Fiddle Leaf Fig vs Rubber Plant
Take the rubber plant: rated easy, less light, less water, far more neglect tolerated. The fiddle leaf fig is rated hard and drops leaves over anything.
Rubber Plant is rated easy to care for, Fiddle Leaf Fig hard. If this is an early houseplant or the spot is hard to get right, start with the Rubber Plant. Rubber Plant needs bright indirect light (4/5) - beside a bright window, no midday sun on the leaves. Fiddle Leaf Fig wants very bright light (5/5), a south or west window with some direct sun.
What they share: both are toxic to cats and dogs and both stay large.
Choose
Fiddle Leaf Fig if…
- ✓you have a bright window to give it (very bright light)
- ✓you like a plant that asks for attention on a schedule
- ✓it will live in a bathroom, kitchen or a humidified room
- ✓you are happy to fuss a little for the better-looking leaves
Choose
Rubber Plant if…
- ✓your spot is the dimmer of the two - it manages on bright indirect light
- ✓you forget to water - it prefers to dry out between drinks
- ✓your home runs dry in winter and you will not add a humidifier
- ✓you want the lower-risk plant of the two
- ✓air-purifying credentials are a tiebreaker for you
Fiddle Leaf Fig vs Rubber Plant: side by side
| Attribute |
Fiddle Leaf Fig
|
Rubber Plant
|
|---|---|---|
| Plant type | Foliage | Foliage |
| Difficulty | hard | easy |
| Light | ●●●●● 5/5 Very bright light |
●●●●○ 4/5 Bright indirect light |
| Water | ●●●○○ 3/5 Moderate |
●●○○○ 2/5 Low |
| Humidity | ●●●●○ 4/5 Above average |
●●●○○ 3/5 Average |
| Pet safe | Toxic to cats and dogs | Toxic to cats and dogs |
| Mature size | Large 90-180+ cm (3-6+ ft) |
Large 90-180+ cm (3-6+ ft) |
| Growth rate | Moderate | Moderate |
| Air purifying | No | Yes |
| Native to | West Africa | Southeast Asia |
Key differences between Fiddle Leaf Fig and Rubber Plant
Rubber Plant is the easier plant
Rubber Plant is rated easy to care for, Fiddle Leaf Fig hard. If this is an early houseplant or the spot is hard to get right, start with the Rubber Plant.
Rubber Plant copes with less light
Rubber Plant needs bright indirect light (4/5) - beside a bright window, no midday sun on the leaves. Fiddle Leaf Fig wants very bright light (5/5), a south or west window with some direct sun.
Fiddle Leaf Fig drinks more
Rubber Plant wants low watering (2/5) - water when the top 3-5 cm of soil has dried out. Fiddle Leaf Fig needs moderate watering (3/5): water when the top 2-3 cm is dry, roughly weekly.
Fiddle Leaf Fig needs damper air
Fiddle Leaf Fig rates 4/5 for humidity - group plants or run a humidifier in winter. Rubber Plant rates 3/5, so normal household humidity works.
Rubber Plant is the air-purifying one
Rubber Plant appears on the common indoor air-purifying lists; Fiddle Leaf Fig does not. In a normal room the effect of either is modest, so treat it as a tiebreaker rather than a reason to buy.
They come from different habitats
Fiddle Leaf Fig originates in West Africa; Rubber Plant in Southeast Asia. Matching the original habitat is the quickest way to guess what each one wants indoors.
How to tell Fiddle Leaf Fig and Rubber Plant apart
If you want a big-leaved indoor tree and you do not want drama, buy the rubber plant. It takes less light, less water and far more neglect than a fiddle leaf fig, which drops leaves whenever anything changes. The fiddle's leaves are bigger and more sculptural -- that is what you are paying for.
Care at a glance
Fiddle Leaf Fig
Ficus Lyrata
The Instagram-famous plant with large violin-shaped leaves. Beautiful but demanding.
Care in one line: Bright indirect light, consistent watering, hates change.
Full Fiddle Leaf Fig care guide →
Rubber Plant
Ficus Elastica
Bold, glossy leaves in deep green or burgundy. Easy to care for and makes a great statement plant.
Care in one line: Bright indirect light, water when dry, wipe leaves.
Full Rubber Plant care guide →Fiddle Leaf Fig vs Rubber Plant: common questions
What is the difference between Fiddle Leaf Fig and Rubber Plant? +
If you want a big-leaved indoor tree and you do not want drama, buy the rubber plant. It takes less light, less water and far more neglect than a fiddle leaf fig, which drops leaves whenever anything changes. The fiddle's leaves are bigger and more sculptural -- that is what you are paying for. On care, rubber Plant is rated easy to care for, Fiddle Leaf Fig hard. If this is an early houseplant or the spot is hard to get right, start with the Rubber Plant.
Which is easier to care for, Fiddle Leaf Fig or Rubber Plant? +
Rubber Plant. It is rated easy while Fiddle Leaf Fig is hard, and it is more forgiving about light and watering mistakes.
Is Fiddle Leaf Fig or Rubber Plant safe for cats and dogs? +
Neither. Fiddle Leaf Fig is toxic to cats and dogs and Rubber Plant is toxic to cats and dogs. Both need a spot pets cannot reach.
Which needs less light, Fiddle Leaf Fig or Rubber Plant? +
Rubber Plant. It scores 4/5 for light and beside a bright window, no midday sun on the leaves. Fiddle Leaf Fig scores 5/5 and a south or west window with some direct sun.
Which needs more water, Fiddle Leaf Fig or Rubber Plant? +
Fiddle Leaf Fig, at 3/5 - water when the top 2-3 cm is dry, roughly weekly. Rubber Plant scores 2/5: water when the top 3-5 cm of soil has dried out.
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