Ficus lyrata is part of the Moraceae family and its native range is W. & W. Central Tropical Africa. Leaves are large, coriaceous (leathery) and pandurate (fiddle-shaped), often with wavy margins. Potted young trees usually take a monopodial form, with a single non-branching stem; prune the growing tip or top the plant from an early age to encourage branching. In their native environment they can reach up to 30m, in the home they usually reach 3m.
Genus name is from the Latin meaning ‘fig’, specific epithet is Latin, meaning lyre, this refers to the shape of the leaves.
Light: Bright indirect light, meaning the plant sees the sun for 0-4 hours per day - this could be through trees or a translucent curtain, it’s important for the plant to see the sky in order to thrive. 3-4 hours of direct sun is tolerable for Ficus.
Water: Allow the first 2-3 inches of the mix to dry out. Before watering, ensure the substrate isn’t compacted, if it is, aerate it with a few pokes of a skewer or blunt stick, pour water slowly over the top and allow the water to pass through the drainage holes.
Potting mix: A well draining mix composed of coco coir, perlite or vermiculite, orchid bark and worm castings.
Fertilising: Feed your plant every other watering during the growing season or when you observe active growth. You can dilute fertiliser to half the recommended amount but never add more.
Temperature: 18-27°C.
Humidity: Ficus would prefer higher humidity (over 60%) but do well to adapt to average home humidity. You can increase humidity by placing the plant on a watered pebble tray or using a humidifier.
Ficus lyrata is toxic, keep out of reach of pets and children.