How to Grow Potted Fiddle-Leaf Fig? A Detailed Guide to Care Methods
The fiddle-leaf fig is also known as the fiddle-leaf rubber plant, among other names. It is an evergreen tree in the mulberry family (Moraceae), genus Ficus (figs), named for the violin-like swollen shape at the leaf tip. The plant is tall and upright, elegant and unrestrained, with unusual leaves and high ornamental value. It is often used as an ideal foliage plant for large halls, and can also be used to decorate conference venues or offices. Now let us take a look at how to grow a potted fiddle-leaf fig!
Growth Habits of the Fiddle-Leaf Fig
The fiddle-leaf fig is native to the lowland tropical rainforests from Sierra Leone to Morocco in West Africa, and is widely cultivated in the tropics and subtropics, as well as indoors and in greenhouses in temperate regions. In China it is mainly produced in Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Fujian, Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Anhui, Zhejiang and other places. It prefers a warm, humid environment with plenty of sunlight. The optimum growth temperature is 25°C to 35°C; it goes dormant at around 15°C and can overwinter safely above 5°C. Its water requirement is to keep it moist rather than dry.
Propagation Methods for the Fiddle-Leaf Fig
1. Cuttings: When taking fiddle-leaf fig cuttings, choose 1- to 2-year-old branches, cut them off 20 to 30 cm above the soil surface in the pot, and cut the stems into 3 to 4-node sections as cuttings. Leave one leaf on each cutting section and cut that leaf back by 2/3 to 3/4 to reduce water evaporation. First soak the cut wound in water or coat it with plant ash, etc., to prevent the sap from flowing out. Insert the cuttings into a cutting bed made of river sand or perlite, and be careful to maintain the bed temperature and a relatively high air humidity around them. At a temperature of 25 to 30°C, roots can form in about one month.
2. Air layering: Air layering of the fiddle-leaf fig can be done from April to August. Select a semi-lignified terminal branch of the mother plant, leave 3 to 4 leaves at the upper part, make a ring cut or tongue cut below them, then wrap it with moss, etc., and tie it with plastic film. Roots will form in about 40 days. Once it has grown to about 30 cm, it can be removed and planted in place or potted up.
How to Grow a Potted Fiddle-Leaf Fig?
1. Pot and soil: When potting a fiddle-leaf fig, choose a pot with a somewhat larger volume. Repot every 2 to 3 years in spring. Cover the bottom of the pot with a tile piece, convex side up, first put in a layer of old potting soil, then add a new substrate mixed from garden soil, peat soil and a small amount of sandy soil. The soil should be slightly acidic.
2. Fertilizing: The fiddle-leaf fig has broad leaves and a relatively high fertilizer requirement, so during the growing season it generally needs liquid fertilizer or granular compound fertilizer applied every 1 to 2 weeks to promote plant growth and deep green leaves. In late autumn and winter, fertilizer is generally not applied. From the time new leaves unfold until mid-August, apply fertilizer once every 10 days, mainly nitrogen fertilizer. When growth is vigorous, more fertilizer can be applied; when growth stops or the plant is dormant, do not fertilize.
3. Watering: The amount of water given to a fiddle-leaf fig should depend on the surrounding temperature. In spring and summer the water requirement is greater; during dormancy, reduce the amount of water and keep the potting soil moist. In summer, it can be given a light shower of rain to help growth; spraying it regularly with warm water will make it grow even better, and slightly acidic water is preferable for watering. Excessive short-term temperature fluctuations or exposure to direct sunlight are both unfavorable for growth. If kept at low temperatures for a long time while being overwatered, the plant may die.
4. Light: The fiddle-leaf fig has strong adaptability to light and can grow well in bright indirect light. In summer, avoid direct sunlight; if placed outdoors, it must be shaded. In winter, light should be increased. It is suited to growing in a semi-shaded environment; in summer, avoid direct sunlight so as not to scorch the leaves and cause them to lose their gloss. However, if the light is too weak, the plant will grow thin and weak, so it must be given relatively bright light to grow robustly. During the growing season, it generally grows better under 50% shading.
5. Temperature: Compared with other Ficus plants, the fiddle-leaf fig has relatively weak cold tolerance. The optimum growth temperature is 25°C to 35°C; it goes dormant at around 15°C and can overwinter safely above 5°C. To improve its cold tolerance, in addition to controlling the amount of water in late autumn and winter, you can apply extra phosphorus and potassium fertilizer about one month before winter arrives.
6. Disease prevention: After a potted fiddle-leaf fig develops disease, it should be moved quickly to a ventilated, sunny place with sufficient light. Do not spray water on the leaves, and cut off severely diseased leaves. For lightly diseased leaves, cut off the diseased spots together with part of the healthy tissue, then spray Bordeaux mixture for protection, or spray 80% zineb wettable powder at 500 times dilution, 25% metalaxyl wettable powder at 500-800 times dilution, etc. Be careful to rotate the chemicals used.