Here’s what greenery experts want you to know about how to care for this strong, steady beaut. Known for their long, waxy dark green leaves that can have underbellies of burgundy, rubber plants also come in variegated varieties that have even more color. “The Ficus elastica actually needs a lot more sun than its other ficus cousins,” she tells mbg. “If you ever see it described as a low-light plant, it’s a lie! They do a lot better in fuller sun.” Feel free to put this one in a spot that receives a few hours of bright, direct sunlight every day. NYC-based houseplant enthusiast and chemistry teacher Paul Thompson, M.A. has seen his thrive in an Eastern-facing window. “The less light it’s getting, the slower it will grow, so don’t be afraid to put these in brightly lit areas,” he says. If you start to notice your plant develop light brown, crispy leaves, though, it’s a sign it might be getting too much light. In this case move it further away from the window or invest in sheer white curtains to block some sunlight during bright afternoon hours. Since this plant can be a fast grower, especially when it’s getting enough sun, it appreciates the occasional fertilizer feeding too. Treat it with an organic fertilizer once every two weeks during growing season, between Easter and Halloween. If it’s still growing during the colder season, feel free to continue fertilizing but cut back to once a month. “Trees store water in their trunks for the drier seasons,” McCullough explains, so they can typically go a week or two without water and be totally happy—though if yours is placed in a really bright spot, it might need to be watered a bit more frequently. Stick your fingers into the top layer of soil to be sure. If it’s dry to the touch, water with room-temperature water until it starts to leak out of the drainage hole at the bottom. When water starts pooling in your plant’s tray, you’ll know it’s had enough to drink. Give your tree 15 minutes to drink up the last of that liquid. If there’s still any water left after that, toss it so it doesn’t drown your plant’s roots. “You don’t want water to sit in that plant—it can go south very quickly,” says McCullough. Some signs that your plant is overwatered include prolonged wet soil and soft, dark brown leaves. If you spot these, stop watering, move to a brighter spot, and let the plant dry out for a while. McCullough notes that rubber plants tend to be pretty resilient, so they should be OK once you give them some time to bounce back and trim off any leaves that have been damaged. “Pests will always lay their eggs on new, fresh leaves because they have a lot of the plant’s energy and chlorophyll development,” McCullough says, so pay extra attention to those. If you do spot pests, it’s time to get to work treating with neem oil. After discovering spider mites on his rubber plant recently, Thompson found success with this routine: Signs that your plant has outgrown its home include roots that stick out of its pot’s drainage hole, peek through its top soil, or press against the side of its container. Spring or summer is the best time to move your plant into a new container that’s 1 to 2 inches larger in diameter. Another good habit to get into during the start of growing season is pruning your tree. Without pruning, rubber plants often grow upward and not outward, causing them to look a little leggy. To encourage more fullness, you can cut a few of its top leaves off at their internode—the part of the stem right underneath where the leaf juts out—using shears. These clippings can then be propagated in water and replanted if you’d like. While you’re at it, snip off any yellow leaves that may have formed on your plant. Just be sure not to remove more than 25% of its leaves. Emma received her B.A. in Environmental Science & Policy with a specialty in environmental communications from Duke University. In addition to penning over 1,000 mbg articles on topics from the water crisis in California to the rise of urban beekeeping, her work has appeared on Grist, Bloomberg News, Bustle, and Forbes. She’s spoken about the intersection of self-care and sustainability on podcasts and live events alongside environmental thought leaders like Marci Zaroff, Gay Browne, and Summer Rayne Oakes.
