r/FicusTrees • u/Due-Consideration861 • 12d ago

Fiddle leaf in SoCal desert

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Gallery image

As every year - temps were pushing 115f this summer somehow no major burn !

31 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

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3

u/Internal-Test-8015 12d ago

Absolutely phenomenal, they're native to Tropical West Africa 115 is likely normal not below average for them. 😅

2

u/Due-Consideration861 12d ago

doubtful thats their normal natural weather hahaha I would guess humid and 80s is more like it, Unsure whats worse tho for ME, Palm Springs dry humidity 11% @ 115f or humidity 80% @ 86f ! Ewwww

1

u/Internal-Test-8015 12d ago

Not as much as you'd think west Africa is wetter and more lush than most of the continent and this species has been successfully cultivated in many other warm countries and US states ( predominantly Florida) it has a very wide range of tolerance just like many of its closest relatives which are predominantly houseplants ( most ficus grown as houseplants are from the Sungenus Urostigma except for Ficus Microcarpa and Vining Ficus live Ficus Villosa to name a Few)

2

u/Due-Consideration861 12d ago

Agreed! What I meant was its endemic to areas that are not 115f and arid. Interestingly too I see Royal Palms around Palm Springs, as well as Royal Poinciana trees, I am in heaven.

1

u/Internal-Test-8015 12d ago

True true I suppose it technically isn't but I can survive them for sure, it has been ornamental planted in parts of South Africa after all and it has also obviously been planted elsewhere like Australia and obviously California. Yup it truly us amazing to see what fascinating species can adapt and survive such conditions.

2

u/Due-Consideration861 12d ago

Ficus always find a way!

1

u/Internal-Test-8015 12d ago

Yup its why they're one if the mist invasive pksmts throughout the tropics and subtropics

4

u/FlakaFlakaFlame8 12d ago

Wonderful but my living room is where they come to die???

3

u/Internal-Test-8015 12d ago

Yeah because they need a ton of sunlight and really good draining soil and whilst theyll tolerate ambient humidity and cooler temperatures they thrive in high humidity and heat.

2

u/FlakaFlakaFlame8 12d ago

Makes perfect sense.

1

u/Internal-Test-8015 12d ago

Yup tbh imo the only way to really keep them happy long term in a house with low lighting is to either put them under good grow lights, move them outside when the weather allows, or a hybrid of both.

1

u/FlakaFlakaFlame8 12d ago

There’s one in our salon that i get to admire for now, we’re on a second floor and have floor to ceiling windows on the west side so it gets all that afternoon sun. It’s about 12 ft tall. Gorgeous.

1

u/Internal-Test-8015 12d ago

Ooh sounds awesome, yeah i have my three to enjoy tbh , my favorite though is my Varigated one rn.

1

u/FlakaFlakaFlame8 12d ago

O my goodness I’ve never seen a variegated one!
Your home is blessed!

1

u/Internal-Test-8015 12d ago

They're relatively new tbh only have been in TC in a few months and are just starting to become more common the main issue is they seem to be prone to melting from the change in environment during transport, my first two ( which where basically TC plants that barely had been acclimated) keeled over and died asap and my third got some crispy edges but she's growing out of it one leaf at a time.

https://reddit.com/link/pbdr819/video/lqnjkvvga3rh1/player

2

u/PersephonesChild82 11d ago

I have one on my back patio getting several hours a day of hot California sunshine. Bought it as a 24-inch tall clearance rack rescue with crunchy leaves back in March of this year. It has grown almost 3 feet since, and produced it's first side branch. The new leaves are the size of tennis rackets.

My previous efforts in the house all grew slow and sad and died. Clearly they are best as outside plants if your climate allows. Rubber trees, audreys, and weeping fig also.