Rubber Plant

Rubber Plant

Botanical Name: Ficus Elastica Origin: India and Malaysia Height: Up to 10 ft (3 m) Light: Bright light, no direct sun. Water: Keep soil evenly moist. Be careful not to over water. Humidity: Relative humidity of 40-60% Temperature: Normal room temperatures 60-75°F/16-24°C Soil: Peat moss-based potting mix. Fertilizer: Feed once a month spring through summer with a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted by half. Propagation: Take stem cuttings in spring. To keep its sticky, white sap from forming a cap on the base of the cutting, place the tip in water for 30 minutes. Remove from the water and dip only the cut surface in rooting hormone. Then, insert it into moist potting mix to root. Rubber Plant is a bold evergreen that gets its name from the sticky sap that dries into a low-quality rubber.

Pruning tip: The central stem will typically grow straight, without branching. Regular pruning of the growing tip will encourage side branches to form as it grows. You can control its height by simply cutting off the top when it becomes too tall and lanky. Use sharp pruning shears to avoid tearing the stems.

Water regularly to keep it healthy. Leaves that turn yellow and fall off are a sign that it's over watered. However, it's perfectly natural for older, lower leaves do this.

Notes

This one has survived 5 plus years on our kitchen window. Easy as pie to take care of. I frequently forget to water this poor thing but it keeps growing happily way. It's even survived a couple of close encounters with a toddler now and managed to stay (more or less) intact.