As a popular houseplant the fiddle leaf fig (Ficus lyrata) is treasured for its large violin-shaped leaves. But with “fig” in its name, you may wonder – can this plant actually produce fig fruits?
Figs with fiddle leaves can and do bear fruit if they are grown in the right way. However, indoor fiddle leaf figs don’t usually produce any figs for a number of reasons. Look at how these one-of-a-kind plants reproduce and the unique relationship between figs and wasps that makes it all possible.
Why Are Fiddle Leaf Figs Called “Figs”?
The genus Ficus has more than 800 species of woody trees, shrubs, and vines, and fiddle leaf figs are in it. Many Ficus species produce edible fruits, such as:
- Common fig (Ficus carica) – produces the sweet figs we eat
- Strangler fig (Ficus aurea) – bears small, berry-like figs
- Rubber plant (Ficus elastica) – can produce petite, purple figs
So the fiddle leaf fig is named a “fig” because of its relation to other edible fig relatives. However, the fruits of Ficus lyrata are not considered palatable especially compared to tastier fig varieties.
Can Fiddle Leaf Figs Produce Fruit Outdoors?
When grown outdoors in the right conditions, fiddle leaf fig trees can and do produce fruit. However, this is very rare indoors due to some key factors:
Light Requirements
Fiddle leaf figs need a lot of bright, indirect light to grow well. However, they need even more light to put their energy into making flowers and fruits. Most homes simply don’t provide enough light.
Lack of Pollinators
Figs have a unique pollination process relying on fig wasps. Because these specific wasps don’t live inside, indoor fiddle leaf figs don’t have a pollinator to make them fruit.
Age of Plant
Fiddle leaf figs can take 3-5 years to reach maturity. Only mature plants will produce flowers and fruits. Most indoor plants are relatively young.
Growing Conditions
The warm, humid conditions of the fiddle leaf fig’s native tropical habitat encourage flowering and fruiting. Most homes cannot mimic these ideal conditions.
The Unique Relationship Between Figs and Wasps
Here is a quick overview of the coevolved relationship between figs and fig wasps allowing fruit production:
- Male and female flowers grow inside an immature fig fruit.
- To reproduce, the flowers must be pollinated by a female fig wasp.
- The wasp enters the fig and lays eggs while pollinating the flowers.
- The eggs hatch and new wasps develop inside the fig.
- Male wasps then chew tunnels and escape, dying after mating with females.
- Females escape, carrying pollen to new figs, restarting the cycle.
So without wasps, there is no pollination. And no pollination means no viable seeds and no ripe fig fruits.
What Do Fiddle Leaf Fig Fruits Look Like?
When grown outside in tropical conditions, fiddle leaf figs can produce smooth, rounded fruits around 3⁄4” to 1” wide. The exterior is green when unripe, ripening to a brownish-purple.
Inside, the flesh is not sweet and juicy like commercial figs. It is instead rather dry and slightly tangy or sour. The fruits are not considered tasty, which is why fiddle leaf figs are not cultivated for their fruits.
Can You Eat Fiddle Leaf Fig Fruits?
While fiddle leaf fig fruits are not poisonous, they are generally considered inedible for humans due to their unappealing flavor and texture. The fruits are sometimes fed to livestock but otherwise provide no culinary value.
If your outdoor fiddle leaf fig does produce figs, there is no need to harvest them. You can simply compost the fruits to provide nutrients to other plants in your garden.
Should You Pick Fiddle Leaf Fig Fruits?
Most experts recommend leaving any figs that form on your outdoor fiddle leaf fig. Picking the fruits deprives the plant of the energy used to create the figs initially.
Plus, allowing figs to remain on the plant can help attract pollinators for future fruit production. However, pruning away any developing figs on an indoor plant prevents wasted energy on fruits that won’t fully develop without wasps anyway.
Can You Grow a Fiddle Leaf Fig from Seed?
Because fiddle leaf fig seeds require the specialized fig wasp pollinators, the plants cannot come true from seed. Propagating fiddle leaf figs is only possible through stem cuttings. Growing them from seeds is essentially impossible for home gardeners.
The Takeaway
While fiddle leaf figs can produce edible fruits in the wild, this rarely happens with indoor plants. Lack of light, pollinators, humidity, and other factors prevent most indoor fiddle leaf figs from ever bearing viable flowers and fruits. But this does not diminish their value as attractive houseplants boasting gorgeous leaves. So don’t expect fruit from your indoor fiddle leaf figs, but do feel proud if your outdoor plant manages this tricky feat!
THE ORIGIN OF THE FIDDLE LEAF FIG
Although this indoor plant can be found all over the world, the Fiddle Leaf Fig hails from Western Africa, particularly from Cameroon West to Sierra Leone. Natural places for the Ficus Lyrata include low-land tropical rainforests. It does best in places that are dense, warm, and wet.
This might seem like a stark contrast to your house or apartment, but that does not mean you can’t successfully nurture a piece of tropical African jungle in your home. With the right conditions and care, your Fiddle Leaf Fig will grow happily indoors and most likely thrive. Read up more on Caring for Fiddle Leaf Figs here.
How Fiddle Leaf Fruit Figs Develop
Figs are one of the most fascinating fruits because of the way they grow. And it all starts with a wasp.
Figs have a unique, crunchy texture. This is due to the interior of the structure made of flowers and seeds that later becomes a fig.
These clusters of inside-out flowers act as the ovaries of the fig tree. In order to reproduce, these flowers must be pollinated by a fig wasp.
When the fruits begin to mature, a female fig wasp will enter the fruit through a small opening and lay her eggs, and at the same time, pollinate the flower. The female wasp then injects a chemical into the flower that makes it ripen so that her young can eat it. This will cause the flower to ripen into what we typically consider a fruit.
The female wasp then dies and her eggs hatch. The baby wasps will grow up and mate with each other inside the fruit. The male wasps will chew holes in the fruit and then die, letting the females, who are now pregnant, leave the fig. Once the females get out of the ripe fruit, they will find their own fig fruits to lay their eggs in. Then, they will use pollen from the fruit where they were born to fertilize those fruits, and the cycle starts all over again.
Interesting, gruesome, and fascinating, right?
Some fig trees, such as Ficus carica, the common fig tree that bears the fruit we most commonly eat, grow both male and female flowers, so the female fruits can be pollinated with pollen from fruits on the same tree. These figs are considered monoecious and produce edible (or at least palatable) fruit.
Other fig-trees, ficus lyrata included, are considered dioecious and grow fruit that is both male and female. More than one tree is necessary for fruit production (another reason why fiddles almost never fruit indoors!).
These dioecious trees tend to produce fruit that just doesn’t taste good. This fruit is sometimes used for animal feed but otherwise is thrown away. Photo Credit: Forest & Kim Starr (Click for Link)
These wasps have short life cycles of just two months, which allows ficus trees to produce fruit year-round. So if you have an outdoor fiddle leaf fig with the proper climate conditions and pollinators, you could see fruit at any time of the year!
Fiddle Leaf Figs Fruit?
FAQ
Will an indoor fig tree produce fruit?
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Light:Figs need ample sunlight, especially during the growing season. Supplemental grow lights can be helpful indoors, especially if you don’t have a south-facing window.
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Dormancy:Figs need a period of dormancy in the winter, which is triggered by shorter days and cooler temperatures. This is essential for the next year’s fruit production.
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Pollination:While many fig varieties are self-pollinating, some may require manual pollination or the presence of fig wasps, which are more common in outdoor settings.
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Temperature:Figs prefer warm temperatures (60°F or higher) and avoid cold drafts.
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Watering:Figs need consistent watering, especially when fruiting, but avoid overwatering.
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Fertilizing:Use a balanced fertilizer to support healthy growth and fruit development, but reduce or stop fertilization once the fruit starts to develop.
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Pruning:Pruning can help manage the size and shape of the tree, and can encourage fruit production.
Do fiddle leaf figs multiply?
You can propagate a fiddle leaf fig tree easily on your own. It’s a simple process using a stem, cut at 45 degrees and placed directly in soil or water. Or you can propagate it by developing roots on a node, directly on the parent plant, via air-layering.
What is the difference between a fiddle leaf fig and a fig tree?
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Leaves:Large, broad, lyre-shaped leaves that can grow up to 18 inches long.
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Growth Habit:Can grow into a tree shape with a single trunk and branches, or be grown as a bush.
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Indoor/Outdoor:More commonly grown as a houseplant indoors, though can also grow outdoors in tropical and subtropical climates.
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Fruit:Rarely fruits when grown indoors, but may produce small, inedible figs in tropical climates.
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Care:Relatively easy to care for, preferring bright, indirect light and regular watering.