You can put your rubber plant outside in the summer, provided you keep it in partial shade on the porch, where it's shielded from the UV rays. For a young rubber tree, gradually acclimate it to the outdoor environment, ensuring it doesn't get overexposed to heat and direct sunlight.
Rubber plants are trees (figs), so they are usually fine with heat and direct sun. Considering it's been outside all year, it should be sufficiently acclimated to the outdoors too. However, they are extremely thirsty in such conditions, so you might want to stay on top of watering.
Rubber Plants prefer a bright spot indoors away from direct sunlight - direct sun, particularly hot afternoon sun, can burn the leaves. You'll find Rubber Plants in different forms including those with dark green or dark purple leaves and variegated forms with leaves mottled white/green or pink/green.
65°F-85°F (18°C-30°C). It's best not to let it go below 60°F (15°C).
Rubber Plants will look their best if kept in a room with moderate to bright indirect sunlight. They also do well in office environments with artificial lighting, as long as the lights are on for at least eight hours per day (excluding weekends).
Keep their soil slightly moist, make sure they get plenty of sunshine, and if you're at a comfortable temperature, they'll be comfortable too.
Yellow leaves and a heavy pot may be your Rubber Plant's cry for help—overwatering is often the culprit. Root rot can follow, turning roots into mush and sapping the life from your plant. Signs: Yellow leaves, root rot. Causes: Too much water, poor drainage.
Watering. Your Rubber Plant enjoys weekly waterings. Allow the soil to dry out between waterings, especially during the winter when you may only need to water your plant fortnightly.
Remove the yellow leaves to encourage new growth. It's a bit like weeding, but for your plant. Maintaining plant hygiene is also important. It's not just about looks - it can also help to prevent further yellowing.
Rubber and urethane offer a great heat barrier, but even these wonder products have their limits. Rubber is more likely to break down and melt in high temperatures. Because polyurethane is a thermosetting polymer, it burns rather than melts at high temperatures.
Rubber plants like humid air and appreciate an occasional misting—especially during winter, when the air is usually drier. But if your home is on the dry side, your plant can learn to deal with it.
Sometimes a rubber plant may not be growing uniformly or branches out too much. This can also be remedied by pruning. To promote upward growth, cut the side shoots of the tree – either directly on the trunk or above a node where you want new branches to grow.
In gardening, sunlight falling directly on the plant is direct sunlight, while indirect sunlight refers to shaded areas. Indirect sunlight also is called diffuse sky radiation, because it is sunlight that reaches the Earth's surface after being dispersed in the atmosphere over haze, dust, and clouds.
Understanding and providing the right light conditions is essential for a thriving rubber plant. These plants flourish in bright, indirect light and should be protected from direct sunlight to avoid leaf damage.
Trim a 2- to 4-inch section off the top of a healthy stem. Remove all the leaves from the shoot except at the very top. Plant the cutting in your prepared container and mist with a spray bottle. Place in a warm and humid environment receiving bright light.
The signs usually include drooling, vomiting and diarrhoea. Rubber trees plants are particularly popular due to their low maintenance – however they are actually toxic. They cause irritation of the mouth and vomiting and diarrhoea. Thankfully they are only mildly toxic but definitely should be made note of.
WHAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH RUBBER? Rubber grows on around 14 million hectares worldwide. Similar to palmoil, the production of natural rubber has been associated with deforestation. Also loss of biodiversity and soil erosion due to monoculture cultivation are major ecological problems of rubber cultivation.
Leaves: Contact with the leaves can lead to skin irritation, making it essential to handle them carefully. Sap: The milky latex sap is the primary irritant, notorious for causing discomfort. Stems: Handling the stems can also provoke irritation, so caution is advised.
Bright, indirect light is ideal for growing the Rubber Plant, however they are unusually tolerant of lower light spaces for a ficus. To keep the plant happiest though, it is commonly recommended to place it by a southern facing window with sheer curtains for the brighter light to filter through.
Rubber plants are not your average thirst-quenchers; they demand a tailored approach. Top watering is the go-to method, where you pour water evenly across the soil until it drains out the bottom. This simulates a gentle rain shower, quenching the roots without overwhelming them.
Best Times and Frequency for Repotting
Signs that your rubber plant needs repotting include roots growing out of the drainage holes, stunted growth, and the plant becoming top-heavy. Late winter, spring, and early summer are the ideal times for repotting rubber plants.
To make a rubber tree plant bushy, prune back the branches a few inches in late winter. This stimulates branching at the cut. Remove dead or damaged leaves anytime, but always wear gloves — the rubber plant's milky sap can cause skin reactions.
Should I cut the brown leaves off a rubber plant? While you can remedy the brown leaf situation and prevent it from happening to future leaves, you can't revive the brown spots themselves. These areas can be snipped to restore the plant back to its fully green glory.
Low humidity – Indoor rubber tree plant leaves curling may be a result of dry indoor air. A humidity tray can raise the moisture level around the plant. To make a humidity tray, place a layer of gravel or pebbles in a shallow tray or dish, then set the pot on the pebbles.