How to Propagate a Rubber Plant from Cuttings? A Detailed Guide to the Latest Propagation Methods
The rubber plant (Ficus elastica) is native to Brazil and is now widely cultivated in the tropical regions of Asia. In China it is grown in Taiwan, China, southern Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan and southern Yunnan, with more plantings in Hainan and Yunnan. It is commonly propagated from cuttings; the operation is simple, the cuttings root very easily and grow fast. Let us take a look below at how to propagate the rubber plant from cuttings!
Treating Rubber Plant Cuttings
The best time to take rubber plant cuttings is in late spring and early summer, when the air humidity is relatively high and the cuttings root easily; this can be done together with pruning. The quality of the cutting directly affects the rooting rate. Generally, choose a thick, sturdy branch that grew the previous year and whose surface is not yet fully lignified as the cutting, since such a branch has relatively abundant nutrients, roots easily and also has strong disease resistance. Cut the shoot to a length that keeps 3 buds, remove the lower leaf, bring the upper two leaves together and tie them with fine plastic string to reduce evaporation from the leaf surface.
Rubber Plant Cutting Method
Stick the rubber plant cuttings into a cutting bed with plain sand or vermiculite as the substrate. After insertion, keep the cutting bed fairly humid, but do not let water accumulate. The suitable temperature is 18-25°C. Sprinkle water on the ground often to raise the air humidity, and do a good job of shading and ventilation; roots will form in about 2-3 weeks. After potting, place the plant in partial shade, and gradually increase the light once the new buds begin to sprout.
Rubber Plant Water Propagation Method
Water propagation of the rubber plant is usually done at the end of April or the beginning of May. Cut vigorous old rubber plant stems into small sections 10-12 cm long as cuttings, each keeping 2-3 nodes, with the cut preferably above and below a bud, and remove the leaves. Then put the cuttings into empty glass jars, about 10 or more per jar, until full. Pour 25 ppm ABT rooting solution into the jar so that 1/2 of the cutting is immersed in the solution. After soaking for 20-24 hours, pour out the rooting solution and replace it with clean water. After that, change the clean water once every 2-3 days and keep the jar indoors. In about 10 days or so, small white dots appear on the bark of the submerged rubber plant cutting; these are the sprouting root tips. Once the roots emerge, they grow very quickly, and the buds at the top of the cutting also begin to sprout; in 20 days it can be potted up.