Why is my fiddle leaf fig dropping leaves? If you are worried about your fiddle leaf fig dropping leaves, this article will explain the reasons why your fiddle leaf fig is dropping leaves and what you can do to keep them from continuing to fall off.
Fiddle Leaf Fig is one of the most beautiful house plants out there. The large, shiny green leaves are beautiful and exotic.
It is one of the most popular plants for homes and offices. It’s a slow-growing tree that can be maintained at 6 feet or allowed to grow to its full height of 10-12 feet. It has glossy, leathery leaves shaped like violins.
However, this plant does not tolerate change well at all!
Fiddle leaf figs are technically tropical plants, so they’re very susceptible to sudden temperature changes, such as moving it from an air-conditioned room to a hot, sunny spot near your window.
It’s one of the reasons why fiddle leaf figs are such a finicky houseplant — their leaves are easily damaged by both bright sunlight and cold drafts.
If you’re lucky enough to have one of these trendy plants, you know they can be a bit fussy.
The Fiddle Leaf Fig is very particular about its water needs, light needs, soil needs, and even about being moved too much.
If any one of these needs is not met, the plant will show its displeasure by dropping leaves.
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Why Is My Fiddle Leaf Fig Dropping Leaves?
There are several reasons why your fiddle leaf fig might be dropping leaves.
Fiddle leaf figs drop leaves for a variety of reasons, including air circulation issues, temperature stress, light deficiencies, or water issues.
The most common reasons for a fiddle leaf fig dropping its leaves are:
Inappropriate Humidity
Fiddle leaf figs (Ficus lyrata) are tropical plants that thrive in humid environments with indirect sunlight.
If you notice that your fiddle leaf fig is beginning to drop its leaves suddenly, just know that it may be responding to changes in its environment or due to stress from improper care.
Dropping leaves due to dry, hot air over time, dry air causes moisture to evaporate from plant tissues, including the soil and tissues of leaves and stems.
Eventually, this leads to a cascade of health problems for your indoor plants, including wilting and dropping leaves.
Fortunately for us, there are many things you can do to raise the humidity around your plants: Set Plants on Trays of Moist Gravel You can fill a tray with pebbles or small stones then add water below the top of the rocks until the bottom of your potted houseplant touches the surface of the water.
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Adjusting to a new environment
The first reason for a fiddle leaf fig to drop leaves is that it is adjusting to its new environment.
This plant hates being moved around too much! Moving it from one part of your house to another could cause it to drop leaves.
Also, if you have recently purchased your fiddle leaf fig or moved it to a new location, it may take some time for the plant to settle into its new home.
You may notice that it drops a few leaves and then recovers. This is a normal part of the adjustment period and should not be cause for alarm.
Temperature situation
If you are experiencing leaf loss, I would first look at the weather in your area.
The Fiddle Leaf Fig likes indirect bright light but not hot sun. Is it warmer in your house than usual? If so, Ficus lyrata likes cooler temps, so this could be the culprit. Cold drafts or cold windowsills can also cause leaf loss.
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Watering schedules
If the weather doesn’t seem to be the problem, take a look at your watering schedule.
Are you over or underwatering? This plant needs water when the top 1-2 inches of soil is dry and will drop leaves if left too dry or wet for too long.
So, the second reason that an FLF may drop leaves is because of overwatering or underwatering.
In either of these cases, the soil will not contain enough moisture to support the plant and it can cause stress on the plant which leads to leaf loss.
The best way to avoid this is by checking the soil before watering and only watering when the top couple inches of soil are dry.
You may need to water only once a month or you may need to water every two weeks depending on your home’s climate. The plant likes rich potting soil that has good drainage and dries out quickly.
Cold drafts in the winter months
The next reason that FLF’s drop leaves could be due to cold drafts in the winter months.
While these plants prefer cooler temperatures, they don’t do well in drafts so make sure your windows are closed during colder weather if you live somewhere with harsh winters!
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The plant is not getting enough light
Fiddle leaf figs need bright, indirect light to thrive. If your plant has been getting direct sun, or if you’ve recently moved it from a darker spot into brighter light, that could be why your plant is dropping leaves.
These plants love bright but indirect sunlight, so it’s important to place them in the right place in your home.
A lack of good light can cause the lower leaves on your plant to fall off.
If you notice that your Fiddle Leaf Fig is dropping its lower leaves, first check its location. Move the plant away from any walls or windows that could be blocking light from reaching the plant.
It’s not getting enough nutrients
Fiddles are hungry plants! Try fertilizing with our 16-16-16 fertilizer once a month in spring and summer and quarterly in fall and winter (more instructions here).
Mistreatment
You may bump, shake or otherwise mistreat your tree without realizing it, especially if you wear shoes in your home. Even kids playing nearby can cause a shock.
Transplanting Shock
Another reason your fiddle leaf fig could be dropping leaves is because of transplant shock.
You might have been told that fiddle leaf figs are “easy to care for” or “low maintenance plants” when you bought yours… but that couldn’t be further from the truth (sorry!).
Ficus lyrata can be notoriously finicky and drop its leaves when messed with too much.
Finally, if it seems like you’re doing everything right, then it may just be natural leaf loss.
Many plants go through a period of adjustment after being moved or re-potted and will drop some leaves. Eventually, they should get back to normal and begin growing again.
Does the loss of leaves of my Fiddle Leaf Figs Signify A problem?
Fiddle leaf figs, or ficus lyrata, can be a beautiful addition to your home. These tropical plants are commonly found in homes and offices all over the world because of their large leaves and air-purifying qualities.
Like all plants, fiddle leaf figs will drop their leaves when they’re not happy in their environment. But, unlike many other houseplants, this is normal for a fiddle leaf fig.
They tend to drop some leaves as a result of being moved from one place to another.
It may happen every time you move it!
So, if your fiddle leaf fig is dropping leaves, don’t panic! It doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong with your plant.
However, if you notice that your plant is dropping more than one leaf per week or that the new growth has just stopped altogether (for at least three months), then you may want to take a look at these common causes of leaf loss in the ficus lyrata and see if you need to take any action.
