the fiddle leaf fig [ficus pandurata]

Remember this innocent post from February, where I shared a picture of my new unknown plant? It was this cute, 4ft tall shrub that I picked up on an impromptu trip to Home Depot with my sister M.

Who knew I had a fiddle leaf fig in my midst, the trendiest of trendy indoor plants. Emily Henderson loves them (but cites the cost to be $150-$500+, depending on the size). $500?! I can't quite swing that, so I've decided to share with you the affordable way to get a fiddle leaf fig: go to Home Depot, buy ficus pandurata for $17 (or order online and ship to store to ensure they have it), enjoy.

 I'll say, they do grow aggressively. Here's my baby shrub after 5 months at well over 6ft tall:

That's a good lookin shrub right there, at a significantly lower cost. I'm hoping one day it'll look like so:

Hooooly moly. That's incredible. The guy at Home Depot did tell me it'll eventually crawl across the ceiling, so my dream is within reach. They're pretty easy to care for- they like a good amount of sunlight and weekly waterings, but I haven't found him (The Dinosaur) to be finicky or delicate when I stray from that prescription. Mine doesn't look too tree-like yet, as I'll need to let it get fuller on top before stripping the bottom leaves to give it that shape. All in good time, if I can stand it...I feel disproportionately sad when leaves fall off.

Here are a few more inspiration images, if you're on the fence. I'm pretty sure we'll be adding another to our home this season. Join me!



Anna Burke via Lonny