As long as you are meeting all of their light, moisture, and fertilizer requirements, your rubber plant … wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Why are the leaves falling off my rubber tree plant? To ensure your rubber plant reaches its full potential, provide it with the optimal growing conditions. Cut a 6 inches long branch from approximately half inch below a leaf set, having at least two sets of leaves (nodes) of length 4 … a similar question, I feel confident that I should be able to do justice to the task. Rubber trees like bright light. Avoid contact with the white sap, which can cause skin irritation. What do I do after the seeds of a rubber tree sprout? Keira7 on February 15, 2010: Hi my dear IzzyM, all your hubs are very intersting and full of very good info. Too much sun is not considered a good thing. Your IP: 50.31.2.242 If you have to place a Ficus plant pot in a west- or south-facing room, keep it well away from the window or place behind a sheer curtain.. All types of rubber plants (Ficus Elastica) need at least medium light to grow fast. Provide the rubber tree with the right mix of soil, light, and water, and you'll have a happy, healthy plant that makes a beautiful addition to your living space. A classic houseplant, the rubber tree plant (Ficus elastica) grows up to 100 feet tall when grown outdoors. Make sure there are drainage holes in the bottom, otherwise you risk root rot. Completing the CAPTCHA proves you are a human and gives you temporary access to the web property. ", "The article helped me learn a lot I didn't already know and now my plant is healthy. You'll need at least 3 to 5 inches (7.6 to 12.7 cm) of stem with 2 to 3 nodes on it. I learned so much. This article was co-authored by Maggie Moran. Did you know you can read expert answers for this article? Starting from Stem Cuts or Seeds. When these plants are pruned, they'll drip sap, so put something down to protect your floors. Do not be discouraged if they do not propagate easily. • The rubber plant (Ficus elastica) is a popular ornamental plant from the Ficus genus. How can I get the trunk part to thicken out? "I plucked a branch from a rubber tree and was not sure how to get the growth started. I have central AC throughout the house, I don't want it to freak out when I do this. Using a clean, sharp blade, cut off a six-inch portion of a healthy-looking branch, … I can find many, "It answered basic questions on lighting and watering, as well as the correct soil to use and pruning tips. You can propagate a new rubber tree plant from a cutting. Thank you for sharing. Propagating a rubber tree plant from cuttings starts with getting a good cutting. Thank you for, "The steps were easy to understand. It is probably easier to buy a potted plant. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. They also grow well outside in temperate climates. If you’re planting outdoors, then you’ll need to use a part of the garden that gets direct sunlight for at least 6 to 8-hours of the day. Keep your Rubber Plant out of drafts, and away from heat sources. Take a stem cutting from another plant. You can also check the soil by sticking your finger in it to see if it's moist. How long does it take roots to grow from a rubber tree leaf? If you want to 'start' a new plant, try submerging it in water and placing it in a very sunny spot for a couple of weeks. The rubber tree plant also needs the right balance of water. Have it in filtered shade and bungee-cord it to a fence or tree, so it doesn't sway in the breeze if it's top-heavy. Don't let it just drip all over and leave it; think of it as a 'wound' on a person. Then, plant a rubber tree in the pot using 1 part peat, 1 part pine bark, and 1 part sand or perlite. The cutting should be about 6 inches (15 cm.) The adjustment from water to soil is not easy, so your plant will need lots of indirect sunlight and consistent watering to establish a strong root system in the soil. I now have a better understanding of how to care for the rubber tree. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Hi Izzy - Once again a very interesting, well written hub. For instance, in the southern areas of the US, the wind typically blows from the south or west, so place the tree on the north or east side of the building. Tip cutting is easy to root. How long does it take to grow a rubber tree? These tropical plants can grow up to 100 feet tall when gro wn outdoors in their ideal conditions. (If you are able to protect them during the winter, zone 9 is possible as well.) It is unlikely that this will work. While a rubber plant in the outdoors can grow up to 100 feet in height. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Surround it with soil until you reach the top edge of the soil from the old pot. Give it plenty of water. ", "I needed to know how cold was too cold for a rubber tree plant. Use pruning shears or a hand saw to cut the other stems down to the ground. If a rubber plant loses all of its leaves in a short time the problem is usually over-watering. To care for your rubber tree, water it whenever the leaves start to droop, which can be once or twice a week in the summer and once every couple of months in the winter. During the winter months, you should only need to water about once or twice a month. Although it's native to Asia, it will grow outdoors in the warm climates of U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 10b and 11. What do I need to do? Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 276,577 times. If you are at an office or shared network, you can ask the network administrator to run a scan across the network looking for misconfigured or infected devices. Rubber plants can be propagated from leaf-tip cuttings, but it is not particularly easy. This article has been viewed 276,577 times. The next important step on how to propagate a rubber tree plant from cuttings is to take a good cutting from the tip of a vigorous rubber plant stem. Rubber Tree Plants are very susceptible to changes in environment, such as moving the plant from a warm to a cool room. Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania. Was unsure if I place in water to root first or just plant it. Mix. It's best prune during the spring and summer, but you can do it anytime of year. During the growing season, it needs to be kept moist. Rubber plant leaves can collect dust so regularly gently wipe the leaves with a damp cloth. However, the pot needs to sit in a well-lit room. Thanks for, "I was trying to find how to grow any plant for my presentation, and this page helped me so much. You may also notice the plant becomes leggy. Yes, it is possible to start a rubber tree plant from a stem. Because I’m going to a different state, I am not really allowed to bring any ‘foreign’ soil, so I was hoping to root it in water. Sage. I’m moving out of state, and have found a new home for my large rubber tree plant, but I’m planning on taking a cutting with me to start a new plant. This plant likes well-drained soil, and the pebbles will help with that. If the roots aren't too rotted, the plant may put out new leaves. If your room seems dark, get a grow light to provide overhead light so the plant can grow upright. Mine was growing in a 10″ pot and I repotted it into a 15″ pot... Growth Rate. Can rubber plants be put outside when the weather gets warmer? Rubber Plant Care and Growing Tips Size. Try a typical 24-8-16 fertilizer, which refers to the mixture of nitrogen, phosphate, and potash, respectively. If it's dry, add water. Also, keep it the plant away from dew in winters. Great pictures. Rubbing the trimmed spot helps it recover as well. Please enable Cookies and reload the page. However, when grown indoors as houseplants, rubber trees are usually kept much smaller through regular pruning. The transition from water to soil can be a tough one and you have to stay on top of the watering and ensure it is getting enough sunlight, so that it can adjust and being growing. of 4: In USDA zones 9 and below, the safe bet is to pot your rubber plant in a container in a light, well-draining potting mix. Ramona has her baths in here and the shower is also occasionally used, so the humidity and steam is great for propagation. I didn't know that could be a problem. Add equal parts of quality peat moss, sand, and garden loam. Outside, the plant will do well in most soils, though a. ", "Very helpful, I need to transplant and I was watering wrong!". It has taken away my fear of trying another rubber tree. Place them in shade, or dappled sun, where they can grow up to 100 feet. unlocking this expert answer. Wear gloves to work with this plant, as the sap can affect your skin. To grow a rubber tree, start by lining the bottom of a pot with pebbles to improve its drainage. Rubber trees enjoy a summer outside in a shady location and can be grown outside in frost-free climates. This article told me. For example, if you live in zone 6, put your rubber tree outside in late May and bring it in around the end of September. ", mistakes I've made previously. Learn how to care for, clean, and propagate a Rubber Plant as well as troubleshooting why your Rubber Plant is struggling! Very helpful. Yes. Also, it tells how to grow it from cuttings! If you live in U.S. zones 10 and 11, you can grow rubber plants outdoors. These plants 'bleed' when you trim them and it's better for them if, when you trim them, you clean the fluid off the stalk. You need a combination of sunlight and shade for the rubber plant to grow successfully. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/3\/3f\/Grow-a-Rubber-Tree-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Grow-a-Rubber-Tree-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/3\/3f\/Grow-a-Rubber-Tree-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid2141856-v4-728px-Grow-a-Rubber-Tree-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"