Home » Rubber Plant (Ficus Elastica) Care And Growing Tips. The temperature wants to be kept at around 70°F (21°C) - 75°F (24°C) ideally. Average room temperatures of 60 - 75°F (15 - 24°C are fine. Temperature is an important factor for growth and varies from species to species. Houseplantsexpert.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Roseopicta, C. Zebrina, C. Crocata, C. Makoyana, C Lancifolia and others. Q. If you like, feed your rubber tree with a general-purpose fertilizer at 1/4 to 1/2 strength a few times a year, especially during active growth in spring and summer. While your rubber tree is in its growing season, you keep the soil moist. Fertilize your rubber tree during the spring and early summer, but not when it is dormant in the winter. Another advantage of a succulent Christmas tree is that they’re lower maintenance than a traditional fir or pine tree. It resembles … How it looks and displaying: The rubber plant is all about having a small tree indoors with broad shiny attractive leaves. Ang bunso naming makulet🤣. Water more often until the leaves perk up again. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If your rubber plant is still small and/or you don’t want it to grow much or to grow slowly, your plant may only need a little top dressing. Either repot to a pot with holes, or simply water less often. Because the leaves of the rubber tree plant are succulent, they gather and hold water to sustain the plant through drought conditions. For the indoor grower looking for a tree type plant species with attractive foliage which can grow from 1ft to over 8ft tall, this is an excellent choice. Did you pot up after you bought it? In this guide, we’ll take a look at exactly how to care for your own rubber tree plant. Listen to this post on the Epic Gardening Podcast, Subscribe to the Epic Gardening Podcast on iTunes. If this is the case, simply scrape off the top half inch to inch (1.2 to 2.5 cm.) Here is more about our approach. Half-strength houseplant fertilizer will do just fine. You may also want to prune back any unwanted branches to give the plant a fuller shape. Care level: This species is quite an easy plant to care for and can grow well on low light. A nice brightly lit spot is ideal, without direct sunlight. After those 7 years, it will produce sap for rubber for about 30 years or so. It’s best to just get rid of your rubber plant and buy a new one.​. In it's natural habitat it grows over 30 metres tall, however, the varieties grown indoors are a much more manageable height. This year's hottest Christmas tree is made from an unexpected plant variety—succulents! Plant this in a pot and you have your new tree.​. Rubber Tree. To improve humidity mist the leaves when it gets very warm in the summer. Find a healthy, leafing part of a branch. It is possible to underwater it. Before potting the cutting in soil use rooting hormone and then provide the bottom of the pot some heat (usually using a heat pad). While you're here, why not follow us on Facebook and YouTube? Their succulent and meaty leaves come in different colors and some are variegated making sure they grab your attention wherever you grow them. India, Nepal, Myanmar, China, Malaysia & others. Native to the rainforests of India and South America, it can quickly adapt to common indoor temperatures. My rubber plant has leaf spots. Rubber plants can grow up to 100 feet in their native homeland of Southeast Asia. Once the plant begins to mature and grow in height it's common to train and support the trunk and branches by staking or tying them back to keep them growing upright. Hi, I'm Kevin. From May - June re-pot once the roots have become pot bound or every year when the plants are very young, and then once every 3 years after the plant has matured. The worst a grower can do (which are common mistakes) is over-water, move the plant around too much or to a spot with less light or with colder temperatures. Native to South-East Asia, the rubber tree grows on the edge of tropical rain forests. The soil will drain quickly enough for the rubber tree to feel right at home.​. Add equal parts of quality peat moss, sand, and garden loam. It looks like a tree but it doesn’t require much space. Native to tropical East Africa, including Malawi, Mozambique, West Kenya and Uganda and naturalized in many tropical and subtropical countries. Caring for a succulent is straightforward since it doesn’t require any special treatment besides occasional watering and lots of light. If any leaves fall off, you can make a nick (not deep) with a clean knife just above the node and the new leaf will grow back faster. Be sure to mist them as well for pest prevention. Be sure to clean the leaves of your ficus elastica so it can breathe easier, but don’t use any kind of leaf shine on it. When Does Rubber Plant Need a New Pot? This is a rooted cutting with a little stem and a few leaves. A little more about me. Am I overwatering, or what is causing these? In its native environment, it’s normal for a rubber plant to grow to over 100′ tall. Epic Gardening occasionally links to goods or services offered by vendors to help you find the best products to care for plants. Wrap the peat in plastic, but loosely. Alternatively, use a pre-made succulent or cacti potting mix. Think of it as giving your Rubber Tree a haircut. This is a green Baby rubber tree cutting also known as a Peperomia obtusifolia succulent. With careful pruning, you can shape your rubber tree to be exactly as tall as you want. A. Succulents are also one of the most low-maintenance house plants of all, so they’re perfect for everyone, including those without a green thumb. Water it deep. How it looks and displaying: The rubber plant is all about having a small tree indoors with broad shiny attractive leaves. However, when you grow rubber tree indoors as a houseplant, it only grows up to 2 m (6-8 feet) tall. There are a number of Ficus elastica varieties grown successfully indoors which includes, "the most common one" F.elastica decora (has shiny leather type leaves which grow to a foot long), F.elastica robusta (has larger leaves than decora), F.elastica black prince or burgundy (has near black reddish leaves) and a selection of variegated types. They’re dropping and turning yellow. Take a cutting (few inches long) and allow the sap to dry for 1 hour. What should I do? Propagation by Cuttings. A well-draining and well-aerated potting soil is needed. Also known as Tree of Love, this succulent is a bit different looking. What gives? An easy tree that you can see grow and develop into a statement in your space. 1 part peat, 1 part pine bark and 1 part coarse sand (or perlite) is a good mix. For a complete guide, check out this video or follow the steps below: Overall, ficus elastica is a hardy plant that can tolerate most growing conditions. I would renew the soil every year. If you mist the leaves of your rubber tree plant to keep them somewhat moist, you will prevent most mites or thrips from settling in. Most are easily preventable with a bit of care, though. The leaves of my rubber plant are drooping downward, but I don’t think I’m doing anything wrong. ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas Zamiifolia) Care and Growing Guide, How to Treat Plant Fungus with Baking Soda, Common Name: Rubber tree, rubber tree plant, rubber plant, Insects and Diseases: Mites, scales, aphids, whitefly, root rot, It’s been proven to remove formaldehyde from the air​. The container for your rubber tree should be large enough to grow a 4-foot tall tree. See the guide for repotting house plants with useful tips. Submit your house plant to the new forum and ask others for identification. Place a layer of small 1-inch rocks in the bottom to aid in drainage. Wrap the cut in thoroughly wet sphagnum peat moss. Use a very soft cloth or sponge. Ficus elastica is the classic Rubber Tree, Rubber Plant or India Rubber Plant. Most succulents need low, indirect light and only require watering about once every 10 days or so. The plants live for hundreds of years, but take 7 years to be harvested for the first time. Rubber Tree Plant Care Sun. Finally, cut off that stem below these roots. A. ​Keep the plant right up in front of the south facing window.How do you check for moisture in the soil? Ficus elastica, the rubber fig, rubber bush, rubber tree, rubber plant, or Indian rubber bush, Indian rubber tree, is a species of plant in the fig genus, native to eastern parts of South Asia and southeast Asia.It has become naturalized in Sri Lanka, the West Indies, and the US State of Florida. However, be aware that the leaves at the bottom fall off naturally. Cultivated for the large decorative leaves and as a hedge. The Ficus Elastica ‘Ruby’, also known as a variegated Rubber tree, is native to tropical regions of India and Malaysia. Don’t freak out! After planting a jade plant, don’t water it right away. Many people put their rubber trees near a window where the light is filtered through a pair of sheer curtains. Shop The Sill's collection of houseplants and indoor plants for delivery. These can be quite tricky to propagate by stem tip cuttings, but you can succeed. Once the rubber plant has grown to the height you want it to grow up to, you can cut the top off. Feed during spring and summer with a diluted liquid fertilizer every two weeks. How can I prevent thrips or mites from affecting my rubber plant? Water your rubber tree when the soil is slightly dry to the touch. This is especially true when it comes to fluctuations in temperature or air flow. A. ​The most likely problem is over watering. Watering weekly could be too much?what type of soil is it in? It’s is very easy to care for and it’s beautiful when grown. Some of these may be affiliate links, meaning we earn a small commission if items are purchased. When this plant is about 1 - 2ft tall it's well suited sitting as a centrepiece on a table, on a shelf, or on a windowsill, but once it begins to grow above 3ft it looks great standing next to a fireplace, television area or near door entrances (as longs as their are no cold drafts). 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