Fiddle Leaf Fig Propagation (The MOST COMPLETE Guide)

This guide will tell you all you need to know about different Fiddle Leaf Fig propagation methods – stem cuttings, division, and air layering. You will get step-by-step instructions, learn where to cut, how to propagate in water and soil, how to increase chances of successful propagation, and much more.

Yes, Fiddle Leaf Fig can be propagated. Once you learn how to propagate a Fiddle Leaf Fig, you can grow numerous new plants from a parent plant. Propagation methods vary and any of them makes an inexpensive way to get more Fiddle Fig plants.

To propagate a Fiddle Leaf Fig plant, you need:

• Pruning shears – You need a clean pair of pruning shears to get a tip/stem cutting.
• A pot or a propagation container – You can purchase a propagation container or simply use what you have on hand. Pots, jars, cups, and bottles can all be used for plant propagation.
• Propagation medium – You need clean water or soil. This depends on the propagation method you choose.
• Additional equipment – These are your grow lights, heat mats, air pumps, and rooting hormones. These are optional elements you can use to increase the chances of successful propagation.

All the ways of propagating Fiddle Leaf Figs are the following:

• Rooting of cuttings – Water propagation is one of the two ways to root tip/stem cuttings. This method allows you to root the tip/stem cutting in water until it’s ready to be potted. Lots of people find this method entertaining because you can see the process of roots forming in water. Soil propagation is pretty similar to water propagation. You also use tip/stem cuttings but in this case the propagation medium is soil. You will simply let the tip cutting stay in propagation soil mix until it grows roots.
• Division – Another method of propagating Fiddle Figs is where two or more plants are separated. Each plant develops its own root system. Once this happens, it becomes possible to divide two plants.
• Air layering – This method is used for propagating cuttings larger than 6 inches. Because these cuttings take too much energy to stay alive, it’s difficult for them to grow new roots. Air layering allows you to propagate large section of a plant.
• Tissue culture (micropropagation) – It is performed by taking a piece of a plant – a piece of a leaf, flower, stem, or root which is then propagated in sterile conditions. The new plant will genetically be exactly the same as the original plant. This method allows you to create hundreds of plants from a single leaf and the propagation process is much faster than other propagation methods. However, it requires specialized chemicals and the process has a steep learning curve. Tissue culture propagation is usually used in commercial production of Fiddle Leaf Figs.

In the video below, check how I do water propagation for my Fiddle Leaf Fig:

The best time of year to propagate Fiddle Leaf Fig plants is, in fact, anytime. It’s always a good time to propagate indoor plants! Fiddle Leaf Fig needs enough light, suitable temperature, and propagation medium to grow roots. And you can provide these requirements any time of year in your home. If you don’t get plenty of bright light, use grow lights. Indoor gardening gives you an opportunity to control the environment. So, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t propagate Fiddle Leaf Figs during any season, including winter.

Yes, you can divide a Fiddle Leaf Fig tree. But you must evaluate if there are actually two plants growing in the same pot. This is quite easy to do – check if you can identify individual stems emerging from the soil. In case you only have one plant with a branching trunk, you shouldn’t attempt to separate it.

To propagate a Fiddle Leaf Fig through division, follow the next steps:

1. Prepare your gardening spade – Be sure to clean and disinfect a gardening spade before you move on to the next step. Using a dirty tool to divide your Fig may cause unnecessary issues such as infections.
2. Cut through the roots using a spade – The goal is to divide roots midway between two individual plants. You should create an empty channel between two future root balls of each new plant. Go ahead and “spade” about 6-8 weeks before separating Fiddle Leaf Figs.
3. Fill in the empty space with soil – Once you have created an empty channel, fill it with the right potting soil mix. A well-draining airy soil mix is best for Fiddle Leaf Figs.
4. Wait 6-8 weeks – During this time, new roots will grow. These are called feeder roots and they serve the plant to get water and nutrients.
5. Divide your Fiddle Leaf Figs – Take the plant out of its pot gently. Pull the two root systems apart carefully. Try to do your best and avoid breaking roots. If they’re entwined and you must prune them, use sterilized gardening sheers.
6. Repot Fiddle Leaf Figs – Your final step on propagating through division is to prepare a well-draining potting mix and carefully plant both new Fiddle Figs.

It usually takes about six to eight weeks to propagate Fiddle Leaf Fig trees through division. This time is necessary for new root growth. So once you learn how to propagate a Fiddle Leaf Fig by division, patience is the key. By letting your Fig grow new roots, you’ll minimize the chances of root shock. The length of time may vary but you should be able to separate trunks after this amount of time.

You can increase chances of successful propagation through division by doing the following:

• Increase the amount of light – Keep the cutting in front of your brightest window. In case your home doesn’t get enough bright indirect light or direct sun, you can simply use grow lights.
• Increase the temperature – Get a heat mat and place it underneath the container. Increasing temperature of propagation medium increases chances of success.
• Add more oxygen – The more oxygen in propagation medium – the bigger the chances for success. Use a well-draining porous soil mix when propagating through division.

Yes, you can take a cutting from a Fiddle Leaf Fig plant. Stem cuttings/tip cuttings are taken from a mother plant. This is your first step in learning how to propagate a Fiddle Leaf Fig the right way. Fiddle Leaf Fig cuttings are propagated in water or soil until new roots form. Can you cut and replant Fiddle Leaf Fig? Yes, you can plant newly rooted cuttings as self-sufficient plants.

To propagate Fiddle Leaf Fig from a cutting, place a cutting in propagation medium. You can choose water or soil for this purpose. Wait for roots to develop. Once new roots have grown, you can plant the cutting into well-draining potting mix.

When propagating a Fiddle Leaf Fig from a cutting, cut right above a node. Once you’ve chosen a stem with two or three leaves, a good place to cut is usually about 3 inches below the first leave.

This is how Fiddle Leaf Fig cutting propagation in water (step by step) is done:

• Prepare propagation container – Any right-size container will work, as long as it can support the plant to stay upright. Pour clean water into the container.
• Take a cutting – Cut the part of the main stalk or tip of the branch. Your cutting should have 1-2 leaves or 3-4 if they are small. Make sure you use a clean, sharp tool.
• Wait for new roots to grow – Can you root Fiddle Leaf Fig in water? Yes, new roots will grow in a few weeks, depending on your environment. Water propagation makes it easy for you to see whether new Fiddle Leaf Fig roots have grown or if more time is needed.
• Plant rooted cuttings – Once you have your new rooted cutting, you can go ahead and plant it. Use a well-draining potting soil mix suitable for Fiddle Leaf Figs, such as Mother Earth soil.

Learn how to propagate a Fiddle Leaf Fig in soil by following these easy steps:

• Prepare propagation medium – To start with, prepare propagation soil mix. It must be airy, well-draining, and have moisture-holding characteristics. The propagation medium should provide moisture and support the cutting to develop roots. You can meet these requirements by mixing peat moss, perlite, vermiculite, and other similar materials.
• Prepare a stem cutting – Take a tip cutting/stem cutting from a parent plant. Choose a stem with one or two leaves (three to four if they’re small). Be sure that gardening shears are sterilized before use.
• Place into propagation medium – Your next step is to gently place the cutting into the soil mix. Keep the stem upright.
• Wait for new root development – Once you’ve placed cuttings into the soil, some patience is required. New roots will take a few weeks to develop. This may take shorter or longer depending on your environment.
• Plant – After stem cuttings have grown new roots, it’s time to plant them. Remember that Fiddle Leaf Figs need well-draining soil to grow healthy so make your own potting soil mix or use Mother Earth mix.

It usually takes a few weeks to propagate a Fiddle Leaf Fig from a cutting. It may take longer or shorter than a few weeks. How long it takes a Fiddle Leaf Fig to root depends on the environment. The amount of light, temperature, and amount of oxygen the roots get all affect how fast propagation happens.

You can speed up propagation by using a rooting hormone. Before you place the cutting into the soil, dip it into rooting hormone. It will speed up the process and new growth will happen faster.

You can increase chances of propagation by providing optimum conditions for the plant. Place it in front of the brightest window. If that’s not possible, use grow light to mimic natural light. Next, increase the temperature of propagation medium. Both water and soil propagation can be made more successful by increasing temperature. Heat mat can be placed under propagation container for both mediums. The third thing to do is to increase the amount of oxygen the roots are getting. You’ll want to add an air pump in case you’re propagating in soil. Using a porous, airy mix with well-draining quality will increase oxygen in propagation soil.

No, you will not hurt the Fiddle Leaf Fig by cutting it. There is a potential risk of infection in case gardening tools are not clean. To prevent infections, simply sterilize tools before cutting the Fiddle Leaf Fig plant.

Yes, you can propagate Fiddle Leaf Fig by air layering. This is an effective method that includes propagating stems still attached to the parent plant.

Follow this step-by-step guide on how to propagate a Fiddle Leaf Fig by air layering:

• Choose a healthy woody section of a stem (at least 1 year old)
• Pick an area just below a node
• Remove side shootings and leaves a few inches above and below chosen node
• Cut into the bark in two parallel places using a clean knife (1.5 inches apart)
• Cut a line between the two previous cuts
• Remove all bark from this section and scrape green tissue away
• Apply rooting hormone to the surface of the cut
• Pack a handful of damp sphagnum moss on the cut
• Wrap polyethylene film around moss and secure it in place (electrical tape, twist ties and twine all work well)
• Make sure moss remains moist but not soaked
• Wait for new roots to become visible through the moss
• Remove plastic and cut through the stem just below the rooted section
• Do not attempt to remove spaghnum moss from roots
• Pot up the newly rooted plants in well-draining potting soil mix

It usually takes about two months to propagate a Fiddle Leaf Fig through air layering. It may take longer depending on the environment. This is certainly a slow method but it is also a risk-free way to propagate your Fiddle Leaf Fig.

You can speed up propagation through air layering by doing the following:

• Use grow lights to provide plenty of light. More light increases photosynthesis, which speeds up root formation.
• Use a rooting hormone. Before you pack sphagnum moss, apply rooting hormone to the entire surface of the cut. For this purpose, it’s better to use liquid rooting hormone than a powder one.
• Bottom heat the container by placing a heat mat underneath.

You can increase chances of successful air layering by taking a few precautions. First, make sure sphagnum moss is moist when you place it onto the cut area. The air layer needs humidity during the entire process. Next, avoid low temperatures. The ideal temperature for air layering is 70-75 Fahrenheit (21-24 degrees Celsius). You can wrap plastic wrap (saran wrap) around your air layer to increase the temperature. After removing bark, also pay attention to the green tissue (cambium tissue). Remove all of it to prevent callus from forming.

No, you can not grow a Fiddle Leaf Fig from a single leaf. Fiddle Leaf Fig leaf cutting will not grow roots. But it might be possible to take a Fiddle Leaf Fig leaf with a dormant bud and propagate it. This method is called leaf-bud propagation. However, single leaf-bud propagation is easier said than done. So far, I haven’t had any success with this method but I would be thrilled to know if you tried or succeeded!

A range of herbaceous plants can be propagated from roots. Some woody plants can also be propagated by cutting roots into sections and placing them in soil. However, I haven’t found any sources so far confirming it is possible to propagate a Fiddle Leaf Fig from roots.

The most common Fiddle Leaf Fig propagation problems are cuttings dying or taking too long to propagate. One of the reasons why cuttings die may be due to unsterilized pruning tools. Other reasons are underwatering, overwatering, insufficient amount of light or the wrong type of soil. Cutting taking too long to propagate are due to lack of light, low ambient temperature or lack of oxygen for the roots.

White bumps occur on your Fiddle Leaf Fig during propagation because new roots are being formed. Before they emerge, white bumps aka root primordium appear on the cutting. This is perfectly normal so it’s nothing to be alarmed about.

One of the best Fiddle Leaf Fig rooting hormones I found so far is Garden Safe rooting hormone. Root formation is promoted by using rooting hormones. The process of applying is pretty straightforward. Just dip the lower end of the cutting into the hormone solution and proceed to place it into the potting medium.

Curious to see a Fiddle Leaf Fig propagation time lapse? Check a video below so you can see how propagated Fiddle Leaf Fig’s growth looks.

You can propagate a Dwarf Fiddle Leaf Fig in several ways: division, air layering and tip/stem cuttings. The process is the same as for a regular Ficus Lyrata. To propagate a Dwarf Fiddle Leaf Fig through a stem cutting, take a cutting, place it in propagation medium – water or soil. Wait until new roots develop. Once new roots have grown, plant it in a well-draining porous potting soil mix. Learn more about how to propagate a Dwarf Fiddle Leaf Fig.

You can propagate a variated Fiddle Leaf Fig through several methods: tip/stem cuttings, division, and air layering. The process is pretty much the same as for regular Ficus Lyrata. To learn more about how to propagate a variegated Fiddle Leaf Fig check out a detailed blog post on the topic.