I’ve always possessed an avid collection of indoor plants. I think it’s better for my house to be greener. You can only imagine how terrified I was when I noticed that my fiddle leaf fig leaves were turning brown.
The fiddle leaf fig brown spots quickly took on a life of their own for me. I’ve spent a lot of time researching how to identify, manage, and prevent brown spots on Ficus lyrata because I’m determined to identify both the cause and the remedy.
If you’ve just seen the same thing occurring to your Ficus plant, keep reading to find out exactly what you can do to get it back to its previous state of lush green splendor.
What Do Fiddle Leaf Fig Brown Spots Mean?
Are there brown spots on your fiddle leaf fig? Would you like to know what those brown spots mean?
Typically, brown spots on a fiddle leaf fig indicate some sort of infection. Any plant with obvious damage to its leaves will alert you to the problem. If the fiddle leaf fig plants’ leaves start to turn brown, it means they are sick or in difficulty, and they need help.
The good news is that your fiddle leaf fig plant won’t necessarily perish because of any of the possible causes of the brown patches on it. Your fiddle leaf has a very excellent chance of entirely recovering if caught and treated right away.
The underlying reason of your plant’s browning foliage is typically an infection, either internal or external, that is causing some of your fiddle leaf fig plant’s leaves to turn necrotic. In other words, spots and dark leaves arise from plant tissue degenerating.
Brown spots can appear on fiddle leaf figs for other reasons as well, though. Additionally, they are susceptible to sunburns, which manifest similarly to infections.
Fiddle leaf fig disease is typically directly tied to the plant’s growth environment. Fortunately, if you know what to watch out for, you can quickly alter these. Finding out what is causing the brown patches on your fiddle leaf is the first step.
What Causes Fiddle Leaf Fig Brown Spots?
The first step in preventing further discoloration on your houseplant is to identify the source of the brown patches. Although there are more than a dozen distinct potential causes, these seven are the ones that account for the majority of brown spots.
1. Insect, bacterial, or other diseases
A Fiddle Leaf Fig is susceptible to a broad variety of pests, many of which eventually cause sunken brown blotches in the middle of the leaves. Aphids, thrips, and spider mites are the most prevalent. Brown patches and leaf drop can also be caused by bacterial diseases. However, practically all of the leaves will be impacted to some degree, with the browning beginning on the leaf’s edges initially.
2. Root decay
The outer roots of the Fiddle Leaf Fig suffocate and rot when the soil mixture surrounding the plant’s roots is left wet for an extended period of time. Root rot is difficult to identify until dark, nearly black dots start to form on the leaves. Another indication that the Fiddle Leaf Fig has received too much water is the loss of leaves.
3. Underwatering or Very Dry Growing Conditions
Brown spots are frequently brought on by too much water, however Fiddle Leaf Figs also get brown spots on their leaves when it’s dry out. Low humidity or inadequate hydration may be to blame for this. Brown patches start to appear in the leaf’s center in addition to its browning edges.
4. Excess Sun
Although they enjoy intense light for at least six hours a day, this kind of houseplant doesn’t like direct light for longer than a few minutes at a time. Sunburn, commonly referred to as sun-scald, is caused by exposure to too much direct sunshine. These leaves are likely to initially become yellow in a tiny area, then in that damaged area, grow a flat brown patch.
Do Some Brown Spots Naturally Occur on Fiddle Leaf Figs?
Large, sunken, flaky, or dry brown spots on the Fiddle Leaf Fig are signs that something is wrong.
However, extremely little discolorations, particularly those on the underside of the leaf, may be normal and not cause for concern.
Edema, or the small brown to red blotches they represent, are just signs that the plant absorbed a lot of water at once.
They can turn silver or light brown as they age, and they are frequently mistaken for pest damage. These normal brown stains are not a worry unless you notice other pest symptoms.
How Can I Treat Brown Spots Caused By Root Rot?
In general, root rot is easily treated, especially if it is discovered early.
Since poor drainage is typically the cause of root rot, you should improve your drainage as soon as possible. A well-draining container, quick-draining potting soil, and infrequent watering are all important.
In order to proceed, you should first evaluate the damage. You don’t need to repot your plant if the leaves just have a few brown spots. Allow your plant to dry out for at least two weeks to give the roots enough time to recover. Make sure your plant receives adequate sunshine and remove any damaged leaves.
Use a moisture meter to check that the roots of your plant are drying out in between waterings if you’re unsure whether they are wet. With the right drainage and watering, your plant should then recover. For additional information on appropriate watering, visit our ultimate watering guide here.
However, you should do root surgery and repot your fiddle leaf fig if the damage is significant or spreading quickly.
Take your plant out of the pot, then hose the root ball down. Remove any mushy, brown roots. Make sure your drainage is adequate and repot your house plants in soil that dries quickly. To prevent the issue from recurring in the future, adopt good watering habits.
We’ve spent over a year developing a treatment to guard your plant from root rot infections in case your fiddle leaf fig still needs assistance or you want to protect it in the future.
How Can I Treat Brown Spots From a Bacterial Infection?
Unfortunately, treating this problem in a fiddle leaf fig is one of the most difficult things to do.
The idea is to treat the areas as soon as you can to prevent further damage from occurring. Making sure your plant’s roots dry out between waterings and that it receives enough sunlight are important components of the treatment, which is comparable to treating root rot.
If the damage is not severe, remove any of the leaves that have brown spots and repot your plant in a container with good drainage using fresh, sterile soil. While it is healing, give it lots of light and don’t water as frequently.
Use a leaf armor as it was created to shield your houseplant against fungus, insects, and bacteria in addition to bacteria.
Depending on your location, placing your fiddle leaf fig outside in the shade to recover is another effective technique to treat bacterial infections. Warm temperatures, lots of sunlight, and fresh air can all aid in your plant’s recovery. Just make sure your plant is shielded from direct sunshine and doesn’t get too hot (above 100 degrees) or cold (less than 50 degrees) (greater than 95 degrees).
However, you could be better off beginning over if your plant has more than 50% of the leaves with dark patches and the problem is spreading. Throw away the plant and replace it with a healthy one to start over. To find out if your plant will be replaced, you might want to get in touch with the retailer where you bought it.
Should I Remove Fiddle Leaf Fig With Brown Spots?
Are you curious to know if you can remove those fiddle leaf fig that has brown spots?
Fiddle leaf fig that are infected need to be removed to stop the infection from spreading. Once they turn brown and constitute an energy waste for the plant, they are unlikely to recover. Fiddle leaf figs are sensitive to shock, so you must operate carefully to limit further harm.
Although fiddle leaf figs are generally hardy, they can be quite susceptible to significant change. Therefore, carefully inspect the fiddle leaf fig before cutting away any browning leaves to make sure you are only removing the bare minimum.
Infections caused by bacteria and fungi need to be treated immediately. The virus will spread if you leave them on your tree. At the end of the day, this may leave the plant looking very naked, but it also gives your tree the best chance of survival.
Additionally, it’s crucial that you always use clean equipment while pruning your fiddle leaf fig. If you don’t, you run the risk of contaminating different plant parts. Also keep in mind that when the fiddle leaf is cut, a white sap that is sticky and unpleasant to human flesh will seep forth.
Will Leaves Grow Back on a Fiddle Leaf Fig?
Does your fiddle leaf fig have brown spots? Have you cut off those leaves with brown spots and want to know if they’ll grow back?
After pruning, fiddle leaf figs will produce new leaves provided they are properly cared for and placed in favorable growing conditions. Rarely do leaves regenerate in the same locations where they fell or at the base of the plant. Starting from the plant’s top, new growth appears.
Don’t worry if your fiddle leaf fig become a little sick. They may bounce back from stress and disease. You might just need to exercise a little patience if your fiddle leaf fig doesn’t initially sprout any new leaves.
It is not surprising that fiddle leaves take some time to start rolling because they have very huge leaves. Give your Ficus a little more tender loving care at this time because the plant’s growing environment will undoubtedly have a direct impact on how well it recovers.
Best Planters For Fiddle Fig Tree
1. Fox & Fern Large Plant Pot
On the surface, this Fox & Fern Large Plant Pot appears straightforward, yet it is so much more. In this instance, simplicity unquestionably embodies grace. If you enjoy it, you can acquire a smaller one for another plant because it comes in a variety of sizes. It does, however, come in sizes big enough to comfortably accommodate your fiddle leaf fig.
A drainage hole at the bottom keeps the root ball of your fiddle leaf fig from rotting. The pot has a plug so you may close the hole if you’re worried about any leakage. It is also strong. This Fox & Fern pot is intended to last thanks to its fiberstone construction.
Pros:
- Available in a few neutral colors to suit virtually any environment.
- It comes in a handful of size options
- Durable.
Cons:
- It doesn’t have a saucer, so you may need to consider purchasing one separately to put under it if you’re not using the drainage plug.
Conclusion
How to get rid of brown stains on fiddle leaf figs was recently discussed. I hope you found this essay to be both informative and inspiring, whether you are a seasoned gardener or a first-time owner of these lovely, broad-leaved houseplants.
Now you’ll be prepared to act quickly and precisely the next time your fig companion encounters danger.