PlantFiles: Rubber Plant, Rubber Tree, Decora Tree
Ficus elastica

This is a note to accompany some before-and-after pictures I am uploading on the effects of heavy pruning of an out-of-control outdoor Ficus elastica in Sebring, Florida. I cut off all the long branches in March, and successfully rooted almost all of the resulting tip cuttings in moist sand outdoors in less than two months. The remaining stems (about 1 to 2 inches in diameter) put out many new side branches and vigorous new growth, much improving the look of the plant. It seems that Ficus elastica in our climate wants to put out long stems with little or no side branching (at least in plants up to 10 years old, or older) so pruning is necessary for fuller growth.

I have 2 rubber plants, both 5 feet in height, I live in zone 5b and will move over to zone 6 in eastern IL, one of the rubber plants that I have is air Layered from the other rubber plant, I hope they grow nice and big.

We originally had this as a house plant, then put it outside. I grows nicely -- but, it was bitten hard by frost last year when we had unusual temperatures in the teens. However, it has come back (slowly) from ground up and will probably do well again (unless we have another unusually cold winter). Like the plant. Like it best when new leaves are coming on and you can see the red color of the new leaf buds.

Help! I propagated this from a air layer.. now its HUGE in just a matter of months-- how do I trim this, or can I trim this so it will grow out not just up!

Help! Robbie the Rubber plants in trouble. Ive had a young Ficus Elastica for just over a year, last summer it grew well producing four leaves, but part way through this winter brown dry patches began to appear on the bottom leaf, they spread until it fell off. I wasnt too worried, knowing this can be normal but suddening two more leaves are brown and yellow veined. I can see the next one up is starting to go the same way. What is the problem????

While the Rubber Plant is a tidy, colorful, and thriving tree (requires little water), I must warn those with smaller plants about the root system, before you transplant one into your yard. The tree is very hardy in our San Diego climate, and we have a lovely established tree of about 15' in our backyard, about 18' feet from our house.

Thanks to our also vigorous three Aussie pups, our backyard has been graded down to fine dirt, which recently exposed a 3"-diameter (no exageration) horizontal root that runs all the way across our yard! Since we are in the process of dog-proof-landscaping our yard, a landscaper mentioned we might need to remove the tree, as its roots are invasive to hardscape. Now witnessing the enormous roots of our tree, I am sad to say, it does appear that we will have to remove the tree. I had hoped to offer it to a tree recycler, however being of the Ficus family, it appears to be on their list of trees that they cannot recycle.

The Rubber Plant is a pretty tree, and shapes very nicely when pruned (some milky white sap to avoid). I will miss the brilliant tightly rolled red blossoms (that erupt amidst the clusters of large deep green leaves), but cannot risk having these roots interfere with our home structure.

If you do have room to grow a Rubber Plant, I would encourage to enjoy the tropical beauty of one! I will try to upload a photo, prior to our tree's removal.

UPDATE: Good news about dealing with potentially invasive roots of the rubber tree! A local nursery owner told me that we can simply dig down around the tree and severe any potentially invasive roots close to the tree. Since it is such a hardy tree, I am happy to try this alternative to removing the tree! He had success with a tree that had ROOTS that were about 1 foot in diameter!

This tree is an easy 9b grower... they are sold as house plants, but everyone gets tired of them eventually and many try them in their gardens here in zone 9b in southern California (very dry climate!) and they do great. Never seen frost damage this tree and mine (and all my neighbor's) trees have seen temps into the mid 20s. Relatively slow in So Cal, and doesn't tend to banyan (no arial roots), but I have seen large trees over 30'.

Grows very well planted outside in our very wet climate. It can reach great heights and huge canopies and requires no special care.

does well in shade in zone 10b

My indoor plant is growing vigorously.It started with one leaf 5 years ago and is now nearly 5 feet tall and taking over! I live in southern England. Will my plant grow outdoors if I transplant it?

I recently collected and herborized branches and fruits from this tree in the town of Caxambu, Brazil. It was around 15m tall, and the light grey trunk was 1,20m diameter. The strong roots took over the land around the tree. The visual was of a gargantuan bonsai. The fruits weren't mature yet. I know that they become red, I have to see this yet