You can go as low as 4°C (39°F) in Winter if you have to, but your watering must be spot on. You can dip the cut bottom end into a rooting hormone, but it's not essential. Set the plant in a location with bright indirect lighting but not in direct sunlight. Use this pruning knowledge to design your perfect Rubber Plant! Decide on a shape for your rubber plant. Rubber plants are no different and include different varieties (cultivars) that differ primarily in the coloration of the foliage. Space became a premium and one of the first things to go was the giant Rubber Plant in the corner! This can fall onto the leaves below and dry out giving the impression something strange is happening. To produce those massive leaves the Rubber Plant needs feeding. Instead give your Rubber Plant a well lit spot with some indirect sun if possible. Note: Toxic to … Clean the leaves once a month. Staghorn Fern Care and Growing Information. Plant the stem with the remaining leaf in either gritty compost or perlite. How to keep tall potted plants from falling over. Hevea brasiliensis, the Pará rubber tree, sharinga tree, seringueira, or, most commonly, the rubber tree or rubber plant, is a flowering plant belonging to the spurge family Euphorbiaceae. This includes wiping the leaves with a damp cloth or even misting them. You then have two choices, either leave it where it is and top dress instead. The sap, whether it's still wet or has dried out can just be wiped away from the leaves with a damp cloth. If exposed to cooler temperatures – burgundy – has a tendency to drop leaves. The container for your rubber tree should be large enough to grow a 4-foot tall tree. Don't over do the sun exposure though and watch out for wet cool Summers which can encourage disease and possible overwatering. You may find this plant labeled either as a Rubber Tree or Rubber Fig. ‘Doescheri’ is an attractive variegated variety. However, if you do happen to have a suitable place with good light levels for the variegated types, look out for Ficus Ruby which has pink and purple flushes in the leaves. Sturdy plant stems hold shiny, usually dark green leaves, 12″ inches long, 6″ inches wide and oval. Leaf shine products can also be used for a glossy finish. They can grow slightly potbound but because they’re trees, prefer & a large base to accommodate the roots. It has become naturalized in Sri Lanka, the West Indies, and the US State of Florida. Native to India and eastern Asia, the plant can become massive reaching a height of 100′ feet. Find the central stem and then cut where you're happy for the new top to be. 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. Light. Even if you don't want to grow a really tall tree like plant indoors, the Rubber Plant's size can be restricted to an extent with regular pruning. Poor conditions, small pots or pruning will result in a shorter plant. Fortunately they can be pruned without adverse effect (although you may need a step ladder to get into the canopy first!). In Winter scale back and avoid the soaking, instead aim to keep the soil just moist, but remember to still let the soil dry out before coming back with the watering can. Most of the popular practices link the Ficus tree back to one of its native lands, Asia. If you're new to houseplants we have a more extensive repotting guide just for you. Ficus elastica has been a plant which has helped many a homeowner begin their journey of growing plants indoors. Feeding Try to fertilise once a month when it's growing. Or How To Shorten Tall House Plants? As with usual feeding rules, don't fertilise in Winter, or recently repotted and new plants for a good 3 to 6 months. Grow away from continuous direct sunlight. Answer: Keep the plant in a small pot for the size of the plant. If you have a variegated type you must provide bright indirect light, otherwise If you opt for shade, you'll lose the markings. Use a pot with drainage holes. The Rubber Plant watering needs are simple - they love a good soaking when they're growing, but dislike constantly damp roots. If you constantly cut / prune off the leading, tallest growth tips, then new growing shoots will form at the sides of the central stem lower down which will then create a branched, bushy looking style. Yes Rubber Plants do get big don't they! Overwatering can lead to root rot. As long as the plant gets good lighting and water, caring for them is easy and a Ficus rubber plant can live indoors for many years. Good Light Avoid direct sunlight and very shady areas. Rubber Plants in good conditions, big pots and with no regular pruning can achieve upwards of 9ft / 3M. Brown Spots and Leaf Drop – These symptoms show up when the plant gets too cold. It’s seen in many cases that houseplants initiate an allergic reaction in their … Indoor Tree Types. When repotting the ficus tree, use a commercial houseplant soil, adding a little extra peat moss would not hurt. DO NOT water the rubber plant more than twice a week in winter and three times a week in the summer. It helps to dip the bottom in rootone powder for faster rooting. However, some species (non-pollinators) simply feed off the plant and could cause danger in numbers. This results in a more bushy and branched plant. 13 Different Types of Rubber Natural Rubber. Dropping leaves and yellow leaves – This can happen during winter months when the plant needs more light and being over watered. Room Temperatures between 70°-78° degrees Fahrenheit will produce an excellent rubber plant. It's also an irritant to the eyes and skin so handle the plant carefully and if you do happen to get any on you, make sure you wash it off afterwards and you shouldn't have any issues. Related: There are other types of Ficus besides rubber plant varieties. It prefers bright, indirect … Ficus elastica – the rubber plant, a member of genus ficus, under the fig family Moraceae. Little and often is best, a weak balanced feed every couple of watering's during Spring and Summer. Some do not resemble anything like the average house plant. As a domesticated houseplant, rubber plants grow anywhere between six to ten feet tall.You can grow outdoor rubber plants if you live in … The sap, as well as being mildly toxic and irritating, can be damaging because it can stain carpets or furniture. The shiny glossy leaves look great in most homes and although young plants start off small they will fill the space in an empty corner quickly. Moderate Watering Once a week in Summer and once every two weeks in Winter. These trendy plants are one of Horton's faves not just because their eye-catching look is oh… These plants grow quite big even if their pots are tiny. In the wilderness, the tree can reach a height of up to 144 feet (44 m). However you have to keep in mind these houseplants are determined to grow upwards, no matter what and don't stay small and compact forever, eventually requiring a certain amount vertical of space. In this video I share with you my care tips for one of my favorite houseplants today. Ficus elastica is its scientific name, but there are many different varieties. and ‘whitish’ on top. DO NOT allow the rubber plant to dry out or the lower leaves may drop as you have indicated. Take a tip cutting of 3 -5 leaves. Repotting a Rubber Plant is quite easy if it's not to heavy. Based on the space in which you’re keeping the plant, and your own personal taste, choose which shape you’d like the plant to have. The Rubber Plant will be quite happy to grow in a broad range of temperatures between 10°C (50°F) to 29°C (85°F). If you've overwatered at this temperature you'll kill the plant quickly! The peace lily offers elegance and beauty with a unique look. A rubber tree plant is also known as a Ficus elastica.These large trees can grow up to 50 feet (15 m.) tall. There is even a “creeping ficus” – Ficus pumila! Rubber plants’ water needs vary according to season: In the growing season (summer), the plant should be kept moist. The true Latin name for this plant is Ficus elastica, however the traditional early versions have generally been replaced by more modern cultivars and closely related varieties. Peace Lily. Plantcaretoday.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, Variegated Types Of Ficus Elastica Varieties, Zingiber Zerumbet Care: All About Growing Shampoo Ginger. After spending quite a few years in the interiorscaping biz, I found the Rubber Plant to be the easiest of the ficus trifecta (which includes the Fiddleaf Fig and Ficus Benjamina) to maintain and keep alive. Make sure there are drainage holes in the bottom, otherwise you risk root rot. To encourage branching, remove the top growing tip and new shoots will begin to form and branch out of the rubber plant. Many types of rubber plants and rubber tree varieties have been grown indoors as a houseplant for decades. Around 30 years Rubber Plants were incredibly popular, but people started to live in more modern homes and apartments which tend to be smaller. The second choice is to repot. 10°C (50°F) to 29°C (85°F). The true Indian rubber plant – Ficus elastica – has been replaced with other more durable varieties for use indoors. Extreme cold, such as exposure to frost, can also cause this to happen, however if this is the cause then the leaves won't return to normal after a few days and will instead quickly start to fall off the plant. However you can still expect Spider Mites and Scale insects to drop in from time to time. There are several varieties of Ficus elastica which are variegated with shades of green and white or creamy yellow. You might have to wrap the exposed stem for a few hours to stop the latex sap from dripping all over the place. When watering, water thoroughly, completely saturating and soaking the soil media. Fortunately within the last 5 years they've bounced back and are once again fashionable and prominent statement houseplants and for good reason. We'll respect your privacy and unsubscribe at any time. Best results are obtained using bottom heat or doing it during Summer. You can mist the leaves from time to time when the air is very dry, but really you don't need to worry about humidity levels. Use this pruning knowledge to design your perfect Rubber Plant. This might work for you and if it does keep doing it, but in most homes watering more than once a week is likely to frequent. Nitrile rubber, also called Buna-N or NBR, is resistant to heat, gas permeability, and … Grow away from continuous direct sunlight. This will end up creating a much wider houseplant, although even then it won't spread much wider than around 3ft / 1M in most homes. Growth of your Rubber Plant can probably be described as moderately fast. However propagating a Rubber Plant is easy if you follow the four steps below: To get started you'll need a piece of stem, (often a growing tip), it needs to be about 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) long. Unusual Unusual Plants. Doescheri sticks with splashes of different shades of simple greens and yellows but still looks beautiful in the right spot. By entering your email address you agree to receive a daily email newsletter from Plant Care Today. So let us help you to grow your knowledge and become a houseplant expert. In other words it's good for your health as well as low maintenance. These plants grow quite big even if their pots are tiny. Ficus Alii PlantBotanical Name: Ficus binnendiijkii ‘Alii.’ Other Names: Amstel King, Ficus Amstel, … Care for this rugged plant with shiny leaves is easy to learn. A little knock or a little cut on a leaf or a stem can result in a large amount of dripping sap. Aichryson Laxum. If you're watering more than once a week the Ourhouseplants.com Team are looking your way with narrowed eyes, questioning your technique. Ficus Tineke is pretty much the same but more compact. A collection of plants grown indoors that have an unusual appearance. The most common variegated type is pictured further above, resembling army khaki. ‘Decora’ is widely available and has the classic dark green leaves with white ribs. Remove all of the leaves bar one. He is the main content writer for the Ourhouseplants Team. The Rubber Plant (Ficus elastica) could be the ideal houseplant for you if you want a tough but easy going indoor plant that can reach staggering heights within just a few years. This can happen when temperatures exceed 29°C (85°F), or when you've over watered. Place a layer of small 1-inch rocks in the bottom to aid in drainage. Hevea brasiliensis, the Para rubber tree, often simply called rubber tree, is a tree belonging to the family Euphorbiaceae and the most economically important member of the genus Hevea. Our website is here to help you succeed with houseplants and get your indoor plants thriving. These are harder to come by because they're trickier to keep looking great in homes as you can't skimp on the care requirement of bright light. When the temperature cools or the soil dries out after a few days or so the curling and drooping look should disappear. Many owners put their plants outdoors in the Summer which they feel encourages a rapid surge of new leaves. Another variety “Ficus Decora” is slightly different than “Robusta” with larger and broader leaves, a center vein which is red underneath. Tips cuttings could also be started in a plastic bag or a soda bottle to maintain high humidity. There are many Ficus elastica varieties or types of rubber plant cultivars. It is the most economically important member of the genus Hevea because the milky latex extracted from the tree is the primary source of natural rubber . The sap can cause a mild skin irritation or rash. From the beginner to the more experienced, there's something for everyone. This question is one that comes up quite often, so we've covered it off above in our height / spread section. The width of the plant can be controlled through your choice of whether to prune or not. When given proper care – a well-drained potting soil, good light and water – elastica rubber plants can quickly become impressive specimens. If you go hotter, the leaves will lose some of their turgid appearance. My rubber plant was also spreading out a lot and taking up a lot of space. Check out the best indoor plants with names. The all green types will take some shade and poorly lit spaces, but too much for too long and the plant will become lanky and spindly. The variety known as “Robusta” – Ficus elastica robusta or ficus robusta, probably comes closest to the original. Firstly because one Rubber Plant in a home is almost always enough and secondly, they're really cheap to go out and buy. It is of major economic importance because its sap-like extract (known as latex) can be collected and is the primary source of natural rubber. All varieties of Rubber Plants are considered broadleaf evergreens, with large, thick, leathery foliage. It also scores really well with resistance to pests and diseases and has a high transpiration rate which increases the humidity of the room it lives in. Topdressing means scraping off the top inch or so of old soil and replacing with fresh compost which introduces fresh nutrients and beneficial microbes back into the old tired potting soil. Over time, leaves will fall off if the light levels aren't quite right, or they've been damaged. Many types of rubber plants and rubber tree varieties have been grown indoors as a houseplant for decades. The growing media then needs to be kept barely moist, in a warm spot with indirect sunlight. They're easy to care for and very forgiving house guests. 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