Unpopular opinion: my indoor fig tree got sunburned from a south window

Tbh I always thought more sunlight was better for houseplants, especially ficus. So I moved my fiddle leaf fig right up against the south-facing glass in my Denver apartment about two months ago. Within three weeks, the top leaves started turning crispy and brown at the edges. I freaked out and thought it was pests or overwatering, but a guy at the local nursery pointed out the sunburn patterns. Turns out direct afternoon light through glass can actually scorch leaves, even for plants that like bright spots. I learned the hard way that sheer curtains or some distance from the window makes a huge difference. Has anyone else dealt with leaf burn from a window that seemed perfect?

2 comments

2 Comments

wadeg9211h ago

Respectfully disagree a bit. Ficus can handle a ton of light if they're acclimated slowly, but throwing them straight into direct south exposure from a dimmer spot is basically a shock to the system. The glass magnifies the heat too, it's like putting them in an oven on a sunny afternoon. I've got a fiddle leaf in a south window here in Phoenix and it's fine, but I moved it over a few feet at a time over a couple months. You're right about sheer curtains being a good middle ground, but not everyone needs to pull away from the window completely.

betht3211h ago

Think most people don't gradually adjust like that though.