Growing in their native environments, Ficus elasticas can get 60-80′ tall. They grow fastest in the warm season and add about two feet of growth a year; however, they drop leaves when unhappy, and there are many reasons why. Temperature: Average room temperatures of 60 - 75°F (15 - 24°C are fine. It can grow large and loose leaves at the base of the plant but can be cut back over the winter when the rubber sap will not fill up the p It can withstand winter temperature down to 40 F (4 C), but the leaves may suffer. Soil is critical when planning for how to care for a rubber plant. Being a tropical plant, it will thrive in warm and humid conditions. Let the wet sap dry, and insert the sappy end of the cutting about 2 inches (5.1 cm) deep in soil. Rubber plants are easy to care for, and the most amount of work they provide for the gardener comes with the pruning of the tree. Hose off spider mites with strong sprays of water. Spring is the best time of year to cut back your rubber plant. Clean the leaves regularly with the help of a damp cloth. In nature, it can grow to heights of 30-45 feet and can spread up to 30 feet. Native to the rainforests of India and South America, it can quickly adapt to common indoor temperatures. I know, I know. Next 111 results. Keep an eye on your rubber tree growing outdoors and use good … Use a dropcloth and wear gloves when pruning to keep the milky white sap off skin and soil or pavement -- it contains toxins that can cause irritation or gastric upset. The houseplants are easy to grow and care for year-round. Best Soil for Rubber Plants. Learn how to care for, clean, and propagate a Rubber Plant as well as troubleshooting why your Rubber Plant is struggling! What Soil Conditions Suit Rubber Trees? Rubber plant information suggests plants require deep watering and then allow the soil to dry out almost completely. Failing to transplants pots as growth occurs can cause root damage that will stunt the growth of the plants. Prevent infestations with proper plant care. Rubber plants make for a great addition to any indoor garden. How to Care for Your Rubber Tree Plant . The rubber tree plant is also commonly called the rubber plant, India rubber tree, rubber fig, or rubber bush. If you’d like to start a second rubber plant in a separate pot—or if a friend or family member wants to start a rubber plant of their own—you can do so with a cutting. Rubber Plant Care Usually, it’s that balance between good sunlight and shade that can prove a little hard to achieve. For your plant to thrive, the soil must be kept evenly moist at all times—not too wet and not too dry. View the video × More D.I.Y. Fun fact. Remove scales and mealybugs on smaller plants with cotton swabs soaked in soapy water. Avoid lower than 55°F (12°C), sudden temperature drops and cold drafts. Temperature. Check out my post on rubber plant care for all your questions on how to take care of Ficus elastica! It should be moist at all times, but too much or too little water can both cause issues. Rubber trees will grow well in most homes with just a little care, but they can get fairly large if you don't prune them. The plant should be fertilized every 15 days. Great for lush instant greening or filling an empty corner of a room. 1 Kevin Greene; 2 Brendan Morais; 3 Dwayne Haskins; 4 K.T. Everything about Rubber Plants! Many people put their rubber trees near a window where the light is filtered through a pair of sheer curtains. Many people put their rubber trees near a window where the light is filtered through a pair of sheer curtains. Water. However, the rubber plant is famous for its tolerance to dry soil, varying lighting conditions, and even some neglect on your part. The rubber plant is a very easy plant to look after. But first, if you like this post about Rubber Plant care, then you will definitely enjoy my indoor houseplant care ebook, Happy Houseplants! It can grow up to 130 feet tall in the wild, but will typically only grow to 5 or 6 feet as an indoor planter. How to Take Care of a Rubber Tree. rubber plant care light: 12 3 4 5. Your Burgundy Rubber Tree will grow best with consistent, bright, filtered light—which produces the dark, burgundy color of the leaves. A gorgeous variegated version of the burgundy Rubber Tree, the strawberry-colored leaves of the Pink Rubber Tree make this plant a unique addition to any indoor space. This plant tolerates low light, but the leaves will fade to a light green color. Rubber Tree Plant Care Prune a young rubber plant to eliminate multiple trunks and encourage scaffold branches -- branches one-half the diameter of the trunk or less that leave the trunk at about a 45-degree angle. It's now been replaced by another species, but the Latin name 'Elastica' still refers to this time. Some sources say containerized plants should be allowed to dry out completely between waterings. Rubber Plant Houseplant Care: Propagation & Potting: Rubber Plant needs to be periodically transplanted into larger pots. It gets this name because its sap produces a type of latex that was once used to make rubber. Rubber Plants are usually sold as floor plants. Outdoor rubber plants can grow up to 30 feet tall, so make sure your plant has enough room to spread out. We too get sick of hearing that [insert anything here] is the new black. Mine was growing in a 10″ pot and I repotted it into a 15″ pot last year (more on that below). Read on to learn more fascinating facts about this plant before diving into its growth and care needs. Light Requirements . Provide the rubber tree with the right mix of soil, light, and water, and you'll have a happy, healthy plant that makes a beautiful addition to your living space. Rubber Plant Care and Growing Tips. How to grow and care for a rubber plant. Place the plant in an area with both adequate sunlight and shade. The rubber plant is part of the well-known Ficus (or Fig) family. Sometimes they get scale, mealybug or spider mite infestations, often as a result of incorrect lighting and improper watering. Taking Care of a Rubber Plant Outdoors. Advice. Its thick, glossy, leathery green leaves and fast, tall growth mean that rubber plants … It’s simple to install – and best of all, you can do it yourself! My Happy Houseplants ebook talks about how to not kill all the plants and includes: Rubber Plant Care. They also grow well outside in temperate climates. Rubber Plant Care Tips. Top Searches Holiday Gifts. If the plant gets less light while leaves are growing, the leaves will actually be larger! Here’s how! Rubber plants aren't subject to many pests or diseases. Rubber plants (Ficus elastica) are perfect plants for beginner indoor gardeners as they’re super tough, have large glossy leaves and grow quickly into an impressive indoor specimen. These plants require accurate water and need soil that drains water well. 01:53. Rubber Tree Plant Care Sun. MORE HOUSEPLANT CARE TIPS. The humidity level required for this plant is minimum 50%. In its natural habitat, it can grow 50 to 100 feet with an enormous canopy of draping, foot-long oval leaves. The baby rubber plant has a small root system, so it is important to take care when packing them into a pot and when watering them. It now stands 6′ from the ground. Burgundy Rubber Tree Care The Burgundy Rubber Tree is a spectacular indoor plant with thick, glossy leaves that range from a rich burgundy red to almost black. Trending. Humidity. Light: A nice brightly lit spot is ideal, without direct sunlight. The rubber plant is a member of the fig family, and is native to India. How to grow an avocado plant Read my rubber plant care guide to learn more. The Rubber Tree or Ficus elastica ‘Variegata’ is native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. View the video. They prefer slightly acidic soil, but they do well in most soil conditions, provided there is adequate drainage. An indoor rubber plant can be grown with very little care. Living indoors they usually grow to … Ideally, the temperature that suits it best lies in a range of 59-68 F (15 to 20 C). Care for a Rubber Plant. Light : Rubber plants thrive in bright, indirect light . Ficus elastica 'Bali' Rubber Plant, Very well known spiecies of fig. Rubber tree (Ficus elastica) originates in India and Malaysia and grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 through 12. Providing the perfect amount of bright light for your rubber plant is a delicate balancing act, as direct sunlight may scorch the leaves while low light levels can cause the lower leaves to fall off. I have learned so much about Rubber Plants over the last year and I can’t wait to share my best care tips with you! How to care for and grow the Pink Rubber Tree. Rubber trees will grow readily in a variety of soil types. The rubber plant yields a milky white latex, which was formerly used to produce latex for rubber making. When kept indoors with proper care you can expect your Rubber Plant (Ficus Elastica) to reach between 6 to 10 feet tall. 01:23. From the Moraceae plant family, the rubber tree gets its name from its thick, shiny, rubbery leaves. Damaged leaves don’t recover, but they can be replaced by healthy new growth. Watering: Water once the soil becomes slightly dry to the touch and make sure the pot has sufficient drainage holes to allow excess water to seep through. Still, other sources say the drying of the soil causes leaves to drop. Most rubber plants (Ficus elastica) grow as houseplants because they require warm temperatures year-round to thrive. Decking How to install modular decking Add more useable space and give your backyard a stylish, modern update by installing modular decking. Oslin; 5 Nissan Rogue Offers; 6 Saturn And Jupiter; 7 Carecredit Application; 8 Catastrophic Health Insurance; 9 John Mulaney; 10 Alex Padilla; Top Searches Holiday Gifts. The rubber tree plant— botanical name is Ficus elastica—is a hardy houseplant that is very easy to care for.The plant also has names such as Indian rubber tree, rubber fig, and Indian rubber bush. It can tolerate hot weather, but make sure that there is plenty of humidity in the air around the plant. Rubber plants enjoy well-draining soil that is also well-aerated (something with peat moss would be nice) and a pot with a drainage hole since they are prone to root rot. Rubber trees do not require much light, but flourish in bright, indirect light. It produces shiny, oval shaped leaves and inedible fruit in the form of a fig. Rubber tree prefers moderately cool, moist, and humid air. Rubber plants or rubber trees are big, beautiful, and surprisingly easy to care for. But like so many variegated plants, the Pink Rubber Tree can be slightly more sensitive and requires the right balance of light and humidity to thrive. Yes, it’s definitely a tree! Rubber Plants prefer to be positioned in bright filtered light for best growth and require this to thrive. Too much water will lead to root rot and soggy soil. Snip off a generous cutting, like a large, healthy leaf or a medium branch. Nov 16, 2018 - Looking for tips on how to care for your rubber tree? Rubber tree plant care will be easy if you fulfill only these two requirements. How to grow and care for a rubber plant. Some binding is necessary for stability and maintaining a tight root ball for later transplanting. Ficus elastica, also known as the rubber plant, is an unusual-looking plant from the tropics of Southeast Asia with huge, soft leaves and an exotic name. Size. Rubber Plants can grow up to 25 to 40 feet tall in the wild so make sure you have a good pair of pruners. 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