The Rubber Tree (Ficus elastica), sometimes known as the Rubber Plant, is a low-maintenance ficus found in southern Asia. They can grow up to 200 feet tall in their natural habitat, and their buttressing roots have even been trained to grow over rivers in India to form living bridges.
Because the Ficus elastica prefers moist soil, avoid planting it near a drafty window or vent, a heater, or in full sunshine. The Rubber Plant prefers bright, indirect light, however they are exceptionally tolerant of lower light areas for a ficus. However, it is often recommended that the plant be placed near a southern facing window with sheer curtains to let the greater light to seep through.
If you’re unsure about the lighting in your home or business, we’ve put together a primer on how to measure light.
Can rubber plants tolerate low light?
Ficus elastica is one of the most durable indoor plants available. Its dark green leaves are 8 to 12 inches long and 4 to 6 inches wide, thick, glossy, and leathery. New leaves emerge from rose pink sheaths that wither and drop soon after. The rubber plant can reach ceiling height if the conditions are right. It’s also one of NASA’s recommended houseplants for bettering indoor air quality.
Ficus elastica tolerates less light than most other plants of its size, but thrives in strong, reflected light. It requires room temperatures that are in the middle of the range. Apply a full fertilizer on a regular basis, except in the autumn and winter. Provide a regular indoor potting soil that is moist but not soggy (like a squeezed sponge). In the summer, mist, and in the winter, if the inside air is warm and dry, mist. Allow the soil to dry out slightly between waterings in the winter; leaf drop is usually caused by overwatering (or allowing water to collect in a saucer or cachepot). (Unwitting owners may overwater, seeing leaf loss for a sign of drought.) Ficus elastica is pest-free in most cases.
How often should I water a rubber plant?
Ficus elastica is a tropical evergreen tree that can be found in southern China, Southeast Asia, and Indonesia. It is a member of the Moraceae family of plants, and its latex sap was used to create rubber until synthetics became accessible. Hevea brasiliensis, on the other hand, produces the majority of natural rubber. Although many plants contain significant levels of isoprene, the latexy sap of these two plants has enough to be used to create rubber.
F. elastica roots are used to build live bridges in tropical Northeastern India, in addition to being helpful for rubber! The F. elastica roots are led along a dead tree trunk that has been placed over a river. The roots grow to the other side of the trunk as it rots, thickening and training new roots to complete the bridge. Because it is flexible, the bridge can withstand strong winds and flooding. This tree is very stretchy in more ways than one! Rubber trees are ideal houseplants since they are low-light tolerant and assist to purify the air.
Moraceae is a plant family that includes shrubs, trees, and lianas that all leak a latexy sap when wounded. Foliar polymorphisms are found in members of this family, which means that their leaf forms vary depending on their life stage. Most other plants produce the same leaf forms throughout their lifetimes, thus this is a peculiar trait.
Can tolerate bright direct light and thrives in medium to bright indirect light.
Allow the soil to dry out between waterings. Water every 1-2 weeks. Increase the frequency as the light level rises.
Over time, this plant will grow to a maximum height of around 30′ (10m) with a spread of about 10″ (3.2m). As a houseplant, however, it will be much smaller.
It’s a plant that’s generally laid-back. Scale and mealybugs are possible. Scale bugs and mealybugs can be treated with weekly horticultural (Neem) oil sprays and regular wipe-downs of the plant as soon as they develop.
If eaten, this plant is poisonous to cats, dogs, and humans. Houseplants should always be kept out of reach of small children and pets.
Where should I place my rubber plant?
Bright, indirect sunshine is ideal for rubber plants. They should get morning light from an east-facing window if possible. Place your plant near a window where the light is filtered by a sheer drape or curtain.
Because the leaves of your rubber plant might burn if exposed to direct sunlight, keep it out of direct sunlight. They can also adapt to low-light environments and thrive in workplaces and other dimly lit environments. It’s a good sign that your rubber plant needs additional light if the leaves are becoming paler or the bottom leaves are dropping off.
How do you know if a rubber plant is getting enough light?
One of the best aspects of social media is crowd sourcing; when I was writing this essay, I thought to myself, “Wouldn’t it be cool if we could see real-life cases where Rubber Plants are struggling and diagnose what’s going on so that everyone can benefit from it?” So I made a post on Instagram and got the most amazing photos! Shane, my bestie and resident plant expert, is here to explain what’s going on and how to cure it!
Leaves are turning yellow and falling off
If the leaves of a plant are lower, it’s because the plant is devoting all of its energy to new, greater development. Because they’re concealed beneath the larger leaves, they don’t get as much light, and because they were the first leaves to sprout, they’ll be the first to die off as the plant expands. Don’t be concerned if a few leaves die if the remainder of the plant appears to be healthy and fresh growth is visible (as it is on this one).
Your Rubber Plant is drowning if the leaves are higher on the plant or new growth is larger. Reduce the amount of watering and let the plant to breathe. You won’t be able to save the yellowed leaves, but you will be able to keep it happy in the future!
Lower Leaves Are Dropping
Don’t panic if your Rubber Plant is dropping lower leaves, especially if it’s new to your home. This is your rubber plant acclimating to its new surroundings. Make sure there’s enough light, and everything should come to a halt. If they aren’t, seek for additional clues that something isn’t right!
Leaves are Droopy
This little guy’s problem is that he doesn’t get enough sun! Even if the window did cast a lot of natural light, he’s in the corner, away from where it would most likely shine. It’s also possible that it’s been overwatered. When the plant is deprived of light, it goes into slumber and absorbs water more slowly.
Solution: Relocate this plant to a location where it won’t be deprived of sunlight!
Leaves are Turning Brown and Dropping
This is a problem with the irrigation system. This reader takes a long time between waterings. When the leaves of a Rubber Plant get brown and crispy, it usually means it isn’t getting enough water. As a result, the leaves begin to dry out and fall off when the plant thinks that it must devote all of its energy to saving the living leaves. It’s also possible that it’s not getting enough light.
Solution: Make sure this plant is watered on a regular basis and that the soil is kept moist at all times.
Stalks are Very Thin and Long
Indoor rubber plants almost always require support; even my tall, vigorous one has a bamboo support for each shoot! But there’s a problem with this guy on two levels. Due to a lack of light, it is forced to shoot upward in order to find a source of light, which is why the stalks are so thin.
The second difficulty is that it does not receive sufficient water. Take a look at the way the leaves are curving back. This is a sign that it is thirsty! It could be related to the wooden planter in which it is housed. Your Rubber plant may be absorbing a large percentage of the water before the wood has an opportunity to absorb it! Consider replacing it with ceramic, plastic, or glass, which are less absorbent.
How many hours of light does a rubber plant need?
Rubber trees are excellent houseplants, but how much light do they require? You might be wondering if this plant would work in your environment if you live in a house or apartment with restricted light. We’ve done the legwork for you and have all of the answers in this article.
Rubber trees can withstand low light, but they thrive beside a sunny window that is partially shaded by a window sheer. They, like other plants, prefer 6-8 hours of good light per day.
Let’s have a look at how the rubber plant will perform in your lighting situation. We’ll also show you how to identify if your rubber tree needs more light and whether it can thrive near a window. Please continue reading to learn more about this wonderful plant.
What is the lowest light plant?
30 Low-Light Indoor Plants
- Plant ZZ. In a dry climate, the ZZ plant thrives and pushes the low-light limit to its limit.
- Plant that looks like a snake. Snake plant thrives in arid conditions and can tolerate moderate to low light levels.
What is bright indirect light?
At midday, indirect light should be in the 25 to 1,000 foot-candle range, though most plants won’t flourish in the lower end of that range. You’ve got bright, indirect light if your hand still casts a distinct shadow but it’s a little fuzzy around the edges. According to a University of Florida chart, 500 foot candles is a desirable amount to aim for because it can handle houseplants that require both high and mild indirect lighting.
At the brightest time of day, low light is at the lower end of the indirect light scale, ranging from 25 to 300 foot-candles. Your hand won’t cast much of a shadow in those conditions. If you can’t read a newspaper without extra illumination in a room, the light is definitely too low for any plants.
So, what is bright, indirect light?
To summarize, bright, indirect light is bright enough to cast a shadowthough not one that is dark and well definedand read by. It grows near north- and east-facing windows, as well as shaded south- and west-facing windows and a few feet away from unshaded south- and west-facing windows. It can also be achieved by employing diffusing sheer curtainswhite, see-through curtainsbetween the panes and the plants on windows that receive direct sunlight.
Rooms or hallways with no windows, or plants in corners more than 5 feet from windows, are unlikely to get adequate light for houseplants. Fluorescent or LED grow lights can be used to generate bright, indirect light in those locations.
The best way to create bright, indirect light for your plants is by using your windows and the direction of the sun throughout the day.
The amount of light that reaches your plants is often determined by the direction your windows face and how clear they are. White walls will reflect more light back to your plants than dark ones.
Should I cut brown leaves off rubber plant?
If you look after your Pink Rubber Tree, it will look after you! Here are some easy ways to keep your Pink Rubber Tree healthy over time.
Pruning Pink Rubber Trees
Remove any dry or dead leaves as needed throughout the year, but hold any substantial trimming for the spring and summer. Wear gloves and cover your floor with newspaper when pruning your Pink Rubber Tree; the sap that oozes out can be sticky and damage floors. Cut slightly above the node at a 90 degree angle with sharp, clean shears.
Why is my rubber plant drooping?
Although watering issues are the most common cause of drooping Rubber Plant leaves, insufficient sunlight may also be a factor. Rubber plants require a lot of bright, indirect light in order to thrive. If you feed your plant anything less, you may discover that it develops a variety of problems. One of the first indicators is drooping leaves, but as the disease progresses, you’ll notice discoloration of the foliage, limited growth, and your plant loosing leaves.
How do you encourage rubber plants to grow?
Freshening the soil with a composted mixture, watering and feeding, and providing sufficient light are all other strategies to encourage rubber tree branching, or to employ in conjunction with the cuts. Upgrade Soil: If your rubber tree is enormous, you may not want to take it out of the pot entirely.