Pink Rubber Plant Care & Tips | Complete Guideline
In today’s article, I have a full care guide for the pink rubber tree or the Ficus Elastica. I’m going to be telling you everything you need to do to have a happy and healthy plant in your house. I’ve had my rubber plant for about four years, so I’ve got some good experience with these plants. I’m going to be telling you everything you need to know.
In its natural habitat, this plant is actually a tree, a very large tree, that can grow quite big. When we bring it inside, we can keep a check on its size, so you’ll probably find it in your local store or nursery about two feet tall. It will normally have one main stem growing through the middle of the pot with these striking leaves growing off it.
So, like I said, it’s a tall tree in the wild but doesn’t grow too large in our homes. This is a relatively fast-growing plant if you have it in the right conditions and follow these steps.
Table of Contents
Lighting: Bright Indirect Light is Key
Proper lighting is crucial for successful ficus elastica ruby care. The pink rubber plant prefers bright indirect light. Direct sunlight can cause leaf burn, while insufficient light may lead to leaf drop and slow growth, particularly in variegated varieties like Ficus Elastica Ruby. I think it does require more light than other houseplants simply because it’s a variegated plant. If you were to keep this guy in a dark place, you might lose the delicate variegation in the leaves. I keep mine in my dining room, which is an east-facing room in the house, next to my window. These plants will grow a lot quicker if you give them as much light as possible.
The pink rubber plant can tolerate lower light conditions. It’s quite happy to sit there, but it won’t put out much new growth. It’ll be quite slow to grow.
So, I had this in my bedroom upstairs about two or three meters away from the window, a quite dark spot in my house!
Is the pink rubber plant fast-growing?
As I said, I’ve had this plant for four years, and it was only two or three feet high. So, it didn’t grow that much, probably only putting on about two or three leaves on each stem per year.
So, it was really a slow-growing plant. I wanted a bit more growth out of it, so I brought it downstairs into my dining room, put it next to the window, and it has since put on probably five or six new leaves on each stem this year. It grows a lot quicker when you put it next to your window.
I think it can tolerate some morning sun. I have this guy in morning sun, and it seems quite happy.
Temperature
- Optimal Range: Maintain temperatures between 60-75°F (16-24°C). Protect the plant from cold drafts and sudden temperature changes.
- Avoid Cold Stress: Ensure the plant is not exposed to temperatures below 55°F (13°C), as this can stress the plant and damage its leaves.
Soil: Well-Draining Mix is Essential
Soil is really important. The pink rubber plant doesn’t like wet feet at all. So, we need to make sure we’re drying out the soil in between waterings. I water my pink rubber plant probably once every two weeks in the summer, which is less regularly than my other houseplants. I normally water my houseplant collection once a week.
It doesn’t like to have soggy soil. So, as well as watering infrequently,it’s crucial to use well-draining potting soil for variegated rubber trees to prevent overwatering issues and promote healthy root growth. My mix is generally compost mixed with perlite.
It’s important to lighten our soil so that water can freely drain from the soil and it doesn’t stay in the soil. The moisture staying in the soil will affect the roots of the plant. I normally have about 20%-30% perlite to soil mix, but with this plant, I put a little extra perlite to increase drainage and ensure a happier root system.
Repotting
When repotting, make sure to choose the right potting soil for variegated rubber trees to ensure the plant continues to thrive.
- When to Repot: Repot every 2-3 years or when the plant becomes root-bound. Choose a pot that is 1-2 inches larger in diameter than the current pot.
- Repotting Steps: Carefully remove the plant from its pot, loosen the root ball, and place it in fresh soil mix in the new pot. Water thoroughly after repotting.
Watering: Avoid Over-Watering
Over-watering is a common issue in ficus elastica ruby care. I water mine once every two weeks. I have a moisture meter to double-check the soil, and I find that’s quite important for this plant. I only water when the moisture meter reads dry, definitely not when it’s moist. You want to make sure it is getting enough water during the summer.
If you tend to underwater your plants, they will tell you by having droopy leaves, particularly at the base of the plant. In that case, you just want to increase your watering to perk it up again. If you’re over-watering, which is more likely with this plant, it will tell you by drooping leaves, mushy or yellow leaves, and possibly yellow and brown spotting.
In that case, you want to take it out of the pot and re-pot it into some fresh, drier soil. Make sure it doesn’t have wet feet. If you want to know further information, I have a detailed watering tips for houseplant. Click here
Fertilizing: Minimal Fertilization Needed
I don’t fertilize this plant too often. It doesn’t seem to respond well to fertilizing. It tends to grow nicely as long as it has a nice, free-draining soil mix. I do use a liquid fertilizer, Miracle-Gro All Purpose, probably once every couple of months just to give the leaves a fresh pop and encourage new growth.
Humidity: Not Too Fussy
This plant is not too fussy when it comes to humidity. I’ve not noticed any brown or yellowing edges around the leaves. You might find that during the winter, if a plant lacks a humid environment, such as a Calathea, it will show you that it’s not getting enough humidity.
But I have quite a lot of houseplants in my house, and the pink rubber plant is located near other plants near my east-facing window. So, I think it is getting more humidity than it might elsewhere in the house due to a kind of group effect with the plants giving off humidity. These plants will do fine during the winter with the central heating on, so there’s no worries there.
You don’t need to treat it specially. I wouldn’t particularly buy a humidifier for this plant, like you might do with a Calathea. So, generally not too fussy when it comes to humidity.
Roots: Check Annually for Health
It’s a good idea to check the roots of the plant at least annually, particularly with this plant, because if you are over-watering, the roots will start to rot. You just want to check on them yearly to make sure they’re doing okay. They should be nice and bright, not brown and mushy.
If that is the case, then you need to rescue the situation by repotting into some fresh, drier compost with perlite. If this plant is root-bound, it will tell you by becoming a little thirsty. You might find that you’ll need to water your plant more often than normal in the summer. That’s because the roots have taken over the soil in the pot, leaving no soil to grip onto the moisture. So, it’s just running out of moisture as soon as you pour it over it.
If you find that your plant is root-bound, where the roots are circling around the stem at the top, that’s a bad situation to be in. You want to untangle those roots a little bit to stop the circling and then repot it into some fresh compost-perlite mix.
Propagation: Easy in Water or Soil
You can easily propagate a pink rubber plant. There are many ways to do it, but the easiest way is to propagate in water. Follow these instructions to propagate your rubber plant:
Propagation Steps:
- Select and Cut:
- Choose a healthy stem and make a clean cut just below a leaf node (the point where a leaf attaches to the stem), about 4-6 inches long.
- Prepare the Cutting:
- Remove lower leaves, leaving one or two at the top. Optional: dip in rooting hormone.
- Plant the Cutting:
- Place in water or a well-draining potting mix. Ensure the leaf node is submerged or planted.
- Care for the Cutting:
- Keep in bright, indirect light. Maintain moist conditions without waterlogging.
- Monitor and Transplant:
- After roots develop, transplant to a permanent pot with well-draining soil.
- Encourage Branching:
- Make another cut where the old one was to promote more even branching.
By addressing these common issues promptly, you can keep your rubber plant healthy and thriving.
Pests: Monitor and Manage
You want to check for pests like spider mites. You won’t be able to see the spider mite itself, but you’ll be able to see its webbing just where the leaves attach to the stem. You’ll see very fine webbing.
If you do have spider mites, they can be a problem because they can spread to your other houseplants. You want to get rid of them as quickly as possible. If that is the case, take the plant outside and give it a good thorough wash down with a powerful spray. Spray down all the leaves and the underside of the leaves, and thoroughly get rid of the soil it’s in, because that’s where the spider mites will be living. Re-pot it and keep an eye on it, maybe keeping it away from your other houseplants for a week or so to ensure the spider mites are gone.
Fungus Gnats
If you disturb the top soil layer and see little black insects flying and jumping around, those are fungus gnats. They lay eggs in the top two inches of moist soil. You want to make sure you’re not over-watering the plant, allowing the soil to dry out. This will deter the fungus gnats from entering the soil and laying their eggs, which is the first prevention step.
Apart from that, there aren’t too many pest issues with the pink rubber plant.
Common Problems with Pink Rubber Plant Care and Their Solutions
Yellowing or Dropping Leaves with a Wet Potting Mix
- Solution: Your rubber plant is likely overwatered. Overwatering can lead to root rot, which manifests as yellowing or dropping leaves. To remedy this, reduce the frequency of watering immediately. Ensure the pot has good drainage and allow the soil to dry out between waterings.
Leaves are Crispy and Curling Inward with a Dry Potting Mix
- Solution: This is a sign of underwatering. Increase the watering frequency to ensure the plant receives adequate moisture. Make sure to water thoroughly until water drains out of the bottom of the pot, and then allow the top inch of soil to dry out before watering again.
Fading Leaf Color
- Solution: Fading leaf color often indicates that your rubber plant is not getting enough light. Move the plant to a brighter spot in your home where it can receive bright, indirect sunlight. Avoid direct sunlight as it can scorch the leaves.
Presence of Scale or Mealybugs
- Solution: These pests can harm your rubber plant. Treat the plant as soon as you notice the problem. Use horticultural oil and apply it weekly, ensuring to thoroughly spray all parts of the plant. Regularly wipe down the leaves to remove any pests.
Skin Irritation from Handling the Plant
- Solution: The latex sap of the rubber plant can cause skin irritation. Always wear gardening gloves when handling the plant to protect your skin from contact with the sap.
If you follow these steps, you’ll have a nice, vibrant, happy houseplant. I recommend you add this plant to your collection if you haven’t already. It’s a really nice plant.
 *(Include an image of droopy leaves)* Some plants, such as calatheas, prefer moist soil at all times; otherwise, they develop that signature brown tissue damage on the leaves. The annoying thing here is that the damage cannot be reversed and can only be cut away, leaving you with a damaged plant. If the soil of your plant is bone dry, you'll notice that it's pulling away from the sides of the pot. This is because the soil has shrunk due to a lack of moisture, so make sure you are not letting this happen by watering a little more frequently. #### Signs Your Plant is Overwatered (darkgreen) Overwatering plants is a really common way that people kill their plants. Beginner plant enthusiasts often have a common misconception that houseplants need lots of water, but the reality is that these plants are native to hot climates where they may get periods of drought followed by large rain which rehydrates them. **Yellowing leaves** (red) can indicate an overwatering problem as well as an underwatering problem. If you are watering your plant too often and the soil is always wet, this can lead to root rot, which will begin to affect the leaves of your plant. **Limp and mushy leaves** (red) also indicate that you are overwatering your plant. This is particularly true with succulents such as Echeverias. Echeverias store water in their thick leaves and have difficulty storing excess water if you are watering your plant too often. This leads to mushy plants that eventually fall off.  *(Include an image of yellowing leaves)* Philodendron and Pothos plants tend to get mushy leaves that fall off if the soil is consistently soggy. My Philodendron Birkin recently developed some new brown leaves that fell off because I was overwatering it. Whereas crispy brown edges on leaves indicate an underwatering problem, if the whole leaves are turning brown, this tends to mean that the plant tissue is rotting due to too much water. You may also notice some water droplets on the ends of the leaves of some of your plants. This is the plant perspiring excess water through its leaves and can indicate that you are giving the plant too much water. Now, this tends to happen on plants that prefer drier soil, and I notice it quite often on my Philodendron Birkin and my Tradescantia Nanook. **Increased presence of fungus gnats** (red) can also be a sign that your plant is too moist. Fungus gnats like a moist top two inches of soil to breed and lay their eggs, so if your soil is wet, it creates a breeding ground for gnats. If you see lots of flea-like flies jumping around the top of your soil, I would just dial back on the watering and let the top two inches of the soil dry out before watering again. #### Watering Tips (darkgreen) It is important to allow the soil of your houseplant to dry out between waterings. This prevents the possibility of over-watering, which is one of the most common reasons people kill their plants. **Check the soil moisture** (red) before watering your plant by sticking your finger two inches into the soil. If it feels wet, leave it a few days and then check again. An even better way to check the soil moisture is to invest in a moisture meter. This device needs no batteries and tells you exactly how much moisture is in the soil, giving you control over watering your plants.  *(Include an image of a moisture meter)* When you identify that your plant needs water, make sure you give it a thorough soaking. Take your plant to a sink area and soak the soil four or five times until water drains out of the bottom each time. This ensures that all the soil in the pot gets moistened and there are no dry patches. **Bottom watering** (teal) is a method that has changed the health of my plants since I implemented it a couple of years ago. Place your plant in a container of water and let it absorb moisture from the bottom up. This method prevents water from getting on the leaves, which can cause leaf tissue damage. I hope this article was helpful. Now you know when to water your plants and when not to. Apply this knowledge to your plants and see the growth. Happy gardening! --- Incorporating these visual and formatting enhancements will make your article more attractive and engaging for your readers.](https://growinggaze.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/pexels-artempodrez-7242495-scaled.jpg)
