There are a ton of varieties of Rubber Trees, but the ones I have seen most commonly in homes include the
Red Ruby
Tineke
Burgundy
Care for all of these trees is about the same
Light- they light bright indirect light. I keep mine under a grow light to help promote growth. I also plan to put them outside when the weather gets a little warmer so they can really thrive this spring/ summer. In the wild they get direct sun and can handle bright direct light but they will burn if not properly acclimated first.
Water- I water when the soil is mostly dry. I try to water when it’s dry about 2 inches down.
Fertilize- I fertilize every time I water with Foliage Pro. Using this fertilizer allows me to fertilize every single watering without burning or damaging roots and has really helped with new growth, and bigger leaves.
Soil- I like to use a chunky mix in all of my Rubber Trees. 1 part orchid bark, 1 part potting mix, 1 part perlite. This creates a nice well draining soil and helps prevent root rot & water logged soil.
Temperature & Humidity- It’s best to keep indoor temperatures between 60-75 degrees and avoid anything below 55 degrees. This plant isn’t a fan of drafts or rapid temperature changes either so try to avoid placing the plant where it might receive cold or warm drafts from the AC vent. They also thrive in more humid conditions but will do fine in the humidity found in most homes.
I’m hoping to get my plants large enough to be able to propagate and promote branching once the summer is over. Follow along as I experiment with my two burgundy rubber trees this summer here. I plan on putting all of my ficus plants outside this summer so hopefully they’ll take off and I’ll get a lot of beautiful new growth from it!