The Tale of the Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree
I’m not going to sugarcoat it. I am a plant killer. I have a black thumb like no other. But you may have already known that by now, since I like to brag about it. Instead I am a huge lover of the artificial plant group, and I’m not even slightly ashamed. But you know who surprisingly is like the plant whisperer in our home? My husband. He can turn any half dead plant into a thriving beauty, and yes I am completely jealous of his skills! Then again, the biggest part of keeping a plant alive is having to water it, and I just tend to always forget that step.
About four or five years ago I learned all about this beautiful plant called the Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree, and naturally I needed to have one. Of course my husband laughed at me because, well, it’s a real plant. But I promised him up and down I would keep this one alive because it was special. And the search began. And it continued. And it became my mission in life to find this plant.
I had heard many legends that you could find the Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree at your local home improvement stores, and even IKEA. Well here in St. Louis, I learned really fast (after stalking these stores weekly for months and months, and many more months…) this legend is entirely false. So I went online and ordered one, and after I was sent the brown version, also known as the dead version, I was about to give up. But the plant universe really wanted me to have one of these trees, and one day on a sunny afternoon shopping with my mother-in-law in southern Illinois, it happened.
It happened at a Walmart, of all places. There she was in all her little glory. I wanted to hug her. I wanted to buy the whole entire stock of them. I mean after all she was only like twelve bucks. But I knew I had to prove that I could keep this one alive before I could get another one. So I put her in my cart and we lived happily ever after. . .
We lived happily ever after because after a few weeks of me forgetting to water her, my husband took over and I am not even kidding, this tree thrived and just keeps on growing because of him. You want to know how?
- WATER THE PLANT – When it’s a baby, maybe just one cup once a week. When it’s big like mine, approximately two cups a week. Make sure the top of the soil is wet.
- REPLANT IT – When it gets too big for its pot, it needs more room!
- DONT MOVE IT – We literally have left this plant in the same spot for all of its life here. I really do believe this is key.
- INDIRECT SUNLIGHT – Even though we have ours in front of the window, we usually always have the curtains closed while we are at work. So it isn’t getting too much sun.
- ROTATE IT – Okay, so maybe you do move it a little. After a while you are going to notice your tree leaning towards the sunlight, so be sure to rotate it so it doesn’t hurt its back. Be nice, guys.
So if you are looking for this beautiful plant. I wish you luck! It was well worth the wait!
High end nurseries will have this elusive plant that everyone is looking for.
I too have been on a search for the evasive Fiddle Leaf Fig. I’ve been searching for over a year. I’ve tried all the same routes you did. This gives me hope that some day a Fiddle Leaf Fig may come to live at my house!!!
So beautiful! I had one last year that sadly died when we moved it. I can’t wait to find another one!
I too, kill everything I get. I try really, really hard. I read the instruction card on every single plant, I buy the really expensive sprinkle food. But, that’s the first week. The second week…death by some unknown reason… or no water, one of the two. But now, I must have one too. And see if I can remember the one cup method. I’ll try….
Wow! Ashley, that is so gorgeous. And you found it for $12?! I’m sure it was small, but still! Now, I am on the hunt. 😉