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FICUS GUIDES

Close up of purple figs on tree branch

Ficus Benjamina – droop LeavesFiddle Leaf FigRubber Plant

The name ‘ Fiddle - Leaf Fig ’ revolve off the tongue nicely , and this is emphatically a plant to get yourself present with .

herald from Central & Western Africa , this fig miscellanea has since been tame and domesticize , guaranteeing its repute as a democratic staple fibre in our gardens and homes.1Datiles , M. J. , & Acevedo - Rodrígue , P. ( 2014 ) . Ficus lyrata ( violin - foliage fig).CABI Compendium.https://doi.org/10.1079/cabicompendium.24125

Fig leaf plant indoors

Woolly aphids

While the plant is definitelyin vogue , you should lie with that some hoi polloi consider it to be quite finickity .

nonplus it steadfastly established in acceptable conditions can take some body of work , and if you grow it outdoors , you ’ll have to bring it indoors over winter .

With that in intellect , though , the rewards offered by getting a fiddle - leafage fig properly subside far outweigh the work involved .

hand placing fresh compost in a large plant pot with a fiddle leaf fig plant

Overview

PreferredIndoors / Full Sun open air During Summer

ExposureSheltered

Height4 – 8 M

birds eye view of a Ficus lyrata growing from a round plastic pot

Spread1 – 1.5 mebibyte

PreferredMost Soil Types

MoistureMoist but well drain

tall fiddle leaf fig plant growing next to a bright window indoors

pHAny

violin - leafage fig is the common name forFicus lyrata , a flowering plant in the Moraceae family , otherwise know as FIG and mulberries.2Ficus lyrata . ( n.d . ) . Global Plants – JSTOR . call up March 15 , 2023 , fromhttps://plants.jstor.org/stable/10.5555/al.ap.flora.fwta3535

unluckily , however , this appendage of the family does n’t put forth fruit when grown indoors , and the yield it does put forth outdoors are uneatable .

close up of a red mite on a plant

For those hoping for a tasty bounty from your yield Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , we advocate looking elsewhere .

Out in nature , this plant has a fearsome reputation .

As anepiphyte , the fiddle - leaf Al-Jama’a al-Islamiyyah al-Muqatilah bi-Libya deposits its seeds on top of other trees and then grows downward toward the ground.3Ficus lyrata . ( n.d.-b ) . North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox . Retrieved March 15 , 2023 , fromhttps://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/ficus-lyrata/

woolly aphids on the underside of a Ficus lyrata leaf

Woolly aphids

While this may fathom innocent , the branches wander their way around the legion tree , gradually strangle it and hunger it of imagination .

“ As a houseplant , this is a great way to take a piece of the West African rain forest into your living elbow room , ” shares Horticulturist Colin Skelly .

“ In a pot , you are keeping it as a seedling compared to its growth habit in its native range . ”

When grown as a houseplant these tendencies are unlikely to reveal themselves , so you ’ve got nothing to worry about .

How To Grow A Fiddle-Leaf Fig Tree

The Fiddle Leaf Fig can be relatively demanding compared to other houseplants , but we wholeheartedly recommend it .

This flora requires well - aerated land that promotes fast drain .

It ’s not particular in terms of growing medium – guts , clay , deoxyephedrine , and loam are all fine – but you must see that the roots do not become saturated .

It ’s not finicky with acidity , either : acid , alkali , or neutral soils will all function .

you may also get specially - formulated violin - leaf Ficus carica nutrient mixture to ensure the soil remains suitably nutrient for your new green champion .

This plant has a hardiness military rank of H1B , point that it can be grown outside in summertime ( doing best in temperature of 10 - 15 ° C or above ) .

give the plant ’s African origins , this makes sense .

The fiddle - leaf Al-Jama’a al-Islamiyyah al-Muqatilah bi-Libya germinate in an area of gamy temperature and frequent sunshine , intend that a move to often - miry British climes can be a bit of a shock to the organization .

It ’s still possible to grow a fiddle - leafage common fig in your garden , however – you just need to take the appropriate actions by move it indoors over the cold month .

Given that you ’ll need to move your plant around a mickle , it make sense to grow it in a container .

This plant enjoy being out of doors – it likes the fresh air , the humidity and the sunlight .

When growing your fiddle - leaf Ficus carica outdoors , reckon for a sheltered west- or south - face smear in verbatim sunlight , if potential .

Be vigilant for leaf tan , which can be triggered by particularly vivid catamenia of fair weather .

Because many leaves grow out of a single bud , it can take a while for misplace leaves to be replenished .

Ongoing Care

apart from ensuring the environment is worthy for your fiddle - folio Libyan Islamic Fighting Group , it ’s actually quite easygoing .

It ’ll call for a very light prune once in a while , and there are a few possible pest to be mindful of – beyond that , it ’s plain sailplaning .

The fiddle - foliage Libyan Fighting Group tree is a proud penis of RHS ’ pruning group 1 ; thus requiring “ small to no pruning”.4Shrubs and trees : light pruning . ( n.d.-b ) . Royal Horticultural Society . retrieve March 15 , 2023 , fromhttps://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/types/trees/trees-shrubs-light-pruning

This bodes well for the chance gardener amongst us , and goes some way to offset the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree ’s postulate environmental needs .

Give your plant life a light rationalise in recent winter or early spring .

All you ’re looking to do is remove pathologic or damaged shoot and any that are intersect each other or growing in undesirable focus .

After you ’ve done that , mulch and feed the soil to give your plant life a nutrient boost .

While they can acclimate partly to frigid , freezing temperatures can cause electrical shock and loss of leafage .

While fiddle - foliage figs are fussy when being go , they ’ll react well to a move to a more suitable surround .

And in wintertime , without being moved indoors they will almost certainly die off in outside conditions in the UK .

By produce yours in a pot it can be moved well when the time feels right , but there are also a few steps you could take to ease the transition –

Any and all of these footprint should help out with any changeover from the summer outdoors to overwintering indoors .

Common Problems

Few plants are destitute of jeopardy from opportunist pestilence , and the violin - leafage common fig tree tree diagram is no dissimilar . Here are the main offenders :

These minuscule nuisances feed on the sap in plant leaves , which can lead to mottled parting and even leafage deprivation in severe vitrine .

They ’re especially predominant in summer and , pay that your violin - leafage common fig will be expend its summers out of doors , you necessitate to be vigilant .

If you catch an infestation early , you ’ve suffer a right luck of controlling it .

you’re able to deliberately inclose predatory insects to eat the crimson spider mites , or you’re able to use solution such as neem oil or insecticidal soap .

Thrips are another little saphead - sucking insect that can damage the leafage of your value fiddle - leaf Libyan Fighting Group .

If you find discolouration on your leaves , see whether you could bump any thrips lurking under the leaves .

method of mastery are similar : raptorial speck or a variety of pesticides .

you may also hang sticky fly ball - catch canvass if your works is indoors , as this will pull the thrips aside .

Do n’t do this outdoors , however , as you ’ll belike catch and kill many sinless flying creature .

Mealybugs also like to eat sap , and in exchange for this tasty nutriment , they leave a pasty lead on your leave which can give rise to mould .

Look for fluffy wax , small white woodlouse - y bugs , or black mould – all indicate visiting mealybugs .

And when you have visitors , your option are pesticides , tolerate small amounts of damage , or , deplorably , destroy to a great extent infested plants .

A fiddle - leaf fig tree is a fashionable improver to any house or garden – and if you ’re up for a challenge , you could soon be the proud owner of a thriving specimen .

References