AboutDarlene K. Kittle Expertise I have been a Master Gardener for 19 years and I raise around 300 houseplants a year including tropicals, succulents, and cacti.
Experience She is also studying the Japanese art of bonsai with tropical plants and is President of the Fort Wayne, IN Bonsai Club.
Expert: Darlene K. Kittle Date: 7/6/2008 Subject: fiddleleaf fig propagation
Question Hi! I took a leaf from a fiddle leaf fig plant that my boss had grown from a single leaf 14 years ago. I placed the leaf in water for a month to see if roots would grow. Nothing happened so I dipped the stem in rooting hormone and inserted it in potting soil. I covered it with a plastic bag and put the pot on my heating pad. Now there is a very substantial root ball but the leaf is still green. Do I cut it off so a new plant will grow? I don't want a single huge leaf! What's supposed to happen next? Will the mama leaf eventually die? It still looks green and healthy.
Thank you, Nina
Answer Nina,
Since it has roots you can remove it from the heating pad and put it in a semi-shady location outside and if you are in a humid location open the bag but do not remove it. Do not cut the leave off until you see signs of it growing a small plantlet. You will see a small stalk and small leaflets begin to form. Then it will be forming an actual plant and the mama leaf will eventually die. Just be patient. Good luck.
