What Is the Best Type of Water for Fiddle Leaf Figs?

Does tap water affect your plant’s health? Is Ficus Lyrata resilient or sensitive to different kinds of water? Let’s find out! Tag along as we go through different options and learn what’s the best type of water for Fiddle Leaf Figs.

Yes, you can use tap water for your Fiddle Leaf Fig. Some plants, including Dracaenas, are sensitive to fluoride and other chemicals commonly found in tap water. But Fiddle Leaf Fig is not one of them. It can tolerate minerals and other ingredients used for purifying drinking water.

However, take this info with a grain of salt. Why so? Because all indoor plants face the same challenge when watered with municipal water for too long. Plant’s soil accumulates salts and minerals and this can affect the plant sooner or later. The plant’s roots can get burned, which may lead to damaged leaves too. To avoid potting soil from accumulating too many salts and minerals, I always suggest repotting your plants annually.

The second way to get rid of the mineral buildup is to flush the soil. The process is pretty straightforward. You’ll want to place the pot in a sink or a tub, then pour the water – bottled water or rainwater can be used for this purpose. Let it drain out the bottom and repeat the process several times.

Yes, you can also use filtered water for a Fiddle Leaf Fig tree. But will you actually see some benefits of using it? This depends on which type of water you use:

1. R/O, or reverse osmosis filters out almost all chemicals from tap water and this is fine to use for your plant. If you own a R/O water filtering system, feel free to use water treated with it for your plants. In my home, I use and greatly enjoy NU Aqua 7-Stage Reverse Osmosis Water Filter System.
2. Water filters won’t do much for your plant. They may filter out some of the minerals but certainly not all. So, eventually, you’ll still have to deal with mineral buildup. I honestly suggest you save your money and skip getting a water filter for watering plants.

Yes, you can use distilled water for a Fiddle Leaf Fig plant. There are zero minerals in distilled water so this makes a fine addition to your Fiddle Leaf Fig care. But is there a downside to it? Absolutely and it’s the cost – this method may become rather pricey. Consider the price of distilled water and buying it again and again over the course of many years. So what’s the cost-effective alternative? Dehumidifiers can be very handy in this case. Use clean water from your dehumidifier to water the Fiddle tree. In case you prefer to stick with distilled water, here’s a great option.

Yes, rainwater is good for your Fiddle Leaf Fig. Feel free to add rainfall to your plant watering schedule. Is rainwater the best type of water for Fiddle Leaf Figs? It certainly is one of the best solutions. You can use it for watering any indoor plant. Just think about how bright green Fiddle Leaf Fig leaves look in nature after rain. A number of factors contribute to this but we know for a fact that rain is the main source of water for plants in their natural habitat. So next time it rains, don’t allow the rainfall to run off but collect it instead. Use it to give a good drink to your figs and other plants and save any excess water for later use.

Yes, you can use ice cubes to water Fiddle Leaf Fig but it’s not recommended. Too many people have believed for too long that ice cubes are somehow beneficial to plants’ health. But this is a far cry from the truth. Watering with ice cubes may stress the plant. The idea of using ice cubes originated with Orchids and it was more of a marketing strategy than it was actually a good tip. It’s best if you use room temperature water.

Fiddle Leaf Fig trees don’t mind hard water so you can use it. It may not be the best type of water for Fiddle Leaf Figs but it can certainly be used. Just keep in mind that minerals and salts build up and this can harm your plant. An easy fix is to either flush them out every couple of weeks or repot the plant annually. Replace the old soil with fresh one every year and your Fiddle tree will thank you. While you’re at it, I also suggest moving to a new nursery pot if the plant has outgrown its current pot.

The best type of water for Fiddle Leaf Figs is rainwater, as well as reverse osmosis, and distilled water. Any of these options will do good. But remember – the quality of water used for Fiddle Leaf Fig watering is not the only important factor regarding watering routine. The right amount of water is equally as important. Then you have to look into the right type of soil, suitable watering schedule, proper drainage, etc. For more tips on this subject, check out my Guide to Watering Fiddle Leaf Fig.