How to Grow and Care for Rubber Plant Indoors

Rubber tree (Ficus elastica), also known as rubber plant, is a favorite houseplant thanks to its broad, glossy, emerald-hued leaves and impressive growth rate. This tropical plant can grow up to 100 feet tall in its natural habitat or over six feet tall indoors in just a few years with proper care. Because it requires warm temperatures year-round, rubber tree is a great candidate for indoor growing in temperate climates. However, rubber trees can be a little finicky about their growing conditions, so it's important to give them the light, warmth, and humidity they need to thrive. Note that rubber tree sap is toxic to dogs and cats, so take special precautions if you have pets. Here's everything you need to know to grow rubber tree indoors.

Can You Grow Rubber Tree Inside?

Rubber plants are a pretty hardy varietal, but they can be a little challenging to care for and have a few specific care requirements to thrive. They need the right balance in their environment with lots of light, moist (but not soggy) soil, and enough fertilizer to keep up with their rapid growth.

Indoor specimens can grow anywhere from six to ten feet tall, depending on their conditions. The most common varieties for growing indoors include Ficus elastica 'Tineke', Ficus elastica 'Burgundy', Ficus elastica 'Ruby', and Ficus elastica 'Robusta'. They all grow well indoors when given the right care and conditions, including lots of bright, indirect light and regular feeding.

How to Grow Rubber Tree Indoors

It's not quite as easy to grow this plant indoors in cooler climates as it is outdoors in tropical climates, since it needs lots of light. Because indoor specimens generally top out at around ten feet tall, rubber trees should work well for most ceiling heights.

Note that plants can spread up to three feet wide at maturity, so you'll want to keep that in mind when considering placement. If you love the look of a rubber plant but don't have the space, seek our compact varieties like Ficus elastica congesta.

Sunlight

Rubber plants thrive with at least six to eight hours of bright, indirect light each day. They can do well in an east-facing window or several feet from a south-facing or west-facing window.

They can tolerate soft morning sunlight but should be kept out of harsh, direct afternoon sunlight, which can burn the leaves. Plants that do not receive sufficient light will become leggy and lose their lower leaves.

Their leaves can also become dull instead of glossy and vibrant. Give your plant a quarter-turn once per month to keep its growth even.

Temperature and Humidity

Rubber trees grow well with moderate to warm temperatures between around 65°F and 85°F, with moderate humidity between 40 and 50 percent.

If your space is very dry, consider running a small humidifier near your plant, or group it together in an enclosed space with other houseplants to create a more humid microclimate. Like other types of ficus, these plants are vulnerable to cold drafts.

Keep them away from cold windows or exterior doors in winter. More than a brief exposure to temperatures below 50°F can cause leaves to turn yellow and then brown before they drop off entirely.

Watering

Rubber plants like to be kept consistently moist but not soggy. They don't tolerate drought well. Rather than watering on a set schedule, use your finger to check the moisture in the top few inches of soil.

If the soil feels dry and crumbly, it's time to water your plant again. Note that your plant will probably need less frequent watering in winter, when plant growth slows.

Fertilizer

Feed the plant with a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer diluted to half strength every two weeks throughout the growing season.

Healthy rubber plants can be heavy feeders, though if your plant is in a low-light area, it's best to fertilize only once per month.

Start fertilizing your plant when you see the first new growth in spring, then stop fertilizing when days shorten and growth slows in fall.

Pruning and Maintenance

Occasional pruning can keep your rubber plant's height in check. It's best to cut plants back at the start of the growing season in spring. If you'd like to let your indoor rubber plant grow tall, you may need to support its stem by using a long wooden dowel or bamboo pole to keep it upright. Additionally, the plant's large leaves can accumulate dust over time. Help them keep their shine by occasionally wiping them down with a damp cloth.

Tip

To encourage leaf growth and larger, healthier leaves on a rubber tree, when a leaf falls, cut a notch in the node where it fell from.

Container and Size

Choose a container with drainage holes for your indoor rubber plant to keep the roots from getting waterlogged. Use a pot that's deeper than it is wide and no more than 30 percent larger than your plant's root ball. Pots made from plastic, ceramic, or terra cotta can all work well for rubber plants.

Keep in mind that because terra cotta wicks away moisture, plants potted in containers made from this material will dry out more quickly.

Potting Soil and Drainage

Rubber plants do well in a typical fast-draining potting mix designed for houseplants. Choose a mix with perlite for drainage and peat moss or coconut coir to hold moisture. You can add a few handfuls of orchid bark to the standard houseplant mix for some additional drainage.

Potting and Repotting Rubber Tree

Rubber plants can grow quickly under the right conditions. A fast-growing plant may need to be repotted every year until the plant reaches the height you want.

Rubber plants don't mind being slightly potbound, but you'll know it's time to repot when you see roots growing out of the holes in the bottom of the pot or appearing to fill the pot from the soil surface. When repotting, choose a pot that's no more than three inches larger in diameter than the previous pot.

Moving Rubber Tree Outdoors for the Summer

Light-loving rubber plants can benefit from being brought outdoors in summer once temperatures are warm enough. Start by putting your plant in a very shady spot for a few weeks.

Then, over another two weeks, gradually give plants more time in partial shade, then indirect light. Your rubber plant should never be in direct sunlight outdoors.

Considerations

Repot plants as needed before bringing them outside, and wait until evening temperatures are consistently above 50°F to bring your plant outside. If temperatures hit the 90s, it's a good idea to move plants into deep shade and give them extra water.

When outdoors for the summer, your rubber plant will probably need more frequent watering since it's getting more light and warmth outside than it would inside.

When to Bring Rubber Tree Back Inside

Bring your rubber plant back indoors in the fall before night temperatures near 50 degrees or so. Once inside, give plants the brightest conditions possible (but not harsh direct sunlight) to help them adjust to an indoor environment with less light.

Be sure to debug plants before bringing them back inside. Inspect the leaves for signs of common houseplant pests, then spray the foliage and stems down with a jet of water from the hose to remove any insects. Soak the entire pot in water for about 15 minutes to drive bugs out of the soil.

Common Problems Growing Rubber Tree Indoors

Leaf Yellowing

If you notice your rubber tree's leaves yellowing, it could be due to a variety of reasons. It could be getting too much direct sunlight or not enough light. It could also be over or underwatered. Rubber tree plants prefer bright, indirect light and consistent moisture (but don't like to be soggy). Adjust their conditions until the yellowing resolves.

Leaf Drop

Rubber tree leaf drop is generally due to water. Too much or too little moisture can cause the leaves to fall off. Keep your rubber tree consistently moist, but don't allow the soil to become soggy or it can develop root rot.

From: thespruce