there are some specific tips you’ll need to know to keep it healthy and thriving.

This complete guide outlines Fiddle Leaf Fig care tips and other facts to know about planting Ficus lyrata both inside and outdoors.

Fiddle Leaf Fig Care Basics: What Is a Fiddle Leaf Fig A.K.A. Ficus lyrata?

The Fiddle Leaf Fig is a species of plant and tree that is native to the tropical rainforests of Western and Central Africa.³⁴ Its scientific name is Ficus lyrata.

It is known to flourish naturally in countries like Sierra Leone and Cameroon.

The Fiddle Leaf Fig species is a flowering plant that is a part of the Moraceae family of figs and the Mulberry family. It is named after the “fiddle,” because of its broad leaves which resemble the shape of a violin.

Its leaves are typically 18 inches long and up to a foot wide.

The outdoor and tree species sprout figs as fruit under the right conditions, especially if nearby fig wasps pollinate it. The figs that may grow from a Fiddle Leaf Fig is not the same as the traditional fig plant.¹

Figs borne of the Fiddle Leaf Fig feature leathery skin that is very difficult to peel and has a neutral or unappetizing taste.

Why does the Fiddle Leaf Fig require such attention? In its natural tropical and African environment, the Fiddle Leaf Fig is always living in near-constant survival mode.

It is also part of a scientific classification of trees called a Ficus subgenus Urostigima,²⁶ or a Banyan Tree.

A Banyan Fig Tree is a type of plant that sometimes vies for limited real estate in tropical and lowland rainforests.⁴ Fiddle Leaf Fig Plants grow naturally on the tops of trees in Western and Central Africa.

This plant thrives in a moist, humid, and hot environment. It gains nourishment from the sun and regular tropical rainstorm downpours.

So, its seeds invade and germinate on the crowns of other trees to perpetuate themselves. The Fiddle Leaf Fig has been propagating its plant species like this for millions of years.

Its seeds blow from the tops of trees, and nourished by the humidity, heat, and tropical rain storms, grow in the soil near the roots and taproots of its host trees. It then slowly strangles its host roots as they grow.

The Fiddle Leaf Fig is a trendy plant for urban and suburban dwellers who love the attention-grabbing appearance and how it creates a stark aesthetic addition to the interior decor as if it is a piece of irreplaceable furniture.⁵

When concerning Fiddle Leaf Fig care, knowing how to troubleshoot brown spots on leaves and the best under-watering and over-watering techniques it crucial. Then, you can refer to the accompanying FAQ for extra guidance.

The Fiddle Leaf Fig, whether situated indoors or outdoors, is popular with houseplant fans but is notorious for its maintenance needs.²³ It must be watered in particular ways, can grow tall relatively quickly, needs to be repotted regularly, must be resituated as local sunlight access conditions dictate, and craves wet, humid, and warm ambient conditions.

The Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant, which is also known as the fiddle fig tree amongst other species varieties, is a very aesthetically popular plant native to Western and Central Africa.

They can grow as tall as 10 feet tall indoors and 50 feet outdoors. A Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant can be pollinated by Fig Wasps to bear edible fig fruits.²⁸

However, these figs would be foul and unpleasant tasting.² The most important thing to know is that this is a plant that needs attention.

It is a challenging plant to own because it prefers humidity and indirect sunlight, sunburns easily, is easily stressed and shocked when moved, and needs its soil and roots soaked in water without root rot occurring due to overwatering. A lot of troubleshooting, vigilance, and problem-solving are required to care for this plant.

Some plant owners will swear that this is not a fussy plant, but it will drop brown, yellow, or grey spotted leaves when stressed, over-watered, or sunburned.

Even though it craves and physically moves towards sunlight quicker than most plants, its leaves brown fade and die if left in direct sunlight too long. The Fiddle Leaf Fig’s need for water is intense, but it must be drained properly, or else the leaves will brown and drop while the roots rot.

There is a sweet middle spot of plant maintenance that must be maintained at all times. This isn’t a plant that you can forget about and neglect.

Related Reading: How Much CO2 Does a Tree Absorb?

What To Do About Fiddle Leaf Fig Brown Spots?

In the warm and humid climes of the African rainforests, the jungle heat, and sunlight evaporate the water nourishment the plant receives from rain. It is a cycle of nourishment that the plant is accustomed to in the wild.

This natural nourishment cycle is catastrophically disrupted with the domesticated versions of the Fiddle Leaf Fig that are bought as houseplants.

The Fiddle Leaf Fig needs lots of access to light to grow and thrive.²⁹ What you must remember is to not expose your plant to direct sunlight.

Exposure to direct sunlight will cause dull brown and grey spots on its leaves as well as leaf loss. Additionally, not enough exposure to sunlight will also cause the same effect.

To prevent sunburn and brown leaves, you can place your fiddle leaf near a sunny window that is shaded with a veil-like, sheer curtain.

Or, you can place it near a mirror that reflects that sunlight beaming through a curtain-shaded window.

How To Care for Fiddle Leaf Fig? (Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree Care)

One thing you must remember about Fiddle Leaf Fig plants is that they are very reactive to light. You may notice after a few days or a week or two that the plant begins growing and bending toward its main light source.

It may even become so top-heavy from bending and reaching for light that it may fall over.

You may need to turn or adjust the position of the plant every few days to prevent the plant from falling over.

Grow Lights for Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree (Fiddle Leaf Fig Light Requirements)

If you live in a colder climate and have a warm room to grow a Fiddle Leaf Fig, then you can water and mist it in a pot with holes in the bottom and place it near a LED grow light.⁶

Make sure that you only use a LED bulb because they give off very little heat and won’t scorch or sunburn your plant.

How Often To Water Fiddle Leaf Fig

The best way to appreciate the watering needs for Fiddle Leaf Fig plants is to always remember that whether in the wild or domesticated, this is a plant that is always living in survival mode. This is a plant that is used to strangle the roots of the host tree from which it grew in the wild.

There is a fine line between underwatering and overwatering a Fiddle Leaf Fig that can be transgressed by you without half trying. The Fiddle Leaf Fig is a voraciously thirsty plant and loves having its soil and roots soaked with water between waterings.

Then it prefers for its soil and roots to dry out before its next watering. The best way to water this plant is to completely soak the soil and roots.

Water the plant until the soil is soaked, wet, and dripping. The root ball and roots of the fiddle leaf fig are known for growing exponentially within a year or two, so make sure the plant has ample room for the root ball and roots.

Make sure there are drainage holes beneath the pot. You can place a wide pan or bucket under the plant to make sure it drains while preventing root rot.

(Image: David Heinemeier Hansson³⁶)

You can also mist the plant and its leaves thoroughly during its watering too. Or, you can mist between watering too, since the plant prefers humid and wet conditions.

A Fiddle Leaf Fig can be watered every week to ten days. A good way to check if it needs watering is to poke your finger down two or three knuckles into the soil. If it is dry, then it’s time to water.

You can also use an electronic water meter.

How Often Should I Water My Fiddle Leaf Fig Outdoors vs Indoors?

If the weather is warm, hot, and humid, most of the year, you can place your potted fiddle leaf plant outdoors. You should only plant one in the soil outside your home if you live in a warmer climate with regular periods of rain.

Otherwise, you will need to water it regularly as if it was an indoor plant.

If you keep your plant outdoors, you could quickly bring it inside, soak it in the shower, and then place it back outside to slowly drain from its pot’s drainage holes.

Fiddle Leaf Fig Indoor vs Fiddle Leaf Fig Outdoors

You will have more control to monitor your plant when it is indoors. After all, out of sight, out of mind.

Growing your Fiddle Leaf Fig outside as a plant or tree will be very challenging if you do not live in an applicable USDA Hardiness Zone, especially zones 10 and 11.

How Do I Know if I’m Underwatering or Overwatering My Fiddle Leaf Fig?

The best way to spot if a Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant or Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree is being underwatered is to just look at its leaves. The signature aesthetic look of a Fiddle Leaf Fig it’s large, glossy, straight, and upright reaching violin-shaped leaves.

If the leaves are hanging down like a dog’s ear, then it is underwater.

The best to detect overwatering is to look at the center of the leaf, also called the midrib. You will see brown and off-color yellow hues forming in the center of falling leaves and spreading outward.

You will notice the brown and yellow hues centered on the veins and segments of the leaf. Those clues are clear signs that the plant is overwatered and the roots are rotting from within.

Sunburn and scorch marks are brown and grey and coincide exactly where direct sunlight hit the plant. But the tell-tale brown-colored marks caused by overwatering spread out from the central vein of the leaf.

Tips on How Often To Water Fiddle Leaf Fig

As previously mentioned, you should water the plant about once a week. You can stick a finger down into the plant soil three inches or so to make sure it is dry or use a water meter device.

And make sure that the bottom of the pot has a number of drainage holes in the bottom to allow for adequate drainage. A Fiddle Leaf Fig’s soil and roots must be soaked for adequate drainage and must be nearly dry before being watered again.

Make sure that your plant’s soil is not too compacted. Your plant may be underwatered because the soil is too compacted.

Carefully aerate it with chopsticks or a thin trowel to make sure that water is tricking through the soil and to the roots. Fiddle Leaf Fig brown spots on the leaves can tell you a lot about how well you take care of your plant.

How Well Does the Fiddle Leaf Fig Respond To Cold?

The Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant does not respond well to cold weather and breezes.³² You should grow the plant in a warm climate and area of your home or property.

When this plant becomes too cold and dry, its leaves will fall and drop. You could use LED grow lights over it for a few hours daily if you live in extremely cold weather.

And if you keep the environment warm during winter or cold spells, a little extra misting helps the plant maintain its preferred humid ambiance.⁶

How To Grow a Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant or Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree (Fiddle Fig Tree)

The best way to get a Fiddle Leaf Fig is to buy a plant from a legitimate nursery or houseplant store.

You can also grow your own Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant from a seedling or from a Fiddle Leaf Fig branch or leaf propagation.

(Image: PxFuel³⁷)

It’s difficult to do because fiddle leaf fig seeds thrive in natural rainforest soil in the wild; they are not meant to grow in pot soil or the soil and mulch of a suburban backyard.⁷

Growing Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree From a Seed

It would take a decade or more for a Fiddle Leaf Fig to grow into a tree. And it would not be efficient to start growing one from a seed.

You can grow one from a seed, but you will need nutrient-rich and well-aerated soil with a baseline pH level of 5.5 to 7.0 at the minimum.⁸ Even then, it could take three months to successfully grow a seedling on your own.

It may be easiest to put a seed or leave it in water and wait for it to sprout mini roots.

Your best bet is to get a branch and leave clipping from a friend and propagate it.

Growing Zones for Fiddle Leaf Fig: Where To Grow Them

You would have to live in the applicable USDA Hardiness Zone,³³ or planting zone, relative to the type of plant or tree you want to plant outdoors. So, you would need to live in planting zones 10 or 11, which correspond to southern California, Texas, Florida, and the Hawaiian Islands for optimal Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree care.

These zones are located in tropical, warm, and humid-like conditions where a Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree would optimally thrive.

This is not to say that you can’t plant a Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree where you live, but if it is cold and rain is scarce, the less likely the tree will survive.

When To Plant Fiddle Leaf Fig for the Best Yield

The Fiddle Leaf Fig, whether plant or three, thrives when growing in temperatures ranging between 60 degrees to 85% and humidity levels ranging from 30% to 60%.⁹

The main key to Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree care is to always remember that this plant does not like cold weather or breezes. You should not plant Fiddle Leaf Fig Trees in bitterly cold climates.

And if you keep one as a potted plant, be sure to keep it away from the air conditioner and drafty windows. When shocked by cold weather and breezes, the Fiddle Leaf Fig will drop leaves.

Growing a Fiddle Leaf Fig From a Seedling

It would be better for you and less frustrating to skip the idea of growing a Fiddle Leaf Fig straight from seed. The Fiddle Leaf Fig seed requires pollination from the fig wasp in nature.

You could pop a seed in the soil and try on your own, but there is a high failure rate.¹⁰

(Image: Mokkie³⁸)

You could try to grow one from seed in nitrogen-rich and well-aerated soil, but it could take three months or more. And that would be after several failures.

Growing a Fiddle Leaf Fig From a Cutting

The easiest way to grow a Fiddle Leaf Fig into a plant, which can then potentially be planted as a tree, depending on the USDA planting zone you live in, is to grow one from a cutting.

A stem cutting is a grouping of two or three leaves that are cut two or three inches below their joining at the branch stem. You could get one from a friend willing to share from their plant.

Place distilled water into a container like a jar or small vase. Choose a glass receptacle so you can watch the progress of growth.

You will need to use cutting root hormone,³¹ a plant growth expedition product that is readily available on the internet.¹¹ It helps the cutting grow roots from the cut stem.

Depending on the root hormone directions, you may apply it on the cutting or water. Root hormone is available as a gel, powder, or liquid, so follow the direction on the product.

Place the cutting in the receptacle for about a month and watch the cutting slowly grow a root system. After the root system has grown out, the cutting can then be transferred to a soil pot or garden.²⁴

What Are the Best Growing Conditions for Fiddle Leaf Fig Plants?

Basic Fiddle Leaf Fig care requirements dictate that the plant is situated in a room with access to the sun through a window. It should not be exposed to direct sunlight.

Rotate the plant every week or so, since it will grow towards the sun source, become top-heavy, and potentially tip over.

The ambient temperature environment should range between 60 degrees Fahrenheit and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. This plant loves growing in a humid environment, so you should mist the plant with water from a spray bottle every few days.

Make sure that the soil is well-aerated. Drill holes in the bottom of the pot for adequate drainage.

The roots may become too big for the pot, so you may have to repot the plant to a pot two or three times bigger every two or three years.

What Are Companion Plants for Growing Fiddle Leaf Fig?

There are several other kinds of plants that you own, or plant as trees, such as a companion or instead of a Fiddle Leaf Fig. Most of these companion plants require similar growing attention as the Fiddle Leaf Fig.

For example, most of these plants require you to dip your finger three inches into the soil to see if it is dry and needs watering.

Like the Fiddle Leaf Fig, these plants require their soil and roots to be soaked with water for sustenance while still being vigilant against over-watering.

(Image: Paulius Rupšas³⁹)

A Sycamore Tree, also known as Ficus sycomorus comes from the same family of plants as the Ficus lyrata.¹³ It even produces bad-tasting figs with leathery skins.

Money Tree care requires you to water it once or twice a week while remembering not to overwater.¹⁴ The Pachira aquatica, called the “Money Tree,” as it allegedly offers good luck, is natively grown in central and south America.

And it strikingly looks like three trees twisting into one.

If you want to know how to care for a Bonsai Tree, you just perform the same maintenance as if it were a Fiddle Leaf Fig.¹⁵ The main difference is that while the Fiddle Leaf Fig is famed for its violin-shaped leaves, the Bonsai is famed for its meditative benefit via creatively pruning the plant as needed.

If you live in USDA planting zone 4 through 9, then you can plant and care for a magnolia outside instead of a Fiddle Leaf Fig.¹⁶ And while a Fiddle Leaf Fig may live for 50 years, a Magnolia Tree will live for 100 years.³⁰

If you want to know how to grow a Peach Tree from seed, just soak a peach seed in water overnight and then plant it in a jar with moist soil and water it every few days for three months.¹⁷ Just remember that the pit is the covering for the seed; you need to break open or crack the peach pit to retrieve the seed.

You will experience fewer jumpstart failures growing a peach tree from seed than a fiddle leaf fig from seed.

Additional Planting Tips for Fiddle Leaf Fig

Make sure that you plant your Fiddle Leaf Fig in the spring so that it will receive the most hours of sun daily as it grows.

As it grows, wipe the large and wide leaves with a damp and very clean sponge to remove dust. Even if you water it properly, the leaves could accumulate dust on them and interfere with the plant gaining sustenance from misting or sunlight.

How Far Apart To Plant Fiddle Leaf Fig

In its natural wild environment, the Fiddle Leaf Fig is known to strangle the roots of its host tree. The roots of the Fiddle Leaf Fig need a lot of space and room to grow, especially when it is taking water from you or the rain.

If you plant one outside, give it six feet or more of space from other plants and trees or walkways.¹⁸

What Is a Dwarf Fiddle Leaf Fig?

It is from the same family of trees as the Ficus lyrata. The only difference is that the Dwarf Fiddle Leaf Fig grows to a maximum height of three feet.²²

The typical Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree indoors can grow ten feet or about 50 feet tall in a tropical rainforest setting and climate.

Can I Grow Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree Fruit? Fiddle Leaf Fig Care (Fiddle and Fig)

If you live in USDA Hardiness Zones 10 or 11 and have pollinating insects like the fig wasp nearby, then yes, your outdoor Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree might grow figs. But these are not the traditional fig fruits that you are thinking of.

Fiddle and fig leaf fruit have leathery skin that is hard to peel.

Even if you ate it, the taste would be neutral or taste awful. If there were insects that could pollinate the plant, you could possibly grow figs on an indoor plant, but it is unlikely.

How To Stop Fiddle Leaf Fig Disease: Root Rot Surgery Basics

People may say that it is a “tricky,” plant to take care of, but that is a euphemism for “maintenance intensive.”

(Image: Daderot⁴⁰)

You must pay attention to your plant aesthetically and pay attention when you see signs of potential trouble.

For example, if you don’t master the skill of efficiently watering the Fiddle Leaf Fig, or don’t put it in a pot with drainage holes at the bottom of the pot, then you are inviting root rot to occur.

Root rot occurs when the soil and roots of the plant stay soaked for too long. What are the signs?

The soil stays overly waterlogged for days or weeks, which in turn creates an unpleasant smell in the soil and roots. Then the root ball and roots turn a deeper hue of brown and then become mushy and soggy.

This is a rot infection that travels up the plant from the root ball and roots to the leaves. The leaves turn brown starting from the veins and will droop and fall.

The Fiddle Leaf Fig is prone to shock if you move it too much, but in this case, you need to lay it on a table, remove the soggy soil, and prune the rotting roots and leaves.

Firstly, you need to remove the infected plant from the pot and lay it on a table. Gently remove all of the soil from the root ball and the roots.

Healthy plant roots are firm and white. Rotted roots are soft and mushy to the touch and brown in color.

If the rootball is completely brown and mushy and smells bad, it may be a lost cause. Otherwise, you can carefully prune any rotted roots and brown leaves.

Then you need to carefully repot the plant in a new pot with drainage holes in the underside.

Make sure that the new pot is large enough to accommodate the root ball and the root system. This is serious plant surgery because your plant will be in shock and it may take six months before the plant positively responds to your rehab efforts.

Natural Pest Control for Fiddle Leaf Fig

Neem oil is a non-toxic oil that is naturally produced from the Neem Tree.²⁰ It contains a substance called azadirachtin which is known to disrupt the chemical cycles of insects, kill them, and even stop fungus buildup.

While non-toxic, pure neem oil could be caustic when directly applied to Fiddle Leaf Fig leaves. Dilute a tablespoon of neem oil with soap and water in a spray bottle or bucket to create an all-natural pesticide.

Then you can spray the plant or gently wipe the leaves with a clean sponge.

Why Is Fiddle Leaf Fig Care Requirement So Exhaustive?

This is a plant that thrived in the rainforest wilds of Africa for millions of years. To have something as majestic as this plant domesticated and living in a small part of your living room requires some sacrifice.

The maintenance required to take care of this plant is rewarded with aesthetics and therapeutic and meditative routines.

Fiddle Leaf Fig Care and Maintenance: Start Your Journey Today

Fiddle Leaf Fig maintenance requires being vigilant against browning leaves, brown spots, overwatering, and forgetting about the plant. This plant thrives in humid, wet, and tropical environments.

You must pay attention to a Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant or tree whether you keep it indoors or outdoors.

(Image: Scott Webb³⁵)

And it is important to note that anyone can keep and care for a Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant or tree. Even if you are used to neglecting or killing plants.²⁵

Over 66% of personal households in the United States own one or multiple houseplants.¹ Fun fact – at least 70% of people who own and maintain a houseplant admit to talking and conversing with it.

While statistics differ depending on the source, those figures correlate to about 37.6 million or more apartments or homes containing at least one or multiple houseplants.² But what is important to note is that like you, many of those who own a houseplant may not know how to properly take care of it.

Well over 30% of average people who own a houseplant end up killing it eventually.³

Related Reading: Can We Live Without Trees? How Our Worst Fears Are Becoming Reality

If you want to avoid that fate, then you just learned everything you need to learn in this fiddle leaf care guide.

While there are many kinds of plants that grow with minimal maintenance, such a mindset negates the purpose of owning a plant. Along with purifying the air of carbon dioxide, maintaining and interacting with plants provides owners with scientifically verified positive psychological and stress-reducing benefits.²⁷

The logistics involved with Fiddle Leaf Fig care can be time intensive and require a lot of maintenance and focus, but it’s worth it.

Frequently Asked Questions About Fiddle Leaf Fig Care