How do you grow a black rubber plant (Ficus elastica 'Burgundy') as an indoor potted plant?

Growing Techniques Jan 1, 1970 0 views

The black rubber plant, also known as the Indian rubber tree or rubber tree, is native to India, Malaysia and other places, and is now widely cultivated across our country. It is a common ornamental tree and street tree in gardens, and is extremely well suited to indoor decorative arrangements. Small and medium-sized plants are often used to beautify living rooms and studies, while medium and large plants are suitable for placing on both sides of the entrance halls of large buildings and in the center of lobbies. Now let's take a look at how to grow a black rubber plant!

Growth habits of the black rubber plant

The black rubber plant likes a hot, humid environment with plenty of sunlight. Its suitable growing temperature is 20-25°C. It dislikes direct sunlight. It can tolerate shade but not cold, and its safe overwintering temperature is 5°C. It tolerates dry air. It dislikes clayey soil and cannot tolerate poor, dry conditions; it prefers loose, fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic soil.

Propagation methods for the black rubber plant

1. Cutting method: The cutting time is in late spring and early summer, and it can be done together with pruning. Cuttings usually use one-year-old, semi-lignified middle branches, and the wounds should be sealed promptly with clay or plant ash. The length of the cutting is based on retaining 3 buds; cut off the lower leaf, bring the upper two leaves together, and tie them with thin plastic string. Then insert the cutting into a cutting bed with plain sandy soil or vermiculite as the substrate. After insertion, keep the cutting bed at fairly high humidity, but do not let it become waterlogged. The suitable temperature is 18-25°C. Sprinkle water on the ground frequently to raise air humidity, and do a good job of shading and ventilation. Roots will form in about 2-3 weeks.

2. Layering method: Choose a two-year-old branch of appropriate size, well developed and with firm tissue. At the site where soil will be wrapped, make a light ring-shaped girdle about 1 cm wide, and apply 30-50 ppm naphthalene acetic acid solution. Then use wet soil, a moss mixture, or vermiculite that has absorbed enough water to wrap the girdled part, and bind it on the outside with plastic film, tying the lower end tightly and leaving an opening at the upper end to allow ventilation and watering. Pay attention to care. Layer in June, and roots will form in July-August. Once roots have formed, it can be cut off and potted.

How to grow the black rubber plant

1. Reasonable fertilization: Fertilization of the black rubber plant should be mainly nitrogen fertilizer, with a small amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. You can use well-rotted soybean water or soybean cake water, diluted and poured at the roots; a concentration of 20% is generally sufficient. Inorganic fertilizers such as urea can also be used, but apply little and often, do not apply concentrated fertilizer, and avoid burning the roots.

2. Soil mix: When potting the black rubber plant, it is best to use 1 part leaf mold, 1 part garden soil and 1 part river sand, plus a small amount of base fertilizer, to make a potting mix. It grows very quickly in a hot, humid environment, producing one leaf every 5-10 days. During this period, sufficient fertilizer and water must be ensured.

3. Light management: The black rubber plant likes strong sunlight. From spring to autumn, throughout the growing season, it should be grown in the sun, and in winter it should also be placed in a brighter spot. However, it can also tolerate shade, and it also does fairly well when grown indoors in low light.

4. Temperature control: The suitable growing temperature for the black rubber plant is between 20-30°C, and it grows most luxuriantly at 25-30°C. Below 10°C it grows poorly, and below 0°C it is prone to cold damage. Indoors, if the black rubber plant is exposed to cold drafts, yellow leaves and leaf drop will occur.

5. Timely watering: The black rubber plant likes water, but it cannot tolerate waterlogging. If waterlogging occurs, the roots cannot get oxygen, and yellow leaves and leaf drop will appear. Watering should follow the principle of “dry before wet”; do not water too frequently. In winter it should overwinter indoors, generally watered once a week. In summer, decide based on the weather and the moisture of the potting soil!

6. Reasonable pruning: To make the black rubber plant grow evenly and ensure a good plant shape, when the seedling reaches a height of 50-80 cm it should be pinched back to encourage side branches to sprout. After side branches grow, choose 3-5 branches, and thereafter shorten the side branches once a year. After 2-3 years, you can obtain a larger plant with a complete, round, full shape.

7. Pest and disease control

① Leaf spot disease: If leaf spot disease is found on the black rubber plant, you can spray the leaves with an 800-fold dilution of chlorothalonil or carbendazim, once a week, and it can basically be cured after 2-3 consecutive treatments.

② Anthracnose: Anthracnose is not easy to spot in the early stage. At first there are only small brown spots on the leaves. If not treated in time, it will rapidly expand into patches and cause it to lose its ornamental value. Therefore, once this disease is found, immediately spray the leaves with a 400-fold dilution of thiophanate-methyl, once a week, for 3 consecutive treatments, and it can generally be cured.

③ Root rot: Root rot is generally caused by infection by Rhizoctonia or Pythium in the soil, or by physiological disease. For bacterial infection, treat by drenching the roots with a 500-fold dilution of dexon, dijunling, or quintozene. Physiological disease is mostly caused by soil that is too heavy and sticky, or by watering too much and too often, so that the roots cannot breathe. You can change to well-drained soil.

How to grow the black rubber plant, and what the black rubber plant is used for

In fact, the black rubber plant is a very popular indoor potted ornamental plant today. Although the rubber plant likes sunlight, it can also tolerate shade, and its adaptability to light is very strong, which is why it is one of the best potted plants for indoor decorative arrangements. My grape trellis has brought you the growing methods for the black rubber plant, as well as what the black rubber plant is used for.

[Landscape uses of the black rubber plant]
Shade tree. The rubber plant originated in India, and it is also cultivated in Taiwan, China. It is also a commonly seen ornamental tree and street tree in courtyards. Among all plants, the rubber plant is very valuable, as it is an important raw material for making rubber products.

[Care management and propagation of the black rubber plant]
The black rubber plant is a foliage plant, so in the process of caring for it, fertilization should be mainly nitrogen fertilizer, with a small amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer prepared as well. During care there must be a certain amount of light, otherwise the plant will become leggy, and the color will become lighter and the branches soft and drooping, thus losing its ornamental value.
When caring for it, it is best to have a temperature of 25-32 degrees and a humidity of 50-60 degrees. As long as water, fertilizer and light are all at suitable levels, it will grow very rapidly, almost producing one leaf every week, so we must do a good job of pruning, which will make its form even more magnificent and beautiful.

[Growing methods for the black rubber plant]
The leaves of the rubber plant are thick and gorgeous, broad, beautiful and glossy. The red growing tip resembles a crouching cloud, and when the stipules split open they look just like a red tassel hanging down, quite charming. It has high ornamental value and is a famous potted foliage plant. Although the rubber plant likes sun, it also tolerates shade, and its adaptability to light is strong, so it is extremely suitable for indoor decorative arrangements. Small and medium-sized plants are often used to beautify living rooms and studies; medium and large plants are suitable for placing on both sides of the entrance halls of large buildings and in the center of lobbies, appearing majestic and spectacular, and able to display a tropical flavor.
The rubber plant is commonly propagated by cuttings and air layering. Cutting propagation is relatively simple, very easy to root, and grows quickly. It is generally done in late spring and early summer together with pruning. Choose a one-year-old lignified middle branch as the cutting. The cutting should retain three buds; cut off the lower leaf, bring the upper two leaves together, and tie them with plastic, or cut off half of the upper leaf to reduce water evaporation. To prevent the milky sap at the cut from flowing out too much and affecting survival, promptly smear the wound with plant ash. Insert the treated cutting into a cutting bed with river sand or vermiculite as the substrate. After insertion, keep the cutting bed at fairly high humidity, and frequently sprinkle water on the ground (but do not let it become waterlogged) to raise air humidity. At 18-25°C and under semi-shade conditions, roots will form in about 2-3 weeks. At home, air layering is also fairly convenient and has a high success rate. When air layering, choose a two-year-old branch, first girdle the branch with a ring 1-1.5 cm wide; then wrap moist moss or peat soil around the wound, finally wrap it tightly with plastic film, and tie both the upper and lower ends. After 1-2 months, the rooted branch can be cut off and potted.

How to grow the black rubber plant, and propagation methods for the black rubber plant