How to Grow Fiddle Leaf Fig
Fiddle Leaf Fig At a Glance
Difficulty
Moderate
Category
Houseplant
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Tender
Cold Hardiness
Survives to 13°C
Plant Family
Moraceae
Growing Season
Year Round
Plant Lifecycle
Perennial
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
In spring or summer, cut a stem tip 20 to 30 cm long with 2 to 3 leaves, just below a leaf joint. Let the milky sap stop, then stand the stem in a glass of water in bright, indirect light and change the water every week. Roots appear in about 4 to 6 weeks: pot it up once they are a few centimetres long.
Fiddle leaf fig is not hard to grow, but it hates change: a move, a cold draft or a missed watering can make it drop leaves. Find it a bright spot, keep a steady routine and then leave it alone. Treated that way, it can grow into an indoor tree over 2 m tall.
When To Start
Fiddle Leaf Fig grows all year in the right spot, so there is no window to wait for.
We do not have exact sowing dates for this one yet.
When should you plant Fiddle Leaf Fig?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Fiddle Leaf Fig Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Fiddle Leaf Fig Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Pot up your fiddle leaf fig and pick its forever spot
About 0 days after you plant it
Check if your fiddle leaf fig needs a bigger pot
About 365 days after you plant it· every year· optional
Root a fiddle leaf fig stem tip in water to make more
About 120 days after you plant it· every year· optional
Check the soil of your fiddle leaf fig: water when the top 3 cm feel dry.
About 7 days after you plant it
Hello! Your fiddle leaf fig likes bright light and a steady spot, so try not to move it around.
About 30 days after you plant it
Nice going! Water when the top few centimetres of soil feel dry, and wipe dust off the big leaves.
About 90 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Fiddle Leaf Fig's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 1
Prepare Your Space
Vertical Growing
No.
Succession Planting
No.
Good Companions
Bad Companions
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Growing Tips
- 1Give it the brightest spot you have, close to but not touching a sunny window, and then stop moving it.
- 2Use a chunky, fast-draining potting mix with some compost, in a pot with drainage holes.
- 3Water when the top 5 cm of the mix is dry, soaking it until water runs out the bottom, and never leave it sitting in water.
- 4Feed once a month in spring and summer with compost tea or a sprinkle of worm castings.
- 5Wipe the big leaves with a damp cloth every few weeks, which also clears off spider mites, and turn the pot a little each month so it grows straight.
- 6The milky sap irritates skin and the plant is toxic to cats and dogs, so keep it out of reach of pets.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
250 cm
Mature Height
100 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
How to Harvest
- 1There is nothing to eat on a fiddle leaf fig, so its care is tidying and shaping.
- 2Snip off brown or damaged leaves at the stem with clean scissors.
- 3To make it bushier, cut off the top of the main stem in spring, and new branches will grow below the cut.
- 4Move it into a pot one size bigger every 1 to 2 years in spring, when roots circle the pot or poke out the bottom.
- 5Keep it away from heating vents and cold drafts all winter.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
Seed Production
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