Looking for a carefree houseplant that grows tall and occupies a decent amount of space? The rubber plant (Ficus elastica) may be just what you’re looking for! This plant does well in just about any home or office and will provide years of indoor greenery if cared for properly. Rubber plants have unique deep green and glossy foliage that will remain nice and shiny when occasionally cleansed with a soapy sponge and then plain water.
While rubber plants do best in warm temperatures, they will tolerate a fairly wide range and can handle an air-conditioned space. The ideal temperatures for your rubber plant are around 80 degrees Fahrenheit or more during the day, and around 65 degrees at night.
While you may visualize your rubber plant as coming from a tropical jungle and constantly being soaked in rain, over-watering the soil will cause your tree to be weaker and susceptible to pests, disease, and rot. To avoid this problem, use a well-draining container and good soil. If you place the pot in a saucer you can easily get rid of the excess water each time you water your plant.
Rubber plants grow dense roots rather quickly, so if you notice that your plant requires water almost on a daily basis, you can repot it into a larger container. You plant may also grow too tall and unwieldy for its original container, so consider transplanting even if it isn’t root-bound. It your plant gets really tall and top-heavy, you can give it a little extra support with a stake or prune them in the spring.
You can consider applying a natural organic fertilizer about once every two months if your plant gets lots of sunlight. About once every four months works for less sunny spots. We don’t recommend any chemically-based fertilizers or pesticides for houseplants, or for your garden for that matter! Remember that your home or office is typically an enclosed area with limited ventilation. Do you want to go around spraying chemicals that may later affect your health or of your family? Use organic products only to protect your health and the environment!
You will rarely have problems with pests or diseases, so rest easy. If you leaves start to look a little yellow, consider giving the plant a little less water. If you plant starts to loose leaves, try moving it to a sunnier spot and away from drafts. Mealy bugs may show up, but only in rare cases. Try washing them off with a mixture of Castile soap and water.
If you go to your local nursery, you may be confronted with a large variety of rubber trees. Here is a list of our favorites: Decora is a nice pick with dark leaves. Foliis Aureo-marginata is a cultivar with golden-edged leaves. Robusta has larger leaves than most rubber trees. Tricolor has leaves with different colored splotches. Rubra has reddish tinted leaves that will eventually turn dark green with red accents.
Here’s a great site on the rubber plant and other houseplants from the University of Missouri Extension website .
