Ficus Lyrata / Fiddle leaf fig

Also know as: fiddle leaf fig, ficus pandurata, Ficus L. (Moracea)

A wild plant tamed to be a interior design icon- fiddle fig.

Some history of the fiddle leaf fig.

The ficus lyrata mostly know as fiddle leaf fig is a plant originally found in Africa where it has been recorded growing for million years.

It is mostly there where you can admire it in it’s full grown sizes, reaching the size of large trees. 

Nowadays, the fiddle leaf fig is an iconic statement for style and interior decor thanks to its highly geometric shapes and the possibility to grow it as a bush or as a column. It has been “tamed” to a plant that grows perfectly in a pot and this is because of the resilient nature of this species. 

In nature, the ficus lyrata often competes with other plants for light and you will often see it growing the roots wrapped around other trees (epiphyte plant).

About the plant.

The plant grows large leaves, usually from the top of the stem. In some cases, leaves grow spontaneously from other lower sections of the plant.
The leaves grow very large and densely packed.
Some people prefer to pluck the bottom leaves and leave a the bushy part on the top, whereas some others choose samples with multiple stems and leaves growing from all directions. It doesn’t like cold temperatures and it’s perfect in Dubai as the temperatures in our homes suit very well the needs of this plant.

We usually provide both single stem and multi stem samples.

Usually the larger darker leaves are from European imported plants and smaller brighter leaves are from the Chinese varieties. We love both as we see them as unique varieties on its own.

It’s not considered a pet-friendly plant as it is toxic if ingested by small domestic animals. It’s harmless for us

Care fact sheet.

Considered in the western world as “difficult plant”, we cannot disagree more. Fiddle leaf plants thrives in Dubai and it’s perfect for our climate.

We recommend this as an easy to grow plant and it’s a perfect choice for beginners. Care and attention will be rewarded with faster growth and larger leaves, but if you leave the plant alone during your holidays, it will be still there in a good shape when you come back

Some resources we like

The fiddle leaf resource page

From our shop

Areca palm plant care tips