Fiddle-leaf fig
Ficus lyrata
Violin-shaped leaves with pronounced veins. Best standing alone by a tall window.
- LightFull sun
- Waterevery 7 days
- CareNeeds attention
- Max height200 cm
- PetsNot safe
- HumidityAverage
How to care
Wants plenty of light. Water weekly and stop moving it around — it hates relocation.
from₫545.000
Design this potDesign with this plant
Three glazes on the pot shape picked for this species. One tap opens the studio with that setup — change anything from there.
What it is, and who it suits
A fiddle-leaf fig carries violin-shaped leaves with pronounced veins on a single trunk that can reach two metres tall — the tallest plant in the entire catalogue. It looks best standing alone beside a large window, more like a living sculpture than an ordinary decorative plant. It is also the fussiest species on the list: a high care level and a genuine dislike of being moved. It suits a space with high ceilings, a large fixed window, and an owner willing to let it stand in one place for months without shifting it.
Where to put it, and how much room to leave
It needs plenty of light — strong indirect light near a large window is mandatory, not a suggestion. Once you have picked a spot, do NOT keep relocating it: this species reacts badly to environmental change, and even just rotating it toward a different light source or moving it to the next room can trigger defensive leaf drop. Since it can reach two metres with the foliage concentrated up top, it needs a ceiling of at least two and a half metres so the leaves do not bend against it. Leave about eighty centimetres of clearance around the pot, since the large leaves are brittle and snap easily if brushed against often.
The year-round rhythm
Water weekly, checking that the top three or four centimetres of soil are dry before watering again — the plant tolerates neither extreme: waterlogged soil causes root rot, prolonged bone-dry soil causes mass leaf drop. Keeping the rhythm steady matters more than hitting an exact number. Wipe the leaves monthly with a damp cloth, both to let them breathe and to catch pests early on such large leaf surfaces. Feed weak fertiliser monthly during the growing season to support new leaves, which are large and nutrient-hungry to form. Repot every two years, doing it on a mild, sunny day — avoid repotting in the cool season, when the plant is at its most sensitive to change.
Which pot suits it
Size L is almost mandatory for a mature plant — a two-metre trunk needs a large enough soil mass for balance, and a smaller pot tips over easily when the big leaves catch wind or get bumped. The pot needs a wide, heavy base and good drainage, since this species is very sensitive to waterlogging. A large cylinder or trough is more stable than a bowl shape for a plant this tall. The large dark-green leaves are the main feature, so the pot should stay in a supporting role — a neutral glaze, minimal pattern, keeping the eye on each violin-shaped leaf.
Three things that go wrong
Sudden mass leaf drop: almost always a recent change in environment — a move, a rotation, a repot, or a new cold draught. Do not rush to water more or feed it; let it sit undisturbed and settle over a few weeks. Brown spots with yellow halos on leaves: usually inconsistent watering, swinging between too dry and too wet — settle into one fixed rhythm. Unusually small new leaves compared to older ones: too little light or too little feeding — check both before concluding either way. Note that this species is not pet-safe: the sap irritates skin and digestion if chewed — at this height the leaves usually sit well above a cat or dog's reach, but any leaves that drop to the floor should be cleared away promptly.
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