If you love the look of fiddle leaf figs but don’t want to take care of a giant tree, or if you want to add a little variety to your houseplant collection, a bambino fiddle leaf fig, or dwarf fiddle leaf figs, may be the perfect plant for you!
These mini fiddles are adorable and come with all the beauty and charm of full-size fiddles but in a much smaller package! Bambinos only grow to be about 3 feet tall as opposed to about 12 feet for an indoor fiddle leaf fig (or 40+ for outdoor!).
A bambino is a great choice if you’re nervous about caring for a full-size fiddle, if you have a smaller space, or if you just like how these cute little fiddles look. And who wouldn’t?
As a passionate gardener, I’m always on the lookout for compact, high-impact plants suited for small spaces. Bambino varieties perfectly fit the bill! Bambinos are dwarf cultivars of larger plant species bred to remain petite. Their diminutive size makes them ideal for containers and garden edges. With the right care, bambinos can help you create a beautiful, bountiful outdoor garden.
In this article I’ll share my top tips for successfully growing vibrant bambino plants outdoors. Let’s get that garden thriving!
Choosing the Right Bambino Varieties
With so many bambino varieties available, selection can be tricky. Focus on types suitable for your region and needs:
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Climate match: Choose bambinos suited for your hardiness zone and seasonal conditions. Heat-lovers for southern zones, cold-hardy for up north.
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Sun requirements Most bambinos need full sun (6+ hours daily) to look their best Ensure your site provides adequate sunlight
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Mature size: Consider the mature height/width to allow proper spacing in garden beds and borders.
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Growth habit: Bambino types range from mounded to upright to trailing. Pick habits that complement your design.
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Color and texture: Select bambinos with hues and textures that provide desired contrast and visual interest.
With some research, you can find just the right bambino varieties for your unique space and taste.
Preparing the Planting Site
Advance planning ensures your bambinos get off on the right foot:
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Soil prep Enrich soil with ample compost and organic material. Most bambinos thrive in nutrient-rich well-draining soil.
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Sun access: Place bambinos where they’ll receive direct sunlight for the majority of the day.
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Spacing: Allow enough room between plants for them to reach mature size. Adjust spacing if planting in groups.
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Support: Have stakes or other supports ready for floppy bambino varieties prone to toppling over.
Taking time to prepare the planting site sets your bambinos up for success.
Planting with Care
When it’s time to plant your bambinos, use these tips to handle them with care:
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Water first: Water bambinos thoroughly before removing them from containers to avoid root damage.
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Loosen roots: Gently loosen any tangled or circling roots before placing in the planting hole.
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Plant at depth: Ensure you plant bambinos at the same soil depth as in their container. Plant crown even with soil surface.
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Backfill firmly: Fill soil around roots and tamp gently but firmly to remove large air pockets.
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Water immediately: Water newly planted bambinos thoroughly to help settle the soil and eliminate air pockets.
Follow these steps when planting to get your bambinos established with the least amount of transplant stress.
Providing Proper Care and Maintenance
Ongoing care is vital for bambino health. Stick to these maintenance practices:
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Regular watering: Check soil moisture frequently and water before plants show drought stress. Soak thoroughly.
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Occasional fertilizing: Apply balanced organic fertilizer a couple times per season to fuel growth.
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Pest monitoring: Watch for common pests like aphids and mites and take organic measures to control.
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Deadheading: Prune spent flowers to encourage more blooms and a neater appearance.
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End-of-season cleanup: Cut back dead growth in fall and top dress with compost or mulch for winter.
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Protection from elements: Use frost cloth or cloches to shield bambinos from intense sun, wind, or cold conditions if needed.
With attentive care, your bambinos will continue growing vigorously throughout the seasons.
Designing with Bambinos
The fun part is deciding how to use petite bambinos for maximum visual impact in your garden design. Consider these ideas:
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Edging: Use low-growing bambinos as a living border along paths, beds, and fences.
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Groupings: Plant groupings of the same or complementary bambino varieties for bold swaths of color.
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Mixed containers: Combine different bambino types in pots or window boxes for portable punch.
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Focal points: Utilize striking or unusual bambino cultivars as focal elements in garden beds.
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Drifts: Let spreading bambino varieties meander through beds and borders in loose drifts.
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Thrillers: Use tall, upright bambino types as thriller elements in container arrangements.
Mix and match bambinos for endless design possibilities!
Final Thoughts on Growing Bambinos
Bambinos may be small in stature, but they make a huge visual impact in outdoor garden designs. Follow the growing, care, and design tips outlined here, and you’ll be rewarded with a beautiful, bountiful bambino garden. The compact size yet vivid colors and textures of bambinos provide gardeners with ample creative potential. Let these dwarf dynamos take your garden to new heights!
Are dwarf fiddle leaf figs and bambinos the same thing?
We get this question all the time! Yes, these two plants are the same thing. They are both miniature versions of a fiddle leaf fig.
How to identify a bambino fiddle leaf fig
Luckily, dwarf fiddle leaf figs are pretty easy to find and are usually sold in local garden stores, home improvement stores, and even grocery store plant sections. You can also find them in many online plant shops.
However, bambinos are sometimes labeled as regular fiddle leaf figs, and many unsuspecting shoppers won’t realize they have a bambino until months or even years later when their little plant hasn’t turned into a tall tree!
Bambinos and regular fiddles are tricky to tell apart when they’re small, but the best way to identify a true bambino is to look closely at the leaves: fiddle leaf fig leaves are large and pear- or fiddle-shaped while bambino leaves are much more rounded. Bambino leaves also tend to be thicker and “perkier” while regular fiddle leafs are a bit more relaxed.
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