Rubber plants (Ficus elastica) are perfect plants for beginner indoor gardeners as they’re super tough, have large glossy leaves and grow quickly into an impressive indoor specimen. Great for lush instant greening or filling an empty corner of a room. There are some very attractive rubber plant varieties available, including ‘Burgundy’ with richly coloured almost black foliage, ‘Tineke’ with pink, cream and green leaves and variegated with green and golden leaf markings.



How to grow rubber plant in a pot

  1. Choose a well-lit spot indoors, out of direct sunlight, or a similarly protected position on a covered patio or deck
  2. Fill the pot with Yates Thrive Indoor Plants Potting Mix.
  3. Remove the plant from its container and position the plant in the middle of the new pot. Fill in around the plant with potting mix and water well.
  4. Keep the potting mix consistently slightly moist. Check moisture levels by inserting your finger into the top few cm of mix.
  5. Feed every two weeks from spring to autumn with Yates Thrive All Purpose Liquid Plant Food.

How to grow rubber plant in a garden

Rubber plants can grow into huge trees with invasive roots when grown in the ground. Therefore we don’t recommend planting rubber plants in a garden.


Growing tips

  • Rubber plant leaves can collect dust so regularly gently wipe the leaves with a damp cloth.
  • To keep rubber plants at a manageable size, or promote bushier growth, trim off the stem tips. Avoid contact with the white sap, which can cause skin irritation.
  • As rubber plants grow quickly, they may need re-potting into a larger pot every few years.
  • Here are some very attractive varieties available, including plants with rich burgundy, creamy green or mottled foliage. Or remove the plant from its current pot, gently trim back around 25% of the root ball and re-plant back into the same pot with fresh good quality potting mix like Yates Thrive Indoor Plants Potting Mix.

 


More Plants

Hoya

If you're keen on growing hoyas, then you've come to the right place. There are so many gorgeous varieties to choose from!

ZZ Plant

ZZ plant is a beautiful leafy plant with thick, glossy green leaves. It can be grown outdoors and makes a fantastic almost un-killable indoor plant.

Monstera

Swiss cheese plant or fruit salad, which ever name you choose; this gorgeous plant would make a stunning addition to any room.

Chain of Hearts

Chain of hearts is a gorgeous trailing plant that’s perfect for hanging pots or baskets. The chains can reach 4m long & the heart shaped leaves are sweet.

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Common Problems and Solutions

Scale: Raised bumps attached to the stems and foliage.

Solution: Yates Natures Way Organic Citrus, Vegie Ornamental Spray Ready to Use

Mealybugs: New growth appears distorted with a whitish substance in the leaf axils.

Solution: Yates Natures Way Organic Citrus, Vegie Ornamental Spray Ready to Use