*The plant pictured is not necessarily the plant you will receive, but will be same size and shape.*

Common Name: Fiddle Leaf Fig, Fiddle-Leaf Fig, Fiddleleaf Fig, Fiddle-leaf Ficus

Scientific Name: Ficus lyrata

 -Care Recommendations by The Dude-

Best for These Animals: Tropical and semi-tropical/temperate frogs and lizards, especially arboreal (tree-dwelling) species. Also, some species of arboreal snakes.

Bio Dude Substrates: TerraFlora, TerraFauna, TerraFirma

Soil Depth: Prefers moist, but not overly-wet, soil, with time to dry out between waterings. A soil depth of at least several inches is recommended. Deeper soil results in larger growth.

Lighting: Medium or bright, indirect light. Placement under a basking or heat light may cause the leaves to burn. However, lighting conditions that are too low can cause the plant to deteriorate.

Humidity & Misting: 40%-100% suggested. Likes moist, but well-drained soil.

Mature Plant Size & Root System: A member of the ficus family, Fiddle-leaf fig has large, waxy leaves that, as the name suggests, are shaped like a fiddle. It grows mostly upright and does best in taller terrariums, or even as a houseplant! The leaves can reach over a foot in length and width. In its native range of western Africa it has an abundance of white flowers and produces a fig-shaped fruit (hence, the other part of the name), and can reach heights of over 40 feet. However, it often stays smaller when confined in a terrarium or pot, and can be pruned. Fiddle-leafs kept in terrariums or pots will also fail to produce flowers or fruit, since they will not reach mature size.

Root systems can spread throughout a terrarium’s substrate. Sometimes roots will appear on the trunk above the substrate and then reach down into the soil. This is normal and no additional substrate needs to be added to compensate. Be careful not to prune back all of the leaves, stems, or roots at once, or to move a Fiddle-leaf fig from a spot where it is thriving, as they are notoriously finicky to being moved or to abrupt environmental changes. Pruning may result in a more multi-trunked, bushy-shaped plant over time.

Temperature Tolerance & Placement in the Terrarium: Fiddle-leaf will generally be the dominant plant in a terrarium setup and will need adequate room to accommodate its very large (sometimes over-a-foot-in-length) leaves. Though it prefers moderate, indirect light as opposed to very low lighting conditions, too much light or heat can cause the leaves to burn.

Edible & Side Effects if Ingested: Like nearly all members of the ficus family, Fiddle-leaf is mildly toxic if consumed by humans, especially the milky sap. Reptiles and amphibians don’t generally eat Fiddle-leaf and thus aren’t affected. The fruit of the Fiddle-leaf is edible if prepared correctly, but Fiddle-leafs grown in terrariums or pots rarely flower or fruit.

Pot Size & Packaging: A single 6" diameter pot/3 gallon potted Fiddle-leaf fig is shipped wrapped in packing paper. Depending on shipping conditions and location/destination, plants may be shipped bare-rooted (as per USDA requirements).