Botanico

Plant profile

Fiddle-leaf fig

Ficus lyrata Warb.

Family: Moraceae · Genus: Ficus

Photo of Fiddle-leaf fig
Image: Alejandro Bayer Tamayo from Armenia, Colombia. License: CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons. · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Indoor tree with large fiddle-shaped leaves. Needs steady light and patience.

From Wikipedia

Ficus lyrata, commonly known as the fiddle-leaf fig, banjo fig, fiddle-leaved fig tree, lyre leaf fig tree, or lyre-leaved fig tree, is a species of plant in the mulberry and fig family Moraceae. It is native to western Africa, but is cultivated around the world as an ornamental plant. It has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Ficus lyrata — Text CC BY-SA. See the original article.

Open-data facts

Life form
Hemiepiphytic tree in its natural ecology.
Climate
Native climate: humid tropical. High warmth and ambient humidity.
Origin / area
The typical geographical origin is: Western and Central Tropical Africa.
Native distribution
In its wild area, it can be found in: Benin, Western Tropical Africa, Africa · Ghana, Western Tropical Africa, Africa · Guinea-Bissau, Western Tropical Africa, Africa · Guinea, Western Tropical Africa, Africa · Ivory Coast, Western Tropical Africa, Africa · Liberia, Western Tropical Africa, Africa · Nigeria, Western Tropical Africa, Africa · Sierra Leone, Western Tropical Africa, Africa · Togo, Western Tropical Africa, Africa · Cameroon, West-Central Tropical Africa, Africa · Gabon, West-Central Tropical Africa, Africa.
Documented uses
Environmental · ornamental

Traits (USDA)

Botanical group
It's a dicot: many herbs, shrubs, and ornamental trees fall into this category.
Duration
It's not a one-year plant: its life cycle is perennial.
Growth habit
Tree habit: potential for large woody growth.

Recommended products for Fiddle-leaf fig

    Ecological interactions

    • Animals that eat this plant:

      Euploea core, Calyptorhynchus banksii, Hypsignathus monstrosus

    • Hosts these species:

      Agaon spatulatum, Cercospora sp., Colletotrichum sp., Helminthosporium sp., Phyllosticta sp., Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Cephalosporium sp., Cylindrocladium sp.…

    Basic care

    Watering
    Medium frequency; adjust for heat and pot size.
    Light
    If colour fades, it usually wants a bit more brightness.
    Temperature
    Outside a mild indoor range, protect the plant.
    Humidity
    Prefers less dry air than a typical living room.

    Pet toxicity

    Leaves and stems are not for pets to play with or eat.

    Cats: yes (toxic). Dogs: yes (toxic).

    Sources