Easy Mode: Rubber Tree Care Guide

The easy care guide to help you grow a beautiful Rubber Tree

The Rubber Tree fell out of fashion a few years ago and is slowing making its way back in to our homes. With beautiful variegations and easy care, these trees are a must have for any plant lover.

Where is it from?

The Rubber Tree also known as, the Ficus Elastics, is native to Himalayas, Malaysia, Sumatra and Java. These regions are consistently warm, humid, tropical places. Rubber Trees got their name for well… producing rubber. The white sap they produce is latex. They were cultivated for rubber until the 1900 when a new method was invented.

Water

These tropical plants like to be moist but not wet. The most common cause of death in these plants is too much water. Let the plant get lightly dry before watering. That means letting about 2 inches of soil dry before watering. Although it’s from a humid environment it doesn’t needs extra humility but it wouldn’t mind a nice misting now and then.

Light

These plants like bright, indirect sunlight. a South facing window with a sheer curtain is ideal. If the plants gets too much sun they can get burnt. If the Rubber Tree doesn’t get enough light it can loose some of it’s variegation color.

Repotting

These trees grow relatively fast. Unlike some trees, these Rubbers will continue to grow regardless of the size of their pot. This means it need monitored for signs of growing out of their pot such as roots growing out the bottom or slower than expected growth. You may be tempted to put your small plant in a large pot but it needs to be slowly moved up in pot size. One to two inches at a time is ideal to avoid shock and uneven or over watering.

Dont Over Love it

These are trees, they can grow up to 50 ft, when your Rubber reaches the size you want it needs pruned consistently. It’s large glossy leafs also need a light cleaning every few weeks so they can keep grabbing that light and growing.

Looking for a smaller plant? Check out the African Violet!