Accession Count: 1
Common Name:
rubber tree
Family Name:
Moraceae
Botanical Name:
Ficus elastica
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
Characteristics:
Compound:
Fic ela
Geographic Origin:
India
Ecozone Origin:
Indomalaya
Biome Origin:
Natural History:
The Rubber tree is originally from India and Malaysia, it is widely cultivated but only rarely naturalized (1,3,5).
Cultivation Notes:
The rubber tree grows very quickly, as long as it is watered moderately and is in the right climate (4). The soil should be allowed to dry between watering periods and this is expecially critical if the tree is in a container (4). It grows best in light shade and cannot be grown outdoors in most of the United States, though it is often grown indoors with indirect light (2,4,5). The rubber tree is intolerant of weather under 32 degrees Fahrenheit (2). The wood of the tree trunk and branches is fairly soft and susceptable to breaking (2,4). When the leaves of the tree begin to mature they droop down and when they open up they show an immature leaf (2,4). The Rubber Tree has no known pests (1,2,3,4,5).
Ethnobotany:
While the rubber tree does produce fruit it is not an attraction for wildlife or humans (2,3,4,5). Besides being used as a common houseplant, it is also used as a partition between highways and parking-lots in warm climates (2,4). It also secretes a white latex substance which was previously used in the production of rubber (3,5).
Height:
50 - 100 feet
Width:
50 - 100 feet
Growth Rate:
Fast Growing
Grow Season:
Flower Season:
Color:
Green
Function:
Patio
Spread:
Non-spreading
Allergen:
Non-allergenic
Invasive:
Benign
Toxicity:
Benign
Hardy:
Tender
Water Use:
Moderate Water Use
