Originated from central and western Africa, fiddle leaf figs are popular indoor houseplants. They are quite large in size and very vibrant in colors. As a plant of African origin, they require a somewhat warm atmosphere and a high amount of sunlight.
If you live in a tropical country, these plants can be a really good decorative for your room. However, the question is, do these plants bloom flowers or produce fruits. Let’s have a look ourselves.
Do fiddle leaf figs bloom flower or produce fruit?
The fiddle leaf figs don’t bloom flowers or produce fruits when indoor. But in the wild, they do produce fruits. Their fruit is round and small. Moreover, these fruits are not edible. The fruit rarely grows in the indoor environment because it needs a lot of light to produce fruit.
Do fiddle leaf figs flower?
The fiddle leaf figs do not usually bear any flowers when they are indoor. As a house plant, they act like a non-flowering plant. It mainly depends on the genesis and the environment in which they are surrounded.
However, when the fiddle leaf figs are in the wild or left outdoor, they bloom flowers. They also produce figs outdoor. It is due to the proper supply of sunlight and the higher amount of nutrients available in the outdoor soil.
Pollinators like wasps and bees also help in the flowering of fiddle leaf figs when they are outdoor. However, when they are indoor, these pollinators usually do not pollinate them. That is why indoor fiddle leaf figs do not bloom flowers.
Do fiddle leaf fig trees produce figs?
Fiddle leaf figs are a very popular houseplant. Due to their vibrant color and big leaves, many people like to keep them indoors. However, keeping them indoors requires much care and attention.
The fiddle leaf figs show differences in pattern in flowering and bearing figs based on their environment. They act differently in indoor and outdoor conditions.
These plants are originally from a warm African climate. As a result, the temperature is an important factor for their flowering and fruition routine.
Indoor:
Indoor fiddle leaf fig plants do not produce fruits due to lack of light and healthiness. The environment does not support the plant to produce fruits. The lack of sunlight inside the indoor conditions prevents them from bearing fruits.
Lack of pollinators like a wasp is another reason that prevents the fiddle leaf figs from bearing any fruit indoor. These plants struggle to pollinate in indoor environments due to a lack of natural pollinators.
That is why indoor fiddle leaf figs do not bear fruits.
In the wild:
Fiddle leaf fig plants thrive in the sun, whether in the wild or a container. The overall outdoor conditions are favorable for these plants to bloom flowers and produce fruits.
In the wild, the fiddle leaf figs bear fruits and bloom flowers. Sunlight is abundant in the wild, as well as the natural flow of nutrients. As a result, in the wild, fiddle leaf figs can bloom flowers and bear fruits.
When in the wild, fiddle leaf figs also have pollinators like a wasp. It also plays a vital role in blooming flowers and bearing figs.
Can you eat fiddle leaf fig fruit?
The fruits of the fiddle leaf fig are not edible. When the fruit is mature, it has leathery skin. They lack the sweetness and have a bland flavor that is unsuitable for our taste buds.
They are not toxic. However, these fruits do not taste good. These fruits are good for feeding the animal. But sometimes you may find these fruits in some departmental stores.
So the bottom line is that these fruits are not toxic but not edible either. They are not good in terms of taste.
How do fiddle leaf figs reproduce?
As indoor fiddle leaf figs can not grow flowers and bear any fruits, it is tricky to reproduce. In such a case, the best way to reproduce them is by vegetative reproduction. Thus they reproduce without any flowers or fruits.
The leaf or stem cutting method is one of the common ways to reproduce an indoor fiddle leaf fig. Another popular method is air layering.
You can get new plants by using the leaf or stem cutting method. On the other hand, you can use the air layering method to save a plant drying plant.
How do fiddle leaf figs reproduce in the wild?
In the wild, wasps play a vital role in the reproduction of fiddle leaf figs. These small wasps lay eggs inside the fruit and feed their larvae of the fruit.
Once the larvae are old enough, they eat out of their way out of the fruit and goes to other fig plants. While moving from one fig to another, the female wasp pollinates the figs. These pollinated figs later turn into seeds, and the plant reproduces through them.
Thus, by a system of mutualism, fiddle leaf figs reproduce in the wild.
How big do fiddle leaf figs grow indoors?
The fiddle leaf figs are one of the most popular indoor plants. Indoors, it grows very large. The leaves are highly veined and glossy, and they grow up on a slim stem. The tallness is the big attraction of the plant compared to other houseplants.
Indoor fiddle leaf figs can grow up to around 6 feet. In the wild, these plants grow up to 3 meters which is 10 feet. In terms of the pace of growth, it is a slow grower plant. So, you do not have to worry about them outgrowing the pot or growing too much.
How much does a fiddle leaf fig grow in a year?
The fiddle leaf figs grow every four to six weeks during spring and summer. If fiddle leaf fig gets proper care, enough light, and nutrition, it can grow 12 to 18 inches each year.
It takes a fiddle leaf fig plant around 10 to 15 years to be a full-grown plant. However, after 3 to 4 years of growth, it becomes big and very appealing. They are a slow-growing plant.
You can also reduce the feeding to control its size. When your fiddle leaf fig plants get sufficient nutrients, they tend to grow very fast and are large. That is why reducing the food can control its growth without harming it.
How fast do fiddle leaf figs grow?
The fiddle leaf figs grow at a slow speed. It is not surprising to see this plant grow a foot or more in a year. Like other plants, the fiddle leaf fig needs care for its optimal growth.
It depends on the environment how growth rates vary. Using the proper soil, giving enough water, and applying fertilizer to the plant as per requirement are the factors for a steady growth rate of these plants.
Because of the absence of sunshine, they develop at a considerably slower rate inside. When these plants have sufficient sunlight and nutrients, they grow about a foot or more each year.
How long do fiddle leaf figs live?
There is no fixed life span of fiddle leaf fig plants. When they are in favorable conditions, they live for a very long time. They can live up to hundreds of years without drying.
The oldest recorded fiddle leaf fig tree lives in California, which is kind of 48000 years old. However, like other houseplants, indoor fiddle leaf figs do not thrive for very long.
When you properly take care of a fiddle leaf fig plant indoors, its life spans increase significantly. An indoor fiddle leaf fig can live around 25 to 50 years, depending on the conditions.
Final Thought:
Fiddle leaf fig plants can both bloom flowers and produce figs when they have the necessary conditions. However, when indoor, they are not likely to get necessary sunlight all the time. That is why indoor fiddle leaf figs can not produce flowers or fruits.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Do Fiddle Leaf Figs Like Heat or Cold?
Why Is My Fiddle Leaf Fig Turning Brown, Yellow, or Red?
Do Fiddle Leaf Figs Like to Be Root Bound?