Rubber Plant
Rubber Plant is a vegetable in the Moraceae family. It grows best in part shade with medium moisture, and is listed for USDA zones 9-12.
Varieties
1 · sorted by days to maturity▸Rubber Plant
PROPAGATION CATEGORY: Tropical houseplant (cuttings) (not in original seed catalog). Use: Glossy burgundy-green leaves; easy indoor tree. Note: Milky sap can irritate; toxic to pets.
Rubber Plant (Ficus elastica) is a forgiving indoor tree with large, thick, glossy leaves (often burgundy); adaptable to varying light and easy to grow.
Growing notes: Botanical name: Ficus elastica|Hardiness zones: 9-12|Propagation: cutting|Light: Bright indirect light|Water: Medium|Mature size: 6-10 feet indoors
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Start your free plan →Rubber Plant care at a glance
Bright, indirect light with a little morning sun; burgundy forms hold color in strong light, and all forms drop leaves in gloom. Wipe the big leaves so they can actually photosynthesize.
Water thoroughly when the top inch or two of soil has dried, then let it drain fully.
Normal room humidity is fine.
Keep above 55°F — cold damage starts below that.
A well-draining indoor mix with perlite.
Balanced fertilizer monthly in spring and summer.
In winter: Water roughly half as often in winter and keep it off cold windowsills.
The milky latex sap is mildly toxic — GI upset and irritation in pets that chew it, skin irritation in latex-sensitive people. Wear gloves when pruning.
Pet listing per the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants database.
How to propagate rubber plant
Stem cuttings or air layering
- Take a tip cutting with 2–3 leaves below a node (gloves — the latex sap irritates).
- Blot the sap, then root in water or moist mix with bottom warmth.
- Roots take 4–8 weeks; air layering works for thick stems.
- Pot up and grow on in bright, indirect light.
Common rubber plant problems
Why is my rubber plant dropping leaves?
Likely cause: Change or chill — moving it, a cold draft, or a swing to soggy soil all trigger the classic ficus leaf drop.
Fix: Settle it in a bright, stable, warm spot, water on a check-first cadence, and wait — a recovered rubber plant releafs from the top.
Why won't my rubber plant branch?
Likely cause: Like most ficus it grows a single pole until the growing tip is removed.
Fix: In spring, cut the top above a node (catch the dripping sap with a paper towel) — it typically pushes 2–3 branches below the cut, and the top can be rooted.
Why are my rubber plant's leaves dull and dusty?
Likely cause: Dust films the big leathery leaves fast, blocking light.
Fix: Wipe monthly with a damp cloth (support the leaf with your other hand); skip leaf-shine products.
Care profile compiled from extension and horticultural society guidance and the ASPCA toxic-plants list. Conditions vary by home — treat ranges as starting points.
At a glance
Storing & preserving
Most keep best refrigerated; storage crops prefer a cool, dry spot.
- Freeze: Blanch briefly, cool, then freeze — keeps color and texture.
- Can: Pressure-can low-acid vegetables; water-bath only pickled/acidified ones.
General home-preservation guidance — for tested processing times and safety, follow the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
Growing timeline
Care & troubleshooting
No curated care & troubleshooting advice for rubber plant yet. Our extension-sourced library currently focuses on common edible crops; we're expanding it over time.