A Detailed Guide to the Latest Methods for Pruning the Rubber Plant
The rubber plant, also known as the rubber tree, Brazilian rubber, etc., is a large tree of the genus Ficus in the mulberry family. It is native to Brazil and is now widely cultivated in the tropical regions of Asia. It has high ornamental value and is extremely suitable for indoor beautification. Small and medium-sized plants are often used to beautify living rooms and studies, while medium and large plants are suitable for placement on both sides of the entrance halls of large buildings and in the center of lobbies. Now let us take a look at the pruning methods for the rubber plant!
The Pruning Season for the Rubber Plant
Pruning the rubber plant should follow the principle of “prune branches in winter, control side branches in summer.” That is, in winter, heavily prune strong trees and lightly prune weak trees, focusing on removing upright and vigorous competing branches from the base. In summer, heavily control strong and vigorous branches, controlling the strong and keeping the weak, adjusting the tree's vigor to a balanced state, and mastering the principles of heading back strong side branches, heavily pruning vigorous branches, lightly pruning weak branches, and keeping more small branches, so as to achieve the pruning goals of highlighting the trunk and promoting faster tree growth.
The Pruning Height for the Rubber Plant
The pruning cut on the rubber plant should be smooth, and splitting of the bark must be strictly prevented. The stub height should preferably be 1-2 cm. Too high or too low will affect wound healing and tree growth. The best seasons for pruning the rubber plant are early spring, late autumn, and winter. Early spring is best before the sap starts flowing. If pruned when the tree is sprouting, the tree body transpires water quickly, loses water, and consumes more nutrients, which is not favorable for tree growth. If pruning the rubber plant in summer, be careful not to prune on cloudy and rainy days, so as to avoid the wound being soaked in water and becoming infected with disease.
Pruning Techniques for the Rubber Plant
In the shaping and pruning of the rubber plant, it is sometimes also necessary to highlight the growth of the trunk or main branches and to thin out overly dense branches or branches that affect the shape. The commonly used shaping and pruning methods for highlighting the trunk and main branches are bud removal and branch thinning. That is, removing buds that have just begun to sprout, so as to inhibit the growth of side branches. The principle is to eliminate the growth of side branches in the bud stage, so that nutrients are concentrated to supply the growth of the main branches. That is, using pruning shears to cut off branches from the base of the branch, often used to thin out overly dense branches. Branch thinning is a remedial measure for bud removal; that is, because bud removal was not timely and side branches have already formed, some excess side branches are thinned out in order to strengthen the growth of the trunk or meet the needs of shaping.
Pruning and Care of the Rubber Plant
After pruning the rubber plant, in order to prevent excessive loss of latex from the cut and affect survival, the wound should be smeared with plant ash in a timely manner. Insert the prepared cuttings into a cutting bed with river sand or vermiculite as the substrate. After insertion, keep the cutting bed at relatively high humidity, and frequently sprinkle water on the ground (but do not let water accumulate), so as to increase air humidity. At a temperature of 18-25 degrees C and under semi-shaded conditions, roots can form in about 2-3 weeks.