Plant Group
Moraceae
Size (Can grow to)
Extra Large 1mtr+
Growth Habit
Tree
Position
Well-lit, bright indirect sunlight
Watering
Low/Medium
Description
The Ficus elastica is known by many names, Decora, Rubber Plant, Rubber Tree, the list just goes on and on. They are native to East India, Bhutan, Burma, China, Malaysia, and Indonesia. This large tree from the banyan group of figs can grow very very large. The trunk develops aerial and buttressing roots to anchor in the soil. It has deep burgundy glossy oval leaves which develop inside a sheath which will grow larger as the new leaf develops. The mature leaf will unfurl, dropping the sheath off the plant. They grow well in a warm sunny position but doesn't like the scorching sun. Even though the Ficus elastica is drought tolerant they do prefer humid tropical conditions. Water with moderate amounts of water during the warmer months and only when you notice the soil starting to dry in the colder months.
A fun fact about the Ficus elastica is that it gets its name (Rubber Plant/Rubber Tree) from the milky white latex it produces. This latex was formerly used to make rubber but now the latex is commercially sourced elsewhere.
We also grow the Ficus elastica Sylvie in the Easy Care Range and the Ficus elastica Ruby in the Easy Care Range. Don't forget to check out the Ficus elastica Burgundy in the Decorative Indoor Range and the Ficus elastica Sylvie and the Ficus elastica Ruby in the Decorative Indoor Range
