The Top 5 Alternatives to Fiddle Leaf Fig Trees

There’s actually no such thing as a green (or black) thumb. Yet once you’re tossing out your crispy fiddle leaf fig for the third time (bye, money), you may have a different opinion. The fact is, fiddle leaf figs are hard to maintain because their threshold for stress is a lot lower than other plants-so if you’re moving them around too often, repotting them, or setting them next to a drafty air vent, they’re not going to be happy.

“Just like people have different tolerances for disruptions in their environment, so do plants,” says Brielle Sebold, a plant expert who works with Flora Plant Shop in Nashville.

In addition, the fiddle leaf’s natural environment is tropical, so it loves high humidity and bright, but shaded light-in the wild, it would be partially shaded by other foliage. It’s also very sensitive to being over or underwatered, so unless you put your plant on a schedule as rigorous as a child’s (which, let's face it, even the most devoted plant parents aren't likely to do), there’s a good chance your fiddle leaf won’t survive through next season.

But, fear not: If you love the look of a fiddle leaf fig, there are plenty of other plants that can give you a similar style and a little more grace when it comes to keeping them alive.