Rubber Plant
Ficus elastica
📖 About this plant
A bold, architectural houseplant with thick, glossy, leathery leaves that can be dark green, burgundy, or variegated depending on the cultivar. The ‘Burgundy’ variety has deep, wine-colored leaves, while ‘Tineke’ features stunning cream, pink, and green variegation. In its native habitat of the Indian subcontinent, it can grow into an enormous tree. Produces a milky latex sap when cut — this is the same sap historically used to make natural rubber. An excellent air purifier.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
Bright indirect
Every 1-2 weeks
Moderate (40-60%)
16-28°C
Well-draining, nutrient-rich potting mix with peat, perlite, and compost; slightly acidic to neutral pH
Balanced liquid fertilizer (10-10-10) diluted to half strength every 4-6 weeks during growing season
🌐 Common Names
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- Northeastern India, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma, Malaysia, Indonesia
- 📏 Max height
- 120-240 cm indoors (can reach 30+ m in natural habitat)
- 📐 Spread
- 60-150 cm
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Rarely indoors
- 🎨 Bloom color
- Yellow, Green
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Dark Green, Burgundy
- ⏳ Lifespan
- Perennial
- 📈 Growth rate
- Moderate
- ☠️ Toxicity
- Mildly toxic to cats and dogs — sap contains proteolytic enzymes (ficin) and ficusin that cause gastrointestinal upset, excessive drooling, and skin irritation; sap can also cause contact dermatitis in sensitive individuals
- 🌱 Propagation
- Stem tip cuttings rooted in water or moist soil; air layering produces larger plants faster
🛡️ Health & Safety
Mildly toxic to cats and dogs — sap contains proteolytic enzymes (ficin) and ficusin that cause gastrointestinal upset, excessive drooling, and skin irritation; sap can also cause contact dermatitis in sensitive individuals
Common issues
- Leaf drop from environmental changes
- Root rot from overwatering
- Scale insects
- Spider mites
💡 Care tips
- Clean glossy leaves with a damp cloth monthly
- Sap is irritating to skin so wear gloves when pruning
- Can grow into a large tree over many years
- Wipe leaves to help the plant photosynthesize efficiently
