Ficus Elastica Ruby in other words is also known as a variegated Rubber tree called Ficus Ruby. It is popularly grown in the tropical regions of India and Malaysia. This plant consist of brightly colored leaves ranges from shocking pink, ruby red, white and sage green. It has a milky sap which is used to make latex which is the main reason why it is called the Rubber tree.
The Ruby color in Ficus Ruby makes it a favorite indoor tree to provide a bright color. It produces ova, shiny dark green leaves with pink and cream. Too much sunlight harms the leaves, so it should be placed at a place where it gets indirect sunlight as this plant only likes to be bright.
Ficus Elastica Ruby Classification
- Family: Moraceae
- Sub-family: F. subg. Urostigmayy
- Genus: Ficus
Genus Ficus
Ficus is a genus consisting of around 850 species of woody trees, vines, epiphytes, Hemi epiphytes, and shrubs in the family Morceae. These are extremely important as food resources for the animals in the wildlife. They are also of great importance even as an object for worship and other uses as well. They are altogether known as figs and fig trees.
Features of the Ficus Elastica Ruby Plant
Size
- It is a large tree that grows about 30-40 meters tall with a trunk up to 2 meters. The trunk leads to building strong roots in the soil which helps to supports the other branches of the tree.
- It is also greatly popular for its shiny oval leaves which grow about 10-35 centimeters long and 5-15 centimeters broad.
Stem:
- They have thick stems which connect the oval, shiny and broad leaves to the stalk.
- The stems of Ficus Elastica Ruby do not produce leaves on the sides and instead, they produce leaves at the top i.e the end of the stem.
Toxicity:
Rubber is gently harmful when it comes to toxicity towards animals as well as human beings. It consists of a milky sap which is responsible to make the latex but that milky sap can create skin diseases and intestinal issues.
- Poisonous plants like these do not directly lead to death but instead are considered harmful and create allergic reactions.
- Ficus Ruby is classified into toxicity class 4 which is least harmful
- The most poisonous disease it could lead to is inflammation.
Propagation of Ficus Elastica Ruby
When it comes to the propagation of other plants, it might be a hard and hectic job, whereas rubber trees are versatile houseplants which means propagating them is easy. The two main ways of propagating a rubber tree are listed below
Propagation through cutting;
Rubber trees grow really fast and large in a short time. After reaching a certain height, it needs to be pruned so after pruning, instead of throwing the cuttings use them to propagate a rubber tree plant.
The first and the utmost thing is to get good cutting. The cutting should be approximately about 6 inches long and with a set of two leaves which is considered a good cutting. The next step includes removal of the bottom set of leaves from the cutting and then dipping the cutting in rooting hormone.
Place the cutting in moist surroundings such as well-draining potting soil. Then cover it with a glass jar or a plastic wrap and make sure that the leaves don’t touch, even if they do make sure to cut half of them, which are not connected with the stem.
This is the whole process of propagation of a Ficus Elastica Ruby plant through cutting. Place the whole cutting with the set up in a warm place with less and indirect light for two-three weeks after which the rubber tree roots will be developed.
Propagation through air layering;
After knowing one way of propagating a rubber tree, the other way is air layering. The first steps of propagating a Ficus Elastica Ruby start with choosing a stem that should be 12 inches long or even more than that. Then remove all the leaves from it.
Then comes the most important step in which you have to cut the part of the stem you will be rooting too. Remove all the soft tissues interlinked with it but leave the hard center as it is. Cover the ring with soggy sphagnum moss. Secure the sphagnum moss to the stem with a plastic covering. Ensure the moss is totally covered.
The plastic will help keep the sphagnum moss sodden too. In half a month, the stem of the Ficus Elastica Ruby tree ought to have created roots at the ring. After it has created roots, cut the established originate from the mother plant and the new plant.
Ficus Elastica Ruby Care
Collecting and keeping plants at home is a very nature-friendly thing but every living thing requires care, particularly in their weak areas. To keep a rubber plant ruby healthy, you should take the following measures:
- Watering- Continuously make certain to observe your plant’s watering needs after accepting it. Before giving your plant water, it is ideal to check the dampness level in the dirt first to guarantee it. Overwatering kills this plant.
- Sunlight- Turn your plant occasionally to guarantee even development on all sides and residue the leaves regularly so the plant can photosynthesize productively. While cleaning the leaves, likewise examine the undersides and keep it accordingly.
- Pruning – Remove incidental dry or dead leaves lasting through the year, however, save any significant pruning for the spring and late spring months. When pruning your Rubber Tree, wear gloves and secure your floor with paper, the sap that breaks out can be tacky and harm floors. Utilize sharp, clean shears and cut simply over the root.
- Cleaning – Take each leaf between two delicate tissue materials and wipe off the top to uncover the shine and clean surface. Do this at any rate once per month to remove bugs and help the plant absorb all the more light.
- Repotting – Houseplants develop much more slowly than they would in nature. Depending upon the size of your plant and the thickness of the roots, this is ideal to do each 2-3 years to give new supplements and empower new development.
Requirements of Ficus Elastica Ruby
Exposure
The Rubber plant ruby Tree is a medium to a high light indoor plant. It mostly sits indoor windows gives it a decent measure of brilliant characteristic light throughout the day. Be certain that it doesn’t get a lot of light, because this would result in killing the plant. Turn it at regular intervals so it gets light on all sides.
Watering
During spring and summer, a Rubber Plant ruby should be watered for about 7-8 days. In the colder time of year ease off on the watering to each 14-21 days. Plants need to rest during this season in addition to the light levels and the temperature will in general be lower.
You’ll need to change the watering recurrence as indicated by the pot size, soil blend, and your developing conditions. You need to be very careful about watering this plant, not very dry yet not saturated wet.
Temperature
Since Ficus Elastica Ruby is an indoor plant, it should be set for the home temperature which is good for this plant. Simply make certain to get yours far from any virus.
Manure
Use worm fertilizer and manure to take care of every houseplant in late winter. On the off chance, if different kinds of fertilizers aren’t your thing, you may lean towards a decent fluid natural compost. You can utilize any one of these outside as well so with regards to your houseplants (indoor), weaken it to half strength. Utilize this in spring and possibly again in pre-fall however, don’t try too hard in light
Soil
Utilize naturally fertilized soil while repotting this plant. You need it to be improved with acceptable stuff yet, in addition, to grow well
Repotting/Transplanting
The quicker your Rubber plant ruby Tree’s developing and the taller it’s getting, the more regularly you’ll have to repot it. That may be at regular intervals or like clockwork, depending upon the size pot it’s right now in. It doesn’t make any difference if the new pot is 2″ greater or 6″ greater; the foundations of this tree need space to develop and spread.
Air layering
Air layering requires around 2 months however it’s a powerful method to engender this indoor tree. Establishing softwood cuttings (the top 6″ or so of development) in a spread blend is another way. With the air layering, you can get a taller plant consistently.
Pruning
This may be important to control the size of this tree which develops tall, yet wide. Make clean cuts directly over a development hub. Try not to prune in the cold weather months, also, obviously, ensure your pruners are spotless and sharp.
Pests
This ficus Tineke ruby, as different houseplants, is helpless to scale, coarse bugs. The best exhortation is to watch out, get them from the beginning and use pest sprays.
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Summary
The ruby rubber plant (Ficus elastic ruby) is a famous elaborate plant from the Ficus class. In its common living space, it develops more than 30 meters tall.
There are various Ficus elastic ruby varieties developed effectively inside which incorporates, “the most well-known one” F.elastica decora has glossy cowhide type leaves which develop to a foot long, F.elastica robusta has bigger leaves than decora, F.elastica dark ruler or burgundy has close to dark rosy leaves and a determination of variegated sorts.
