Ficus elastica

Synonym: rubber fig, elastic fig, Ficus clusiifolia Summerh. nom. illeg., Ficus cordata Kunth & C.D.Bouché nom. illeg., Ficus decora hort., Ficus karet (Miq.) King, Ficus skytinodermis Summerh., Ficus taeda Kunth & C.D.Bouché, Macrophthalma elastica (Roxb. ex Hornem.) Gasp., Urostigma elasticum (Roxb. ex Hornem.) Miq., Visiania elastica (Roxb. ex Hornem.) Gasp.

Ficus elastica (Ficus elastica Roxb. ex Hornem.) – a species of plant in the genus Ficus of the mulberry family (Moraceae). The species was first described in 1819 by William Roxburgh and Jens Wilken Hornemann in the work «Hort. bot. hafn. suppl. 7».

Occurs naturally in northeastern India (Assam) and in southern Indonesia (Sumatra and Java).

It is an evergreen tree with aerial roots (under sufficient humidity). It quite often begins life as an epiphyte, later becoming a banyan. It can reach a height of 30-40 (50) m. The bark is grayish-green, rough, with horizontal grooves.

Leaves are oblong-ovate or elliptic in shape, with a small pointed tip bent downward, up to 30 cm long and 15 cm wide, stiff, leathery, glossy, arranged spirally on the stems. Young leaves are rolled into a tube, covered by long pink or red stipules. The midrib is more pronounced on the underside, with 60-70 pairs of inconspicuous lateral veins. Petiole 5-10 cm long.

Syconia are oblong or spherical, 1 or more centimeters in diameter, paired, yellow-green, less often with a reddish tint at maturity. Begins fruiting at about 20 years (with residual air humidity).

Cultivars: Abidjan, Belize, Brazil, Decora, Dosheri, Melanie, Robusta, Shriveriana, Silviya, Tineke, Tricolor.

Hardiness zone: zone 12 (+18 to +25 °C).

Temperature: preferably moderate, not below 18 °C. They like to "keep their feet warm" - do not place the ficus pot on a cold windowsill, marble or tile floor, etc. In a room with a temperature above moderate, the leaves begin to droop down.

Light: All varieties of rubber fig prefer a bright location with protection from direct sunlight. Variegated forms need a brighter and warmer location than forms with dark leaves.

Watering: Moderate; does not like waterlogged soil. Use room-temperature, well-settled water. Feed with fertilizers from March to August every two weeks.

Humidity: Leaves should be regularly wiped with a damp sponge.

Repotting: Performed in spring, when the roots have enveloped the entire root ball; young plants every one to two years, older plants every several years.

Propagation: By apical cuttings; for better rooting, warm the soil and cover the cutting with a polyethylene bag.