How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Rubber Plant

If you are considering adding new species to your houseplant collection, including a rubber plant in your repertoire is definitely the way to go! Give this ficus indirect sunlight, let the soil dry between waterings, and feed it in spring and summer, and you’re set.   

While care for a rubber plant is similar to other indoor care practices, there are different factors to consider. Keeping the shiny leaves the right color, and avoiding wounds which result in drips of white sap isn’t difficult, per se, but it does require a little more understanding than some other houseplants do. 

Thankfully, we’ve dedicated this whole piece to rubber plant care, so you can do it at home! Let’s discuss everything you need to know about this lovely species. 

What is the Rubber Plant?

The rubber plant (Ficus elastica) is a flowering tree. In USDA zones 9 through 12, and indoors, rubber plants are perennial evergreens.

Native Area

Ficus elastica is native to Southeast Asia and has been naturalized in Sri Lanka, Florida, and the West Indies. In its native range, the rubber plant grows large, up to 100 feet in jungles of the tropics. As a common houseplant, it stays at about six feet tall, as rubber plant care is fairly simple. 

Characteristics

They have woody stems and large, broad, waxy leaves that are arranged alternately. The leaves are varying colors based on the cultivar in question. In its natural habitat, the greenish-white fragrant flowers of Ficus elastica bloom in spring. These form inedible fruit when they are pollinated by specific species of wasps. Like other fig trees, only psenes wasps have the anatomical structure that’s compatible with their flowers. 

In domestic settings, Ficus elastica doesn’t bloom, but produces lovely leaves year-round. Rubber plant roots are voracious, and can damage foundations and other species if they are planted in conditions that promote excessive growth. The common name “rubber plant” relates to the tree’s use as a source of latex, which the tree bleeds when cut. While the Hevea brasiliensis tree is the main source of commercial rubber, this plant has been a secondary source in the past. 

The sap of both trees can cause irritation when contact is made with human skin. Therefore, wear gloves, eye protection, and long sleeves when pruning and repotting. Similarly, the rubber plant is mildly toxic to pets and children if ingested. Avoid placing it where curious dogs, cats, and children can reach it. However, it cleans toxins from the air where it is placed. This and their stark foliage is why rubber plants are so beloved.   

Planting

To plant a rubber plant, start with a pot that is at least 10-12 inches in diameter with drainage holes. Fill it with well-draining potting mix, ideally a blend of peat, pine bark, and perlite. Dig a hole about four to six inches deep, for an average root ball size, ensuring the base of the stem sits level with the soil surface. Place in the hole and backfill gently, pressing down lightly to remove air pockets.

Water thoroughly until moisture drains from the bottom, then position the plant in bright, indirect light. Keep the soil slightly moist but avoid overwatering.

How to Grow

So you’ve decided to care for a rubber plant at home. Let’s talk about its care in both indoor and outdoor settings. 

Light

The rubber plant needs at least a few hours of bright, indirect light. If you’re growing one indoors, place it somewhere near a south-facing or east-facing window, where it receives indirect sunlight. If you live in zones 9 through 12, set your rubber tree outdoors in a lightly shaded area. Hard afternoon sun isn’t preferable, so ensure there is some shade in the latter part of the day. Lower light may make your rubber plant grow slowly. 

Water

Water your container-grown rubber tree when the top few inches of soil dry out. For outdoor-grown trees, water them every other week when the soil around the tree dries. Because it is a tropical species, it has an active growing season in spring and summer, and enters dormancy in fall. This dormant period lasts through winter. Don’t water as much during this time. Let cold water come to room temperature before irrigating.

Young trees need more water to grow, and a mature tree needs less. A healthy rubber tree houseplant requires 50% or more humidity. Outdoor trees will do just fine in a warm, humid climate. Indoor rubber plants may need an external source to boost humidity levels, such as daily misting with distilled water or a plant humidifier. Always water in the morning, when your tree has time to absorb the water before the sun evaporates it.   

Soil

A rubber tree houseplant can thrive in basic, well-draining potting mix. When you’re growing indoors, give your rubber plant a good quality container with decent sized drainage holes. A mix of one part pine bark, one part peat moss, and one part sand is ideal. 

The same goes for growing outdoors. Ensure the area in which you’ve planted it has well-draining soil by providing the necessary aeration and amendments. Break up compacted areas, and add compost and drainage materials like agricultural sand or perlite. Poor quality soils aren’t best for Ficus elastica, and acidic soil at a pH of 5 to 7 is optimal. 

Temperature

Rubber plants do best in night temperatures between 60 to 65°F (16 to 18°C), and day temperatures between 75 and 80°F (24-27°C). Make sure your rubber tree isn’t exposed to 55°F or lower temperatures for extended periods. While they can live in hotter temperatures, they may lose the interesting coloring on their leaves above 85°F (29°C). 

Fertilizing

Your rubber tree needs fertilizer every two weeks to every month during the growing season. In the dormant season, don’t add fertilizer, as this can cause root and moisture retention issues. Young trees do best with an organic, high-phosphorus liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength to support new growth of roots.

A more mature ficus appreciates nitrogen fertilizers applied at the same rate, without dilution.

Maintenance

While pruning isn’t necessary, you can prune an indoor ficus to encourage bushier growth. Remove a desired portion from the top of your rubber plant by clipping the central trunk with sterile loppers or pruning shears depending on its size. Always wear gloves and protective gear when you do this, as the latex sap can cause skin irritation. 

As a general rule for houseplants, remove diseased or dead leaves or branches year-round. This rule also applies to outdoor trees. If you live somewhere these kinds of ficus are invasive, it’s probably best to avoid planting outdoors. However, if you inherited the outdoor rubber plant, you can try to install a root barrier, and prune away any suckers that develop around the tree. 

In both indoor and outdoor cases, prune your tree just above a leaf node to encourage new growth. Clean cuts prevent entryways for disease, and issues with your rubber plant overall. 

Propagation

During the process of pruning, you can take cuttings to make new rubber trees. Make your cuts one inch above the node. If any milky white latex drips in this process, dab it with a paper towel until it stops. Remove all but one leaf on the stem cutting, and roll the leaf into a cylinder so the waxy surface of the leaf faces outward. Then place a rubber band over it to hold it in place. 

Dip your stems in rooting hormone, and set them in small pots filled with the same potting mix you’d use for trees grown indoors. Affix a plastic bag over the top of your rubber plants, and ensure the moisture level stays up around them as new growth begins. Place your cuttings in a warm area with access to indirect light, and in about five or six months you’ll notice new growth. 

You can also propagate rubber plants through air-layering. Select a stem that will disconnect from the parent rubber plant to make a new one. Use sterile pruning shears or a budding knife to cut two-thirds of the way through the stem. Dab away any dripping sap. Then pack damp moss around the wound and wrap plastic wrap around it. 

Ensure the moisture stays consistent, and in two to three weeks, you’ll see roots begin to form. It’s at this time you can remove the plastic wrap and detach the stem with the root intact. Set the stems in your favorite ficus potting soil and place it in bright light. If you have a healthy Ficus elastica, feel free to pack damp moss around other stems when the tree is in active growth to make more.    

Common Problems

While rubber plant care is relatively low maintenance, you may run into some issues. Let’s discuss what can crop up and what to look out for when you care for it.

Growing Problems

Slow growth or a lack of new leaf growth could indicate improper light levels. Give your rubber plant a little more light by moving it closer to a light source, removing obstructions, or providing additional light from a grow light. Green leaves on those that should have red or purple ones probably resulted from improper light conditions as well – usually too much light. 

Browning of green leaves could indicate a couple of different things. Crispy brown leaves indicate too much light, and it needs to be protected. Brown mushy leaves could indicate fertilizer burn or overwatering. To remedy this, stop watering and fertilizing until the soil is dry. Remove damaged leaves from the rubber plant. When the soil is dry, you can resume watering and fertilizing on an adjusted schedule. Try a plant moisture meter if you’re having trouble telling when to water next.

Drooping or falling leaves could indicate any of the above issues. If your rubber tree is dropping leaves, carefully consider which could be occurring and adjust as needed. Of course, leaf fall is also sometimes an indication of pest issues. 

Pests

Fungus gnats are often present when moisture levels are too high. For a rubber tree houseplant, you might have to deal with them when they make their way inside your home. Outdoor rubber plants won’t have this issue as much. Cut back on watering to prevent them and either soak the soil with diluted neem oil, or treat with beneficial nematodes to prevent any hatched larvae from eating the roots of your rubber plant.

Spider mites are small insects that feed on sap and weave tight webs around the leaves and branches. If you notice them, gently wipe the leaves with a damp cloth to remove them. Then follow up with a light mist of neem oil or insecticidal soap to kill any remaining mites and prevent future infestations. 

Scale is a common insect for the rubber tree houseplant. It presents as slimy brown bumps on branches and nodes or cottony masses. These insects move very slowly and feed on the rubber plant as they move around. You can remove them with a damp cloth or Q-tip dipped in alcohol and then follow up with a mist of insecticidal soap. 

Diseases

When it comes to diseases, rubber plants do have to contend with a few. They may have issues with root rot, especially in conditions where it has been overwatered or planted in a poorly draining medium. It’s in these conditions fungi that cause root rot thrive. Sometimes it’s possible to stop the issue by not watering or fertilizing and then resuming when the soil has dried. If the base of the rubber tree is mushy or the central trunk is, you may need to dispose of it, and start over.

Botrytis blight is caused by a fungus called botrytis cinerea. This disease is usually caused by wind-carried spores. It can be contracted from other houseplants or infected soils. Young leaves of the rubber trees are the first to experience infection. Prune away infected parts. If they are covered in mold, you will likely have to throw them away and start over. 

Leaf spot is caused by various fungi and bacteria that thrive in high humidity conditions. Remove leaves that exhibit these spots. Water appropriately at the base. 

Powdery mildew is another disease they deal with, and it occurs in damp, cool conditions. It looks like white patches on the leaves. Allowing the soil to dry out and repotting your plant into new soil can help. Selectively pruning away diseased areas helps provide better air circulation. Prevent with neem oil. 

Southern blight is a common disease of the rubber tree plant. It’s a fungal disease that grows mats of mycelial membranes that branch from the leaf. There is no cure for this disease. Provide good air circulation, and keep it in conditions where it’s not too hot, and not too wet. Allow the soil to dry between watering and prune away diseased foliage. 

Frequently Asked Questions