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Of all therubber plant varieties , theruby safe plantis perhaps the most popular .
Known in botanic circles asFicus elastica(FY - kus ee - LASS - tih - kuh ) ‘ Ruby , ’ this witching plant life offers beautiful variegation and require surprisingly little paying back .
This recurrent member of theMoraceaefamily goes by many name , such as :
The parent plant is native throughout Southeast Asia and parts of eastern South Asia ( India and Malaysia ) , although it has become naturalise in many locations , including Florida and the West Indies .
Ficus Elastica‘Ruby’ Care
Size and Growth
While most commonly known as the deep red rubber plant life , the term “ Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree ” is certainly more appropriate .
As an indoor plant , the Ficus Ruby cultivar is capable of attain a elevation of 8′ feet and as high as 40′ foot tall outside .
This motley India rubber Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree is a real show-stopper with large , sweet almond - mould salvia greenish leave that have variegations of cream , ruby Red River , strawberry pink , and white .
These leaves sprout from the top , much like a palm tree diagram .
Each one can reach a length of 13″ inches and a breadth of 2″ to 6″ inches , making them hard to miss .
Flowering and Fragrance
In their native habitat , rubber Tree give rise small FIG after bloom .
However , this requires the assistance of a fig white Anglo-Saxon Protestant , so plants in the US run to stay bare .
However , it ’s still possible to get your ruby rubber plant to produce small , uninteresting flowers under the right conditions .
Light Conditions and Temperature
While the ruby rubber plant can live in partial shade , its variegation will suffer .
Likewise , putting it in verbatim sunlight can result in leaf burn mark , so endeavor to choose a stain where it receives collateral bright brightness level or intermediate lighter and has some shade during midday .
restrained humidness levels are best for this plant , preferably between 40 – 60 % per centum .
However , it will still do well in drier areas as long as it has something to boost the local ambient humidness .
Pebble tray put to work well for youthful plants , while self-aggrandising ones will take a humidifier .
You may also choose to obscure the plant life occasionally to facilitate with humidity .
As it ’s a tropic plant , the ruby safety tree is sensitive to cold-blooded air drafts .
It is recommended for planting alfresco in USDA hardiness zone 10 to 12 .
Indoors , it needs to be keep in temperature between 60 and 77 ° degrees Fahrenheit and keep away from drafts ,
Watering and Feeding
As with many plants , your rubber Ruby bush is sensitive to both overwatering and underwatering .
So check that to chink the wet degree to have it away when it ’s time to water your plant .
The good time to weewee is when its soil has become dry 2″ to 3″ column inch down to the touch .
Water the ground equally with elbow room - temperature distilled H2O ( rain is even better ) .
Be sure there are adequate drainage cakehole to drain off any excess pee to foreclose root rotting .
eat the Ficus Elastica Ruby monthly with a 1/2 - metier diluted liquid fertilizer for added nutrients , following any instructions on the package .
Reduce watering during the winter month .
interrelate : More onHow Often To Water A Rubber Tree
Soil and Transplanting
Your ruby rubber plant will be glad in most soil if they are well - drained and more or less acidic .
A popular choice for commercial potting ground is a cactus or succulent intermixture .
When buying commercial mixing , avoid cheap brands , as these often are n’t sterilized and may check inactive pest or fungous spores .
Do n’t be surprised if your plant seems to be eating the dirt over time and peril its roots .
Just add a little more grease , and your plant life will stay felicitous .
This synthetic rubber plant cultivar should be transpose once every two days .
It will usually permit you get it on it ’s time when the land becomes loose to the tinge .
execute any repotting in the natural spring and use sweet grunge .
Grooming and Maintenance
This plant does not need much attention , but you will want to occasionally pass over down the leave on indoor specimens to ensure right photosynthesis .
Remove yellow parting and prune away any damaged leaves as needed to further further development .
Just fall apart gloves because the plant ’s latex or whitish sap can irritate the pelt and yes .
How To Propagate Ruby Rubber Tree
It can be murder - or - miss when propagate a crimson caoutchouc plant , so try using several carving : leafage or stem cuttings .
Generally , the good ( and often only ) direction to propagate is through foliage cuttings .
While the cuttings may be grown in body of water , the chance of failure are greatly increased .
In the spring , pass over the area around your ficus with newspaper , as the sap can ruin many types of floors .
Examine the plant for any leggy branches or slur that are a small sparse , as pruning here will encourage increase on the parent works .
Rubber Bush Pests or Diseases
These houseplants are susceptible to all the usual suspects , such as aphid , mealybug , scale insect , wanderer mites , germ , and tooth root rot .
While not normally harmful , the sap of all rubber flora is toxic to ducky and humans and may do skin irritation or an allergic reaction to those raw to latex .
Ruby Rubber Plant Uses
This rubber eraser tree is an exceptional clean aura plant , especially in the home .
It not only provides atomic number 8 and absorbs air pollutant but will also transfer airborne bacterium and molding spore .
The fool is a primary ingredient in piss latex paint India rubber .
