Fiddle leaf fig (Ficus lyrata) is a stunning tree with huge, oval-shaped leaves that make it an interesting houseplant. One draw again is that this species could also be troublesome to deal with. A tropical plant native to western Africa, fiddle leaf figs thrive with ample daylight, extreme humidity, and moist soil. When its needs aren’t met, or the plant is pressured, it could drop its leaves. To cease this from going down, we spoke to gardening consultants who shared quite a few causes fiddle leaf figs lose leaves—plus solutions for learn how to restore each scenario.
Overwatering
Overwatering a fiddle leaf fig might trigger the soil to show into waterlogged, depriving the roots of oxygen and possibly leading to root rot. This will likely set off the leaves to point out brown and fall off, says Linda Langelo, horticulture specialist at Colorado State Faculty.
Cease overwatering by feeling the soil sooner than watering your plant. “If the potting mix feels moist or moist, preserve off for just some days and check as soon as extra,” says Justin Hancock, horticulturist for Costa Farms. If the soil is waterlogged previous restore, Langelo recommends repotting the plant in a container with well-draining potting soil. Be sure that the pot has a drainage hole for water to flee.
Underwatering
Nonetheless, underwatering can also set off a fiddle leaf fig to lose its leaves. It is as a result of the potting mix would not embrace adequate moisture for the roots to entry. “One of many easiest methods to cease underwatering is to check in your plant recurrently,” says Hancock. If the potting mix feels dry better than about 50 p.c of the best way by which down the pot, then give it watering.”
Too Lots Daylight
In its native habitat, fiddle leaf fig vegetation develop in full photo voltaic, so an extreme quantity of daylight isn’t normally an issue. However, if the plant is uncovered to an extreme quantity of direct daylight too shortly, the leaves may flip into sunburned and have a bleached look. “In time, these damaged leaves will drop,” says Hancock.
To cease this from going down, acclimate your plant to the photo voltaic by slowly exposing it to elevated portions of photo voltaic over the course of some weeks, Hancock advises. In case your plant is already sunburned, take into consideration shifting it to a location the place it receives a lot much less intense rays nevertheless nonetheless will get a minimal of six hours of daylight per day.
Too Little Daylight
Equally, a fiddle leaf fig infrequently drops leaves from too little daylight. That talked about, abruptly shifting the plant from a superb spot to a dim one can stress the plant, inflicting it to lose leaves. “In nature, vegetation are rooted in place and don’t impulsively go from one set of rising circumstances to a special,” says Hancock, together with that this can be nerve-racking for vegetation.
Cease this shock by acclimating your plant to its new home. “As an example, in case you’ve had it exterior for the summer time season and must ship it in for the winter, ship it inside for just a few hours in the end. The next day, add one different hour,” says Hancock. “Over the course of per week or two, let it spend more and more extra time inside so it adjusts.”
Pests
Pests can weaken the plant, inflicting leaf drop. “Most common houseplant pests assault by sucking moisture and nutritional vitamins from plant cells, loads the best way by which a mosquito assaults a person,” says Hancock.
To cease pests, rigorously check any new houseplants you ship into your personal house for indicators of an infestation. Protect the plant in a single different room for just some weeks in case you are unsure. In case your fiddle leaf fig already has an infestation, take into consideration treating it with insecticidal cleansing cleaning soap or horticultural oil, nevertheless remedies may fluctuate counting on the sort of pest present.
Sickness
Positive sicknesses like leaf spot can weaken your fiddle leaf fig plant, inflicting it to lose leaves. To protect your plant in opposition to those sicknesses, give it setting with quite a few daylight, relevant watering, and fertilization from time to time, says Hancock.
The best way you take care of the sickness will depend upon the sort of sickness it is. “Like pests, completely completely different sicknesses are dealt with in one other approach,” says Hancock. “A particular fungicide is prone to be environment friendly in stopping one sickness, nevertheless not one different.”
Root-Sure Plant
When a fiddle leaf fig turns into root-bound, it should drop its leaves on account of there isn’t adequate space throughout the pot for the plant to acquire right water, eating regimen, or oxygen, says Langelo. When the soil is hard, compacted, or pulling away from the sting of the pot, the roots are seemingly root-bound. One different sign is seeing roots rising out of the drainage holes.
To restore this case, repot your fiddle leaf fig in a container that is about 2 to 3 inches bigger in diameter than its current container. Gently take away the plant from the pot, loosen any circling roots, and place the plant throughout the new container with current potting soil. “After you repot it with current potting soil, wait a few month and fertilize it,” says Langelo.
Low Humidity
Low humidity ranges (underneath 30 p.c) can stress your fiddle leaf fig and set off it to lose leaves. Rising humidity by inserting a humidifier shut by or grouping it fastidiously with completely different vegetation can help cease this case. “Crops launch moisture as they breathe, so a cluster of vegetation can help humidify one another,” says Hancock.
Temperature Fluctuations
Sudden temperature fluctuations and drafts might trigger a fiddle leaf fig to lose its leaves. “In nature, vegetation don’t usually experience the type of sudden temperature shifts they do after they’re with us,” says Hancock.
In case you intend to maneuver the scenario of your fiddle leaf fig, accomplish that step-by-step to stay away from stunning the plant. Furthermore, Hancock says to take care of your plant away from heating and cooling vents, along with drafty doorways or house home windows. These vegetation favor a temperature above 65 to 75 ranges Fahrenheit, Langelo offers.
Getting previous
Your fiddle leaf fig can also drop leaves naturally with age, nevertheless sadly, there is no remedy for this. On the sensible side, these vegetation have prolonged lifespans. “A fiddle leaf fig can dwell 10 to fifteen years on widespread as a houseplant,” says Langelo. “Their lifespan can go as a lot as 50 years of their pure habitat.”