Fiddle-leaf fig: Diseases and Remedies (Ficus lyrata)

NOTE: The terms Fiddle-leaf fig and Ficus lyrata are identical in this text; in reality, Ficus lyrata is Fiddle-leaf fig’s biological word.

The fiddle-leaf fig is a popular indoor tree with large leaves and glossy violin-shaped leaves that grow upright on a sleek trunk. If you can grow a fiddle-leaf fig in a container that is at least 6 feet tall, it will be a perfect focal point of the room.

Most indoor specimen reach around 10 feet tall. It can be potted at any point in the year if you’re like most gardeners who want a nursery plant to keep indoors. This plant is harmful to cats and dogs.

Why does my Ficus lyrata roots have rot?

If left untreated, root rot on your Fiddle-leaf fig (Ficus lyrata) can be fatal. For this reason, if the symptoms appear, we highly advise that you adhere to our recommendations to keep your plant alive: Blackened and softened roots.
Fiddle-leaf

Why does my Fiddle-leaf fig have gray mold spots?

A particular fungus that frequently affects flowers and spreads quickly is known as gray mold spots. This fungus is most likely to blame if you see any brown (or gray) spots. Don’t ignore these signs because doing so could cause your plant to die.

Our Solution

When you understand the root of the issue, the solution makes perfect sense. The majority of the time, it is caused by the Ficus lyrata being overwatered. We urge you to cut off the infected roots and leaves, remove the affected sections of the plant, and then repot your plant in a fresh container with sterile potting soil.

Why does my Fiddle-leaf fig have leaf spots?

Leaf This type of disease is one of the most frustrating for Fiddle-leaf fig owners, we give you all the leads to spot and save your plants that present symptoms such as leaves that suddenly change color, or wilt/droop.

Why are my Fiddle-leaf fig leaves turning yellow?

This is probably the most common problem in the gardening world, yellowing leaves. There are 2 main reasons for this phenomenon, overwatering, or a lack of nutrients.

Reduce your watering frequency when you fear your plants are being overwatered, and follow these steps to determine whether they may be lacking in nutrients:

Here are some indicators of yellowing on the Ficus lyrata brought on by its numerous flaws:

  • The first symptom of a magnesium deficiency is yellow patches between leaf veins on elder leaves. The leaf’s core turns yellow while the veins stay green. The edges of the leaf yellow last.
  • Yellowing between leaf veins is another sign of iron shortage, but young leaves on plant tops and branch tips are initially affected.
  • The newest leaves are first affected by sulfur deficiency, rendering them completely yellow.
  • Potassium deficiency shows itself when leaf edges turn bright yellow, but the inner leaf stays green. Older leaves show symptoms first, and leaf edges soon turn brown.
  • A lack of nitrogen is indicated by a widespread yellowing. Older, inner leaves are the first to yellow. As the yellowing progresses, it eventually touches young leaves as well.

Our Solution

According to the symptoms mentioned above, you just have to act accordingly. You can reduce your watering frequency, or fix a deficiency in Potassium, or Nitrogen, for that, you just have to buy a special soil for your deficiency, a consultant in a gardening store will know perfectly well how to inform you.

Is my Fiddle-leaf fig sunburned?

It is simple to determine whether your Fiddle-leaf fig (your Ficus lyrata) has sunburn. Your plant will change color in this instance, beginning to turn yellow or white, much like it does on us.

Sunburned

As we saw above, the leaves of your Fiddle-leaf fig can also change color if it receives too much water or insufficient light.

However, there is a way to tell if it is sunburn; look at the bottom of the yellow leaves, the ones that have a shaded area closer to the root, if this area stays greener, it is probably sunburned, not something else.

Why are my Fiddle-leaf fig leaves turning brown?

The classic sign that a plant has been overexposed to direct sunlight and sunburned is the development of browning leaves. Rest assured that while this may probably save your plant from dying, it will adversely affect its growth.

Should I leave my Ficus lyrata in direct sunlight?

No! Don’t leave your Ficus lyrata (or Fiddle-leaf fig) in the sun if it displays the symptoms mentioned above; that’s why it’s in such a bad situation.

Our Solution

As explained in the paragraph above, the solution is simple, just place your Fiddle-leaf fig in a place where the light does not reach it directly, in this way and with a correct watering, your plant should resume its life rather quickly.

Why are my Ficus lyrata leaves drooping or wilting ?

In most cases, this happens when your Ficus lyrata lacks water. This is especially the case for large plants, naturally they need more water than others.

Drooping

Whether your Ficus lyrata plant’s pot appears light, the soil and roots are likely fairly dry and need water, so you can readily tell if it needs to be hydrated.

Our Solution

In order to ensure that the roots of your plant receive the water’s benefits, you must first moisten the soil in the container if it is absolutely dry. One common error is to immediately drown the Fiddle-leaf fig after a dry period in the belief that it requires a lot of water.

This is true, but the easiest way to end it is to give too much water at once. Instead, you should water the soil properly, returning to a peaceful watering rhythm.

Caring Tips for Ficus lyrata

Water Occasionally

Water is essential to the survival of your plant, however, it is important to balance the rate of watering. As we explained above, overwatering could have fatal consequences for your Ficus lyrata.

The best way to know if your plant needs water or not is to touch the soil, if you feel it is still wet, it is probably a good idea to wait a few more days.

Always keep temperatures stable

It’s also a good idea to keep your Ficus lyrata at a constant temperature, especially if it’s kept indoors. In general, at GreenShack, we suggest booking a temperature between 65 and 85 degrees F. Of course, keep your Ficus lyrata away from radiators, air conditioners, and other sources of hot or cold air.

Keep your Fiddle-leaf fig Dust-Free

This one concerns indoor plants, just like on your furniture, dust is also deposited on the leaves of your indoor plants, the problem is that it can prevent them from receiving the necessary light, this would slow down (or even stop) the photosynthesis process, and eventually, they would lose their colors.

For your Fiddle-leaf fig, this would be a true descent into hell, and it would also appease the pests.

To remove the dust, gently rub the plant’s leaves with a microfiber cloth. Dust can be removed more easily with a damp cloth, but stay away from corrosive substances like rubbing alcohol!

Keep drainage in mind

If you tend to overwater, you need to pay attention to your drainage, and we advise choosing a saucer and a pot with drainage holes if they are not already there.

You can add volcanic rocks (or any other pebbles with holes) to the bottom of your pot in the interim if your pots don’t already have holes in them. This will help to form a channel so that the water doesn’t pool there for too long (preventing the rot of the roots!).