How Fast Do Fiddle Leaf Figs Grow?

Fiddle leaf figs (Ficus lyrata) are beautiful plants with large and green leaves and can grow quite tall even when it’s indoor. Fiddle leaf figs are native to Western Africa’s rainforests, where they can grow up to a height of 39-49 ft. Let’s find out how fast can fiddle leaf figs grow indoors?

Fiddle leaf figs are slow-growing plants but can grow up to 2 feet every year if it is well taken care of. The growth of your fiddle leaf fig will depend upon factors like lighting conditions and water provided to the plant, temperature around the plant, and humidity level in the room.

Fiddle leaf figs actively grow in the summer months but stop growing during the fall and winter months as that is the dormant period. 

Fiddle leaf figs require regular care and maintenance to show proper growth. If all the conditions are favorable, they can grow up to a height of six feet or more.

Some people call fiddle leaf figs finicky plants as they demand more care and attention than many other houseplants. 

If you are a beginner, you should do your research and then start caring for the fiddle leaf fig so that you don’t go wrong anywhere. 

Read this article till the end to learn about all the factors that can affect the growth of your fiddle leaf fig.

How long do fiddle leaf figs take to grow?

Fiddle leaf figs are known as slow-growing plants. They can take ten to fifteen years to become fully matured.

But the growth of the fiddle leaf figs depends upon many external factors and the amount of care it gets.

There are many methods that you can apply to your fiddle leaf fig to make it grow. And if you want to enhance its growth, you need to ensure that it is getting everything ideal for its growth.

Let’s take a look at some of the factors that play a significant role in the growth of your fiddle leaf fig.

Factors that affect the growth rate of the fiddle leaf fig

If you are not sure about the growth of your fiddle leaf fig and feel that it is growing slower than usual, you need to understand the factors that can affect its growth. 

1. Light
2. Water
3. Soil
4. Fertilizer
5. Pot
6. Temperature and humidity
7. Pruning
8. Pests
9. Season
10. Adaptability

The factors mentioned above need to be considered when deciding to get a fiddle leaf fig plant, and the same factors will determine the plant’s growth.

Light

Fiddle leaf figs love bright and indirect light. They need a lot of energy to grow large leaves and photosynthesize, which requires a lot of light.

Lack of light can slow down all the daily processes of the plant and become the reason for your plant’s slow growth.

If you want to see a healthy fiddle leaf fig that grows at the right pace, you need to give it at least 6-7 hours of indirect light.

So find a spot in your house that gets enough light throughout the day. A south-facing window is considered ideal for the plant.

Ensure that the plant is not getting direct sunlight as that can scorch the leaves. If you don’t have a bright spot in your house, you can buy artificial lights for the plant.

Also read: How much light do fiddle leaf fig need?

Water

Along with light, water is another crucial factor for the growth of the plant.

The water requirement of your fiddle leaf fig depends on the size of the plant.

Both overwatering and underwatering can be damaging and can slow down the growth of the plant.

You can start by giving your fiddle leaf fig one cup of water every week and take it from there. Don’t water when the soil is wet. Let the soil get dry and water when it feels cold and slightly moist.

If you skip watering the plant or don’t provide the plant with enough water, it will not get enough water and nutrition required for growth.

Also read: How often should I water my fiddle leaf fig?

Soil

Using the correct soil mix will enhance the growth of the plant. Plants take in vital nutrients from the soil that helps in their growth process. 

Fiddle leaf figs need a well-draining soil that doesn’t retain excess water and gets enough aeration that supports healthy roots. 

Let’s take a look at a soil mix recipe that will work well for your fiddle leaf fig.

• Two parts potting soil (I prefer Miracle grow)
• 1 part perlite
• 1 part peat moss

Mix all the ingredients along with some water so that it becomes moist. Use it as the potting soil for your fiddle leaf fig.

Also read: What kind of soil is needed for fiddle leaf fig?

Fertilizer

Fertilizers are essential as it adds nutrition to the soil, which the plant absorbs from the soil.

The soil keeps losing nutrition every time you water the plant. Therefore, it is necessary to replenish the soil with nutrition, which is what a good fertilizer does.

Inadequate fertilizing will lead to a lack of nutrition that will become the reason for the slow growth of your fiddle leaf fig.

Overfertilizing can also be a problem if you are giving the plant too much fertilizer. Overfertilizing can burn the roots, and the plant will not be able to get water or nutrition out of the soil that will cause slow growth in your fiddle leaf fig.

Fiddle leaf figs need a fertilizer with an NPK ratio of 3:1:2, which is the ideal ratio that helps in the growth of both roots and leaves.

Using a gentle fertilizer on your fiddle leaf fig works the best. You can also give the plant a dilute dose of fertilizer at least once a month.

Also read: How often should I fertilize my fiddle leaf fig?

Pot

The pot of the fiddle leaf fig also matters. If you are using the wrong-sized pot, it will stop the growth of the fiddle leaf fig.

Using a pot that is too small will make the plant rootbound. A large pot will retain too much water causing damage to the roots.

The fiddle leaf figs tend to become rootbound fast, so you should repot the plant every two-three years.

When choosing a pot, keep in mind that it should neither be too small nor too large. Using the correct pot will let the roots grow freely and absorb the nutrition from the soil.

Temperature and humidity

Fiddle leaf figs appreciate consistent temperature and a lot of humidity. A temperature between 60-75°F is ideal for them.

Summer months are usually good for the fiddle leaf figs as they thrive in that temperature, but during the winter months, the temperature falls.

Try to keep the plant away from the cold drafts and don’t keep it near the window.

Fiddle leaf figs will remain happy as long as they are getting 50% to 65% humidity. Anything below that will make their growth slow.

During the winter months, the humidity gets low or, if you live in a cold and dry region, the humidity will remain low throughout the year.

You can use a humidifier or a pebble tray to increase the humidity. Group the fiddle leaf fig with other plants or keep it in an area that gets more humidity than the different parts of the house will also work well.

Also read: Should I mist my fiddle leaf fig? (+how to maintain humidity)

Pruning

Fiddle leaf figs are one of those plants that need pruning from time to time.

If these plants are not pruned, they will become out of shape and messy.

Another benefit of pruning is that it encourages new growth.

If you don’t prune the fiddle leaf fig on time, it will become leggy, and its growth will slow down.

The best time to prune your fiddle leaf fig would be during early summer and spring months as it will get enough light that will help it recover as fiddle leaf figs tend to get stressed at the slightest changes.

Pruning during the winter months is not ideal as the plant remains dormant with no new growth. It can also get shocked due to the weather conditions.

Always use sterilized tools to prune the plant and use gloves or wash your hands thoroughly after completing the task.

Pests

Pests might be rare but, if they infest your fiddle leaf fig, the growth can slow down drastically.

Pests feed on the sap of the plant and start infesting from the roots. They suck out all the nutrition that the plant requires making it weak.

The plant experiences stunted growth due to pest infestation that also means slow growth.

Therefore, you should keep an eye on your fiddle leaf fig to check if there are any pests on it. Mealybugs, scales, and spider mites are some of the common pests that are attracted to fiddle leaf figs.

If you have found any pests on the plant, you should isolate them immediately so that the pests don’t spread to the other plants.

You can use neem oil or rosemary oil and spray it all over the plant. Please do it for two-three weeks to see results.

You can use pesticides to kill the pests but read the label to ensure that the pesticide doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals. Don’t add too much pesticide as that will damage the plant.

Also Read: How Do I Get Rid Of Bugs On My Fiddle Leaf Fig?

Season

The growth of the fiddle leaf fig can also depend on the season. Spring and summer are the ideal seasons for the development of fiddle leaf figs.

If it gets enough light, water, and fertilizer, it will show rapid growth.

The winter season is not the ideal season as this is the dormant period for the plant where it sleeps and doesn’t show any growth. So, don’t worry if you don’t see your fiddle leaf fig growing in winter.

Adaptability

Fiddle leaf figs are very sensitive to change. They can get stressed even if there is a minor change in their surroundings or the weather conditions.

Stress or shock can make the plant unhappy, and you might not see it grow.

Therefore, you need to take extra care after bringing a fiddle leaf fig home to make sure that it can adapt with ease.

Give it adequate water, sufficient indirect light, and let it adjust.

When repotting a fiddle leaf fig, you should again take care as it is a significant change for the plant, so it needs enough care to settle down.

How can I make my fiddle leaf fig grow faster?

You need to take care of the daily requirements of the plant to ensure that it is healthy and growing. To sum it up:

• Provide sufficient light by placing your fiddle leaf fig at a spot where it gets a lot of indirect light.
• Maintain a watering schedule by watering the fiddle leaf fig at least once a week. Don’t water when the soil is wet.
• Use a well-draining soil mix and a correct-sized pot that has proper drainage holes.
• Add cactus mix and wood chips to your soil to make it well-draining and nutritious.
• Keep checking the plant for pests especially, if the growth is slow. Some pests are hard to notice, so you need to look closely. Get rid of the pests as soon as you find any.
• Add fertilizers to the soil regularly to support the growth of the plant.

Pruning, pinching, and notching are some great ways to enhance growth in your fiddle leaf fig.

Pruning is the easiest of all. Use sharp and sterilized pruners and cut off the damaged parts of the plant and the long and leggy ones. 

Prune all the leaves and branches, and your plant will start showing new growth in no time.

Pinching is a great and easy way to enhance the growth of your fiddle leaf figs. 

You can do this with your thumb and pointer finger. You need to break the top of the growing tip; you need to pinch that part in a way that it breaks off. You will see new growth soon in your fiddle leaf fig.

Notching is the other method, where you need to decide where you want to see new growth in the plant. 

You need to find a nod that is nearest to your decided spot and make a deep cut over there with a sharp knife. A new branch will soon come out from that spot.

Are fiddle leaf figs slow growers?

Yes, fiddle leaf figs are slow-growing plants that can take ten to fifteen years to reach optimum growth.

However, it can grow big enough to make your house look good within three to four years.

Also read: 13 reasons why your indoor plants keeps dying?

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Sources: CABI.ORG, New York Botanical garden, University of Florida.