Fiddle De Dee Fig

This fiddle leaf fig has spent the last year or so in my basement. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Fiddle Dee Dee Fig Philodendron

I had mixed feelings seeing this old friend leave. It was one of a couple of plants our local recreation center re-homed a year ago when they used the community lounge room for extra stationary bicycles.

These plants had been living on the south side of the room with a huge glass wall giving them sun exposure all year around. When the lounge was converted to exercise bicycles, the plants were in the way and needed to be moved.

The original offer was that these plants were being given away. I love having plants in my home, especially during winter when it’s cold outside and I am still surrounded by plants. I at least can pretend it’s not that cold.

However as my handyman and I picked the large tropical plants up, the recreation center employee who cares for the plants asked if she could get two of them back later and I agreed. She wanted: a sago palm, which I don’t mind returning because the leaves are prickly and need undisturbed space, and the fiddle fig philodendron (in photo).

Both plants spent a cozy winter inside my house. The tropical sego palm had a spot in my den where it could visit with a couple of tropical grapefruit trees. If you have read “The Hidden Lives of Trees” you may have second thoughts about our relationship with trees. I suspect they had some interesting - exchanges - when I wasn’t around.

The fiddle fig spent winter in my torn up basement, the huge draping leaves giving my cats a fun place to hide when playing. I also enjoyed having the large spot of green in the middle of the stark, empty space, it warmed up the rooms while I waited for the work to begin. I like spending winter there, I have my books handy and a nice stash of lap quilts to keep warm.

Once the basement was finished, though, it was time for the fiddle fig to find other accommodations. Luckily about the same time our recreation center moved the exercise equipment out and returned the fireplace lounge back to community use. When I heard from the Mayor that he wanted to encourage people to use the space, I reminded the recreation center staff that I still had the two plants. They will definitely help warm up the space.

Two recreation center employees came by September 19, 2019 to pick up the plants and return them to their spot in the lounge.

The sago palm was easy; it took some muscle to get the fiddle fig back up my limestone hill.

Fiddle headed back up the stairs to return to our local recreation center. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Once lifted up the 12 steps - yes, we all counted - the fiddle fig was in the back of the pick up truck.

I enjoyed having this interesting philodendron around. The leaves are huge and I could always count on a few hiding a cat or two waiting to play hide and seek. The leaves are long and it has roots that sometime seek light by springing out from the center.

But now that the basement is finished, there isn’t room for this sprawling, growing plant so time to go home. k I was promised visitation rights.

Here is it, slowly on its way back to its original home. I was assured they would not be driving fast and tearing up the leaves in the process.

And off it goes, back to the community lounge where it originally lived. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I think we are moving them back at just the right time. Temperatures should start to cool off as we leave summer behind, and hopefully the punishing weather as well.

I will stop in next week to see that they are nicely settled in.

In the meantime, happy fall.

Charlotte