Much loved and always in-demand, the fiddle leaf fig tree is an artificial houseplant with a reputation that precedes its.

A tropical rainforest plant, fiddle leaf fig trees are so much more than an Instagram trend. Researching fiddle leaf fig trees, there’s a lot to learn about how to care for them and where they’re from.

In tribute to what’s perhaps the most popular indoor plant of all-time, here are 7 facts of fiddle leaf fig trees any decorator should know. 

A Fiddle Leaf Fig v. Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree

Though fiddle leaf fig trees are popular, you also have the smaller fiddle leaf fig. A larger tree uncared for can lose leaves or turn yellow. On top of that, they can grow to up to 50 feet over time. Comparatively, a fiddle leaf fig is limited at only 10 feet indoors – still, quite large.

A Fiddle Leaf Tree Will Outgrow Your Planter

In all likelihood, a true fiddle-leaf fig tree houseplant will have to be replanted somewhere else. Left to its own devices, it will grow and grow and grow some more. Height-wise, it’ll reach the ceiling. The root structure itself will also require a larger planter than it likely comes in.

Fiddle Leaf Fig Trees Don’t Grow From A Leaf

You cannot grow a new tree from a fiddle leaf fig tree leaf. You require a tip cutting. That is, a stem that’s 6 inches or longer and one which is attached to a leaf. Sans stem, roots may grow however they will appear purely for decoration. A leaf will never sprout into a new tree. 

Fiddle Leaf Figs Are Particular About Their Care

A common reason why homeowners and interior design decorators switch to faux fiddle leaf plants instead of the real thing is because they don’t require any care. The real fiddle leaf figs struggle when soil is too wet, don’t like soil that’s too dry, can dry out from too much air conditioning, and doesn’t like too much sun or not enough sun. So finicky!

You Can Revive A Dying Fiddle Leaf Fig

If you’re struggling to care for a fiddle leaf fig and there’s no way to bring it back from dying, chopping off the top of the trunk is a start. Most fiddle leaf figs will sprout from the trunk. New leaves will grow and you’ll end up with an even bushier tree than before.

Fiddle Leaf Fig Trees Love Humidity

There isn’t enough humidity indoors to care for a fiddle leaf fig tree. A humidifier’s needed. It’s a rainforest plant. Most indoor humidity levels are around 10, when a fiddle leaf needs a humidity level of ideally 65. This makes an artificial plant fiddle leaf fig tree all the more attractive to homeowners who don’t want the added humidity damaging their property.

A Fake Fiddle Leaf Fig Actually Looks Very Real

A fiddle leaf fig tree has a gloss and overall appearance that’s easy to duplicate into a faux version. You can buy fake fiddle leaf trees and artificial fiddle leaf figs from ArtiPlanto that are indistinguishably lifelike. If growing and maintaining a fig leaf isn’t your deal, surely a faux fiddle leaf fig tree will still capture all the charm you’re searching for.

Skip all the hard stuff. Get an artificial fiddle leaf fig tree this season from ArtiPlanto. The best houseplant for faux plant lovers to start with, see the handcrafted detail up-close.

andrew lu