Why Your Fiddle Leaf Fig is Dropping Leaves

Why Your Fiddle Leaf Fig is Dropping Leaves

I remember the first time my fiddle leaf fig dropped a leaf. I stood there holding this massive, beautiful leaf that had turned brown at the edges, and I genuinely felt like I’d failed as a plant parent. If you’re reading this with a similar pit in your stomach, take a breath. Leaf drop happens to everyone, and usually, your plant is just trying to tell you something.

The tricky part with fiddle leaf figs is that they drop leaves for about ten different reasons, and some of those reasons look almost identical at first. I’ve spent way too many late nights googling “brown spots fiddle leaf” and getting conflicting answers. So let me walk you through the five most common causes I’ve seen, both in my own plants and from talking to other people who are just as obsessed with these finicky trees as I am.

The shock of moving to a new spot

Here’s something nobody tells you when you buy a fiddle leaf fig: they hate change. Like, really hate it.

When you bring one home from the nursery, it’s been sitting under controlled greenhouse conditions with perfect light, humidity, and temperature. Then you stick it in your living room next to a window, and suddenly it’s in plant shock. This is completely normal, and almost every fiddle leaf fig will drop a few lower leaves within the first month of coming home.

I learned this the hard way when I moved mine from one corner of my apartment to another. Just a six-foot move, maybe slightly less light, and within two weeks I had three leaves turn yellow and fall off. I panicked and moved it back, which probably made things worse.

The thing about fiddle leaf figs is they need time to adjust their internal systems to new light levels. When you move them, they basically have to recalibrate how much energy they’re putting into each leaf. The lower, older leaves are usually the first to go because the plant decides they’re not worth keeping if light is limited.

If your plant is dropping leaves and you recently moved it (or brought it home), just leave it alone. Seriously. Pick one spot with bright, indirect light and commit to it for at least six weeks. I know it’s tempting to keep adjusting, but every move restarts the shock cycle.

According to research from the University of Florida’s Environmental Horticulture Department, ficus plants can take four to six weeks to acclimate to new light conditions. During this time, some leaf loss is expected and doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong.

The leaves you lose from relocation shock are usually the older, lower ones. They’ll turn yellow gradually, starting from the bottom of the plant and working up. If you’re only losing one or two leaves and the new growth looks healthy, you’re probably fine. Just stop moving the plant around.

Drafts and temperature changes

This one took me forever to figure out because I didn’t think my apartment was drafty. Turns out, a fiddle leaf fig’s definition of “drafty” is very different from mine.

These plants come from the warm, stable climate of West Africa. They want temperatures between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, and they really don’t appreciate fluctuations. That means no cold drafts from air conditioning vents, no heat blasts from radiators, and definitely no spots near exterior doors that open and close.

I had mine next to a window that I’d crack open on nice days. I thought I was giving it fresh air. Instead, I was giving it temperature swings of 15 to 20 degrees, and it responded by dropping leaves like crazy. These weren’t the slow, yellow leaves from relocation shock. These were green leaves that would develop brown edges and then just fall off within a few days.

The sneaky thing about temperature stress is that you might not notice the problem right away. Your plant can handle a few days of weird temperatures, but if it’s happening regularly (like every time you run the AC in summer or open a window in spring), the damage accumulates.

Check the area around your plant. Put your hand near the leaves and feel for air movement. If you notice a breeze, even a slight one, that could be your problem. Also check if your plant is too close to heating or cooling vents. I moved mine about four feet away from my AC vent, and the leaf drop stopped within two weeks.

The North Carolina State University Extension notes that ficus species are particularly sensitive to cold drafts and can drop leaves when exposed to temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, even briefly.

One more thing about temperature: if you’re losing leaves in winter and your plant is near a window, the glass itself might be the problem. Windows get cold at night, and that cold radiates inward. I bought a cheap indoor thermometer and stuck it near my plant for a few days. Turned out the temperature next to the window was dropping to 55 degrees at night, even though my thermostat said 68. I moved the plant three feet back from the window, and that solved it.

Above: A close up look at the symptoms.

Identifying bacterial root rot

Okay, this is the scary one. Root rot will kill your plant if you don’t catch it, and the first sign is usually leaf drop.

Root rot happens when your fiddle leaf fig sits in water for too long. The roots literally start to rot, and the plant can’t take up water or nutrients anymore. The confusing part is that the symptoms look like underwatering at first. The leaves might droop, turn brown, and fall off, and your instinct is to water more. Please don’t. That makes it worse.

Here’s how I tell the difference: I stick my finger down into the soil, as deep as I can reach. If the soil is wet or even damp several inches down, and your plant is still dropping leaves, you might have rot. Healthy roots should be white or light tan. Rotted roots are brown, black, or gray, and they feel mushy.

I haven’t personally dealt with root rot in my fiddle leaf fig (knock on wood), but I killed a rubber plant this way a few years ago, and it taught me to be paranoid about drainage. Fiddle leaf figs need pots with drainage holes. Not optional. And they need to dry out a bit between waterings.

The Missouri Botanical Garden recommends allowing the top inch of soil to dry before watering ficus plants, and ensuring excess water can drain freely from the pot.

If you suspect root rot, you need to act fast. Take the plant out of its pot and look at the roots. If they’re mushy and dark, you’ll need to cut away all the rotted sections with clean scissors or pruning shears. Then repot in fresh, well-draining soil. Some people add perlite or bark to regular potting mix to improve drainage. I use about 30 percent perlite in mine.

After you repot, don’t water for a few days. Let the roots recover. And going forward, water less frequently. I know that sounds obvious, but it’s really easy to overwater these plants, especially in winter when they’re not actively growing.

Red spots (Edema) on new leaves

This is one of those problems that looks terrifying but is actually pretty harmless. Edema shows up as small red or rust-colored spots on new leaves, and sometimes those affected leaves will drop.

Edema happens when your plant takes up water faster than it can transpire it out through the leaves. The cells basically swell up and burst, leaving those red marks. It’s most common when you have high humidity, wet soil, and not enough light. The plant is drinking but not photosynthesizing enough to use all that water.

I see this most often on my own plant in winter. My apartment stays pretty humid because I have a bunch of plants grouped together, but the light is terrible from November through February. I’ll water on my normal schedule, and then a week later I’ll notice these little red bumps on the newest leaves.

The good news is edema won’t kill your plant. The bad news is those affected leaves might drop, and the spots won’t go away. But new leaves will grow in healthy if you adjust your care.

To fix edema, you need to balance water, humidity, and light. If you can’t increase the light (and in winter, I usually can’t), then water less. I cut my watering back to every 10 to 12 days in winter instead of my usual seven to eight days. I also make sure there’s good air circulation around the plant, which helps the leaves transpire moisture.

Research published in HortScience journal indicates that edema in ornamental plants is directly linked to an imbalance between water uptake and transpiration, and can be managed by adjusting watering frequency and improving light conditions.

Some people see edema and think it’s a pest or disease, so they start spraying with insecticides or fungicides. Don’t do that. It’s a cultural issue, not a pathogen. Just adjust your watering and give it time.

Above: The tools you need to fix this.

Spider mites on Ficus Lyrata

I’m going to be honest: I have never had spider mites on my fiddle leaf fig, and I’m terrified of the day it happens. But I’ve talked to enough people who have dealt with them, and they all say the same thing. By the time you notice the leaf drop, the infestation is already pretty bad.

Spider mites are tiny. Like, you need a magnifying glass to really see them. They live on the undersides of leaves and suck out the plant’s juices. The first signs are usually tiny yellow or white spots on the leaves (called stippling), and maybe some very fine webbing between leaves or where the leaf meets the stem.

The leaves will start to look dull and faded, then turn brown and crispy, and eventually drop. If you’re losing leaves and they look dry and papery (not yellow or mushy), check for mites. Turn the leaves over and look closely. You might see tiny moving dots, or you might just see the damage.

Spider mites love dry conditions. They thrive when humidity is low, which is why they’re such a problem in winter when indoor heating makes the air super dry. If you live in a dry climate or run your heat a lot, your fiddle leaf fig is more vulnerable.

To treat spider mites, you need to be aggressive. I’ve read that you should spray the entire plant (especially the undersides of leaves) with insecticidal soap or neem oil. Some people just use a strong spray of water in the shower to knock the mites off, then follow up with soap. You’ll need to repeat the treatment every few days for at least two weeks because the eggs are harder to kill than the adults.

The University of California Integrated Pest Management Program states that spider mites reproduce rapidly in warm, dry conditions and require repeated treatments for effective control.

Prevention is way easier than treatment. If your air is dry, consider getting a humidifier or grouping your plants together to create a more humid microclimate. I mist my fiddle leaf fig occasionally in winter, though I’ve read mixed opinions on whether misting actually helps. I also wipe the leaves down every few weeks with a damp cloth, which removes dust and lets me inspect for pests.

If you catch spider mites early and treat consistently, your plant will recover. New leaves will grow in healthy. But you might lose a fair number of leaves during the infestation, and that’s just part of the process.

References

Missouri Botanical Garden. “Ficus lyrata.” Plant Finder. Accessed through www.missouribotanicalgarden.org.

North Carolina State University Extension. “Growing Indoor Plants with Success.” NC State Extension Publications.

University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources. “Spider Mites Management Guidelines.” UC IPM Online.

University of Florida Environmental Horticulture Department. “Ficus Production Guide.” IFAS Extension.

Waterworth, K., et al. “Intumescence Development in Ornamental Plants.” HortScience, vol. 45, no. 3, 2010, pp. 370-373.