| Theydeserveit >> Plants>>Rubber plants |
|
Rubber plants |
 |
|
|
|
The rubber fig, rubber tree, rubber plant, or Indian rubber tree also known as Ficus elastica is aboriginal to northeast India (Assam), and south to Indonesia (Sumatra and Java). They are easy to grow and care for as they survive well in a variety of conditions and are excellent plants for beginners. Theydeserveit is here to offer a whole new world of information about the interesting facts related to rubber plants.
|
|
The rubber plants can easily grow from 6 to 10 feet in length or more indoors provided they get more space and pruning helps to reduce their size. They are more prominently known for their glossy, leathery, large leaves which are oblong to oval, 8 to 12 inches long and come in various colors of dark green, deep maroon, marked with yellow, cream, pink or white. These plants prefer bright light but are equally adaptable to low light and grow best with the morning light. An average room temperature is equally good for them to grow and the ideal temperatures being 60 to 65 degree F at night and 75 to 80 degree F during the day.
Rubber plants need to be watered thoroughly, but let the soil dry between watering. A well-drained houseplant mix should be used as a soil mix and the rubber trees like humid conditions, but do well in the dry air as well common in homes. During active growth rubber plants need to be fertilize daily with a water-soluble houseplant fertilizer and the plants, which are in the lower light, should be fertilized less often. If kept indoors rubber trees may grow tall and lanky and you can prune them to rejuvenate in spring with a stake. New plants can be propagated by stem or tip cuttings or air layering.
When the leaves are dusty and dirty you can wash them with water to keep them healthy. plant diseases indoors is a very rarely a problem and excessive or less water including insects or mites are a problem as the roots also rot usually resulting from a soil mix that does not drain quickly for frequent watering. If the soil remains too wet then it may lead to leaf yellowing. Leaf loss may occur due to too little light, dry air or cold drafts. The rubber plants may get infested with the mealybugs. If eaten the sticky white sap may irritate skin or the stomach so it's advisable to keep these plants away from pets and kids.
When these plants or their leaves are cut into shorter sizes then they tend to bleed a lot they produce a white creamy sap and to cover those wounds one should have Roottone or Hormonex. The various cultivars in the realm of rubber plants are:
Decora - widely available cultivar having dark leaves and creamy white midribs
Doescheri - cream and gray variegated leaves with pink ribs
Foliis Aureo-marginata - cultivar with gold margined leaves
Robusta - large leaves almost 18 inches long and it's good in low light.
Rubra - leaves are reddish when young and mature into deep green with red edges.
Tricolor - has green leaves with cream and pink patches.
Find out more about grooming and maintenance of the rubber plants as you get more information about rubber plants.
|
|
