Indian Rubber Tree Plant
Ficus elastica is the classic rubber tree rubber plant or india rubber plant.
Indian rubber tree plant. Rubber tree plant care sun. If you re new to plant parenting a rubber tree is the plant for you. Able to adapt to and endure lower light conditions and generally poor treatment the rubber tree is a winner indoors. If the plant gets less light while leaves are growing the leaves will actually be larger.
A rubber tree plant is also known as a ficus elastica these large trees can grow up to 50 feet 15 m tall. The ficus lyrata or fiddleleaf fig is revered in the groovy design world but we know many find it a challenge to grow. Instead use them to propagate a rubber tree plant. When learning how to care for a rubber tree plant there are a few key things to remember but rubber plant care isn t as difficult as one might think.
Rubber trees formally ficus elastica can be enjoyed as either medium sized house plants or grown to become focal point beautiful indoor trees if you re patient enough to grow your own plants that start out younger when you buy them adapt better to indoor living than starting with a more mature plant. The ficus benjamina or weeping fig drops leaves like it s fall every day. As a houseplant ficus is very popular. 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.
India rubber plant large tree of the family moraceae once an important source of an inferior natural rubber. Propagating a rubber tree plant from cuttings starts with getting a good cutting. It was largely replaced as a source of rubber by the unrelated rubber tree. Native to india and malaysia elastica is among the oldest plants used as houseplants worldwide.
Propagate a rubber tree plant with cuttings. The plant is native to southeast asia and is commonly grown as a hardy indoor pot plant elsewhere. After pruning don t throw out those cuttings. With its glossy leathery leaves and upright form it s a striking addition to almost any room in your house.
In its native jungle habitat in india and malaysia the plant can grow up to 100 feet tall. You can propagate a new rubber tree plant from a cutting. Rubber tree plants can grow very tall and this means an indoor rubber tree occasionally needs to be pruned. Department of agriculture hardiness zones 10b and 11.
Although it s native to asia it will grow outdoors in the warm climates of u s. But indoors a rubber tree typically tops out at 6 to 10 feet tall. Rubber trees do not require much light but flourish in bright indirect light.