Ficus Lyrata – Little Sunshine – Guidelines For All Growers

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Ficus Lyrata Little Sunshine is a tropical and easy-to-moderate to care for plant that is sure to spruce up any indoor garden. This houseplant is well-loved in the community of plant collectors because of its distinct appearance and feel.

In this post, we’re sharing the most important tips and tricks you’ll need to know to successfully raise a Ficus Lyrata Little Sunshine!

If you want to buy one for yourself, we have a few reasonable options for you to explore. Continue reading to learn more about this Ficus’s interesting attributes.

What Is Ficus Lyrata Little Sunshine?

Ficus Lyrata Little Sunshine is from the Moraceae family. It is famous because of its lyrate-shaped, dark green leaves.

It may be referred to as Fiddle Leaf Fig Little Sunshine, Lyrata Little Sunshine, and Ficus Little Sunshine. However you call it, it is known for its compact and attractive foliage.

Ficus Lyrata Little Sunshine is a wonderful addition to your home, and can be placed near an east or west-facing window. If outdoors, it has the highest chances of survival in hardiness zones 9-11.

Origin And Family

Fiddle Leaf Fig Little Sunshine originates from the Ficus genus which is part of the Moraceae family. The Fiddle Leaf Fig Little Sunshine originates from the Ficus genus, part of the Moraceae family. The rainforests of Western and Central Africa are home to this plant. Fig Leaf Little Sunshine is a popular indoor plant these days, thriving in most humid environments.

Where To Buy

Do you want to get a Ficus Lyrata Little Sunshine for your home? Try purchasing from Etsy, we’ve been doing that for years!

In terms of pricing, the Ficus Lyrata Little Sunshine can be very affordable, costing between $15 for small plants to $25 for larger or more mature plants.

Ficus Lyrata Little Sunshine Plant Size

The Fiddle Leaf Fig Little Sunshine is a Ficus plant that grows to be approximately 2-3 feet tall indoors. It thrives well near an east or west-facing window because of its height capacity, light requirements, and high humidity needs.

Ficus Lyrata Little Sunshine Care Needs

Though not a difficult plant to care for, growing your Ficus Lyrata Little Sunshine to its maximum potential requires certain conditions to be met. The Ficus Lyrata Little Sunshine, with its compact and attractive foliage, loves humidity and needs relatively dry soil to thrive.

Water your Ficus when the top 2 inches of the soil are dry. As long as your pot has good drainage, don’t be afraid to completely drench the soil during watering schedules so you can properly hydrate the roots. Regarding light requirements, this lovely plant will do best in bright indirect light.

Learn about your plant’s more specific care needs by reading our in-depth guide below!

Care Difficulty

With its light, water, and humidity needs, the Lyrata Little Sunshine is typically considered easy-to-moderate to care for. To successfully grow this plant, you’ll need to be particular with the amount of light and well-draining-soil.

Growth Rate

The Ficus Little Sunshine plant measures 2-3 feet in height when grown in an indoor environment. The warmth of spring and summer jumpstarts this plant’s growth spurt.

Ficus species grow in a moderate speed, including the Little Sunshine.

Potting

In terms of container size, it is normally acceptable to use a medium container. Most potting materials, including terracotta or clay, will work perfectly.

Fiddle Leaf Fig Little Sunshine is susceptible to root rot. Make sure there are drainage holes in its pot.

Repotting

It’s important to repot your Ficus Lyrata Little Sunshine you see its roots pushing out of the drainage holes. This plant grows at a relatively moderate rate, therefore you can generally expect to repot every two to three years.

While repotting, you can give your Ficus a nutrient boost by adding standard commercial potting soil to replace the old material.

Soil

A standard commercial potting soil is best for Lyrata Little Sunshine. peat and perlite are the ideal components for the soil. Aeration and drainage are a must for this plant which is easy-to-moderate to care for.

Here are some excellent growing medium options to choose from:

pH

For this Ficus Little Sunshine, you’ll need a soil pH of around 6.0-6.5, which is neutral to acidic. If you’re worried about pH, you can order a simple pH meter device online to check your soil.

If the pH of your soil is too high, you can add sulfur or aluminum sulfate to improve acidity.

On the other hand, if the pH is too low, you can add baking soda, calcitic or dolomitic lime, or wood ash to your soil.

Water

Your Fiddle Leaf Fig Little Sunshine will want the soil to stay relatively dry in between watering schedules. Feel out the soil with your finger and check when the top 2 inches of the soil are dry. If this is the case, thoroughly drench your plant until water seeps out from the bottom of the pot.

Overwatering is one of the most common causes of plant death indoors. When in doubt, it’s usually preferable to underwater than overwater Fiddle Leaf Fig Little Sunshine. To make sure that your plant’s roots aren’t getting drowned, use a well-draining soil and a pot with drainage holes.

Light

Ficus Lyrata Little Sunshine prefers bright indirect light for 6-8 hours per day. Remember, you’re trying to recreate its growing conditions in the rainforests of Western and Central Africa. Placing this plant near an east or west-facing window works well in most situations.

You’ll know your Ficus Lyrata Little Sunshine is getting too much light when its leaves will get scorched. On the other hand, if it doesn’t get enough light, it may start to droop and grow slowly.

Avoid putting your Ficus Lyrata Little Sunshine in direct sunlight, as this could severely damage or even kill it.

Fertilizer

Several indoor growers forget to fertilize, thinking that water and bright indirect light are sufficient sources of nourishment for their plants. In truth, the nutrients from the soil are just as essential in your plant’s health.

Feed your plant once a month during spring and summer. A water-soluble fertilizer will work best for yourf Lyrata Little Sunshine. If you’re using a more potent fertilizer, you may need to dilute it first.

In the colder months, you don’t need to fertilize at all.

Propagating Ficus Lyrata Little Sunshine

If your Ficus Lyrata Little Sunshine has grown too tall, you may prune back the stem and set the cuttings aside for propagation! Below, we’ve listed step-by-step guides for different propagation methods.

I've had this baby in my care for a little over a week now & it's already giving me a new leaf 🌿
Ficus lyrata "Little Sunshine" pic.twitter.com/ZQDgNgpxVv

— Paige ᜆᜎ 🐍🌘 (@starrypaigeart) September 28, 2020

Stem Cuttings In Soil

One basic method to grow a Fiddle Leaf Fig Little Sunshine is by directly planting stem cuttings into soil. If you don’t already have this plant, you can purchase a cutting from Etsy or from your local Facebook Marketplace.

It is best to propagate during early spring to summer so it will be easier for your plant to recover from transplant shock.

1. Cut. Using clean shears, cut off a healthy section of the plant. A cutting is ideally at least three inches tall and should include a few leaves and nodes.
2. Plant. Bury the stem’s nodes in a pot or container filled with damp potting soil. Pinch the soil around the stem or use wooden skewers to hold the plant in place. Too much movement can disrupt root growth.
3. Maintain. Place your container near a window in bright, indirect light. Remember to keep the soil moist.
4. Wait. You can expect new roots in about 2-3 weeks. An emerging shoot is the best indicator that your cutting has successfully grown roots!

Stem Cuttings In Water

Here are the steps in successfully developing Lyrata Little Sunshine cuttings in water:

1. Cut. Cut the stem just below a node using a sharp knife. Remove flower stalks and lower leaves so your cutting can focus its energy on growing roots.
2. Submerge. Put the cutting in an old glass bottle and fill it with water. Any part of the stem below the water surface should be free of leaves.
3. Maintain. A well-lit window with good airflow is the ideal location for your new plant. Keep a humidifier nearby to keep the leaves perky.
4. Refill. Check every 3-5 days to see if the water needs to be replenished with a clean batch.
5. Transplant. When the roots are about an inch or longer, your cutting is ready to be potted in soil.

Humidity And Aeration

Ficus Lyrata Little Sunshine is a bushy perennial that loves high humidity. For best results, we recommend keeping the air humidity levels around 70% or higher.

Aside from absorbing water through its roots, your plant will also need nourishment from the moisture in the air. You can keep bowls of water to evaporate nearby, or you can invest in a humidifier which is more consistent in improving humidity for your plant.

Temperature

warm temperatures are preferable for Ficus Little Sunshine plants, but they can thrive in a temperature range of 65-80 degrees Fahrenheit.

They do, however, like constant temperatures, so keep them away from windows and openings that may allow chilly air in during cold seasons. Also, keep them away from vents and other sources of heat which can dry the air.

Flowers

Most plants will typically bloom only when exposed to the natural elements. Nonetheless, your Fiddle Leaf Fig Little Sunshine can still produce ?MISSING? ?MISSING? flowers ?MISSING?.

Toxic

Handle this plant responsibly if you have tiny children or pets in your home. The Lyrata Little Sunshine is toxic to animals, including cats and dogs, as well as people. If ingested, you can expect the following symptoms: vomiting, stomach upset, diarrhea, or drooling. In most cases this plant is considered non-life-threatening.

Pests, Diseases, And Other Problems

Overall, I would say that the Ficus Lyrata Little Sunshine is a disease and pest-resistant plant. Here are some quick tips for curing common ailments, as well as some general suggestions to keep this plant healthy.

Spider Mites

Spider mites are an unfortunate but common problem, especially for Ficus Little Sunshine. At first, spider mite damage will appear as tiny, brown or yellow spots on this plant’s leaves. You might also notice stunted growth or leaves that take forever to unfurl.

Since spider mites are related to spiders, they spin webs (which is kind of gross). The main difference is that a spider’s web has a more intricate pattern and will be inhabited by only one or two spiders. On the other hand, if the web you see is fine, sticky and has a lot of miniscule red bugs crawling in it, that’s a spider mite infestation!

To combat spider mites on your Ficus Little Sunshine, start by taking your plant outside ang giving it a through hose down to dislodge the bugs. When you take it back inside, isolate it from your other plants until you’re sure that there are no more spider mites left.

If that doesn’t work, neem oil, insecticidal soap, and horticultural oil are organic products that can do the trick!

Fungus Gnats

Fungus gnats are tiny insects that give birth to larvae which eat fungus and other decaying organic elements in the soil. When the larval population explodes, they also eat plants’ roots, and this is bad news for your Fiddle Leaf Fig Little Sunshine.

Fungus gnat larvae are killed by hydrogen peroxide on contact, making it a quick and easy way to get rid of them. Spray your Fiddle Leaf Fig Little Sunshine soil with a solution that’s four parts water and one part hydrogen peroxide.

There are products on the market that target either the larval or adult periods, but either is good. If you target one stage of their life cycle and reapply frequently, you should be able to eliminate these pesky plant insects in a few of weeks.

Thrips

Scale Insects

Adult scales are sedentary and covered in a waxy coating, but they will give birth to extremely small crawling bugs.

Armored scales can be scraped off, but you will need to do it gently using an old ID card, or with your fingers. Take care not to rip the leaves of your Ficus Lyrata Little Sunshine.

Use insecticidal soap, horticultural oil, or neem oil to suffocate scale insects. When you see active crawlers, spray your plant with a general pesticide. Follow it up with a second application after a week. We recommend some products below:

Mealybugs

Mealybugs are white, fuzzy insects which suck the nutrients from plants, and are basically the botanical equivalent of head lice on humans. These pests can stunt plant growth or even kill your Ficus Little Sunshine.

To send these nasty crawlers packing, you can use directly spray them with neem oil (but remember to dilute it in water first). Another option is to take a cotton ball, soak it in Isopropyl alcohol, and rub it over the leaves and stem.

If you have several houseplants, you may need to quarantine your infected Ficus Little Sunshine until there are no more signs of mealybugs.

I had the Ficus Audrey on my wish list but when I came across this one, I couldn’t say no.

Look at it, it fits in a cup holder! 🥺This my first Ficus Lyrata (a Dwarf cultivar, they called it Little Sunshine). Wish me luck.. 🌱😬 pic.twitter.com/CHd535qdjU

— julie⁷ 🍒 (@juwelly) September 5, 2019

Brown Leaf Tips

Brown leaf tips on your Fiddle Leaf Fig Little Sunshine can either be caused by low humidity, underwatering, root damage, and soil compactness.

Occasionally, you may need to flush out excess minerals, salts, fertilizers, and chemicals in the soil by letting the water flow through for a few minutes. As long as you have a fast-draining substrate and a pot with drainage holes, you shouldn’t worry about accidentally drowning your plant’s roots.

Drooping Leaves

A wilting, droopy appearance on your Ficus Lyrata Little Sunshine indicates distress. Possible causes of drooping leaves are overwatering, underwatering, excessive light exposure, lack of light, and low humidity.

Yellow Leaves

Yellowing leaves on Lyrata Little Sunshine can be caused by a myriad of factors. For one, lack of light can deprive your plant of nourishment and turn its leaves yellow. Alternatively, there might be an issue with underwatering, overwatering, or an inconsistent watering schedule in general.

Remove yellowing leaves so the plant can focus its energy on growing new green leaves instead.

Root Rot

Root rot in Ficus Little Sunshine is often caused by overwatering. Excessive moisture will either drown your plant or invite fungal diseases that will destroy the roots.

Figuring out the right amount of hydration will keep your Ficus healthy. Instead of limiting the amount of water that you pour on your plant out of fear that the roots will drown, you can simply provide a substrate that will drain and dry fast. Take your regular potting soil and mix in some chunky but light components such as perlite, pumice, bark, and coco cubes, coal, river sand, and many others.

Of course, you must also make sure your planter has holes for the water to drain through. Choosing porous pots made from terracotta or unglazed ceramic can further help in drying the soil faster.

Similar Plants

Love Fiddle Leaf Fig Little Sunshine? Here are some other similar plant options you should try:

Ficus Lyrata Bambino – If you love Fiddle Leaf Fig plants but don’t have enough space for the wider variety, this compact plant is your best choice. It doesn’t grow as tall, it’s pretty easy to keep alive, and it’s simply beautiful to have around. 
Ficus Lyrata Compacta – This tiny plant has a beautiful glossy sheen that reflects the light artistically.

Conclusion

With its compact and attractive foliage, the Ficus Lyrata Little Sunshine grows beautifully indoors.

It’s easy-to-moderate to care for. It loves bright indirect light, high humidity, relatively dry soil, and warm temps.

So if you’re looking for a new addition to your collection or are just getting started as an indoor gardener, use these instructions to grow your own Ficus Lyrata Little Sunshine!

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