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Fiddle-Leaf Figs are an Evergreen Ornamental “In” Plant to Have

Dan Specialty Crops, This Land of Ours

One of the top-selling houseplants known for it’s style in magazines and hotel lobbies. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.

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An indoor fiddle leaf fig tree
By LuizCent – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

Native to West African lowland rain forests, fiddle-leaf figs are an evergreen ornamental also known as banjo fig or lyre leaf tree.

You can grow them outdoors if you live in the right climate, but they are more suited to being an indoor ornamental in most places. In their native environment, they can grow up to 50 feet tall. In the United States, outside specimens typically grow to about 20 feet tall. Indoors, they’re limited to about 10 feet tall.

Fiddle Leaf Figs have become the “in” plant to have. You will see them in design and fashion magazines, upmarket hotel lobbies, and stylish homes all over the place. 

You won’t normally see the fiddle-leaf fig produce fruit, especially indoors, but don’t worry, you aren’t missing out on anything. They aren’t like the edible figs that people spend a fortune on at supermarkets.

While beautiful, with its massive, Jurassic-looking foliage, this popular houseplant has a bit of a reputation for being particularly fickle in regards to light, water, soil, and temperature.

Just a warning.  Fiddle-leaf figs release a latex that can be irritating to the skin. Wear gloves when working with this plant.

Listen to Cathy Isom’s This Land of Ours program here.

Fiddle-Leaf Figs are an Evergreen Ornamental “In” Plant to Have