Fiddle-Leaf Fig Trees for Sale

Planting and Care

by Jo Cosgrove | Ecological Gardener, Horticulturist, and Educator – last update on December 2, 2021

Planting instructions

Begin with a healthy plant, especially if it is your first one. Before bringing home a fiddle-leaf fig tree from the nursery, check for the following conditions:

• Brown or yellow leaves. A fiddle leaf fig’s leaves will not heal or return to being green once they are damaged.
• Check for tiny insects, webbing, or mildew. Not only is this a plant that will need extra care initially, the condition might spread to your other plants.

When you purchase your fiddle leaf fig, buy a pot that is about two inches bigger than the one in which it is already growing. Prepare a catchment tray filled with pebbles to go under the pot. A natural pot with a good drainage hole is ideal. An absorbent mat under the stones will help maintain humidity for your fig tree.

Place some rough aggregate at the bottom of the pot, such as gravel or broken pottery pieces. This will help protect the drain holes. Gently tip the fig tree out of its current pot. Add enough soil in the new pot to reach about a half inch below the rim of the new pot. The potting mix should be one that facilitates good drainage.

Watering and nutrients

Fiddle-leaf fig trees are picky about water. They are an African rainforest plant, which means that they like to have fresh water frequently, but they are also prone to root rot if they are in standing water. They prefer a higher humidity than is normal in most homes, so you might want to position a humidifier near your fig tree.

Fertilize your tree during the summer months when it will do most of its growing. You can purchase a fertilizer designed especially for fiddle-leaf figs, or look for a plant fertilizer that has an N-P-K ratio of 3:1:2. Feed approximately once per month throughout the spring and summer according to package directions. Do not feed in fall and winter.

Lighting

Fig trees get a lot of their nutrients from sunlight on their beautiful, oversized leaves. This means they need to receive a lot of sunlight, but not too much sunlight. One way to achieve this is to set your tree in front of an east or west facing window that has a sheer, gauze curtain over it. Open the regular drapes during the day, then close them at night to keep from chilling your plant. Turn your fiddle-leaf fig daily to keep it growing straight, and not slanting toward the light.

Pruning

Over watering and excessive sunlight are two leading causes of brown spots on fiddle-leaf fig tree leaves. Yellowing with a brown center often indicates over-watering. As opposed to puckery brown patches irregularly placed which typically indicate sunburn or an insect invasion.

Trim away damaged leaves. The leaves will not heal, but once they are gone, new leaves can grow. If your fig tree has gotten too tall and too leggy, simply cut off the top and use the cut part to start a new plant.

Propagation

Despite pictures where fiddle leaf fig starts are shown with roots growing from leaves, they will not create new plants this way. To start a new fig tree, make a 45 degree cut just below a limb bud using a clean pair of shears. Ensure there are at least three leaf nodes on your cut twig. Without the twig and nodes, the plant will not have any way to develop into a full plant. It will usually take four to six weeks to get a new fiddle leaf fig to take root.

You can start the new plant by placing the cut twig in water, by placing it in soil, or by air layering.

To start your plant in water, be sure to strip away the lower leaves and change the water at least every other day. As soon as the roots begin to develop, transfer your new plant to a fluffy sterile growing mixture (if the mixture is too heavy it will put undue pressure on the fragile roots).

A better method is to dip the cut end of the twig in a growing medium. Snip away the lower leaves. Use a pencil or stake to open a hole in the medium, then insert the cut stem. Water daily, but make sure that the growing medium drains well so that the cutting is not in standing water.

A third method is air layering. Strip away a band of bark, then paint the cut with a growth starter. Follow up by binding a sterile growing medium around the cut part, then cover with plastic wrap. Water the bundle daily until roots appear, then cut the new plant away from the parent tree.

Pests, diseases, and animals

Just about every pest known to growers loves fiddle-leaf fig trees. Prevention is best, with special attention to watering, sunlight, and humidity. When that fails, look for fiddle-leaf fig sprays or fertilizer.

Pets can also be a problem. Your fiddle-leaf tree should be protected from dogs or cats because it is poisonous to animals.

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Customer Reviews

Anonymous

Verified Buyer May 4, 2021 at 2:29pm

Fig Leaf Tree

Healthy, beautiful plant!

Anonymous

Verified Buyer May 4, 2021 at 5:35am

A few bugs on Fig Tree

My overall experience was good and I love the plant, but it had a few bugs on it when it arrived. I recommend opening the plant outside first or the company could make sure no bugs are in the Fig Tree.

Anonymous

Verified Buyer December 23, 2020 at 2:40am

Great tree

Purchased and had it sent to a family member, they loved it and sent pictures, it looks great for being shipped! Satisfied customer, will be purchasing more for myself.

Anonymous

Verified Buyer December 4, 2020 at 3:45pm

Beauty!

Looks great! Impressive and attractive plant. Large shiny interesting leaves. Arrived with support stick attached...not sure if it should be removed

Anonymous

Verified Buyer November 28, 2020 at 10:48pm

Fiddle leaf fig tree

Great tree! We