For more care advice about Remi, check out our complete guide to rubber plant care.
The Rubber tree gets its name from the white latex coursing through its veins, which was once used to make rubber. Even its handsome, glossy leaves have a thick, rubber-like look.
In its native habitat in southern parts of Asia, this tree can grow as tall as 60 metres, with its trunk getting as thick as two metres in diameter. It won’t get anywhere near as lofty as that indoors, thankfully. While your Rubber tree will already have a substantial structure, its height and size will be kept in check by the size of the nursery pot it’s growing in. If, over time, it starts getting a bit too lofty for your liking, you can simply prune back some of its branches to just above a node (where the leaves grow from). Do this in late winter or early spring so that you limit the amount of messy sap that will ooze from the cuts. And please wear gloves to protect your skin. Pruning your fig tree will encourage the growth of more side shoots and a fuller overall shape.
Give your fig tree all the care it needs and you’ll be rewarded with a striking statement plant that will be a focal point in any room. It’ll enjoy bright filtered light and watering only when the top two inches of soil are dry. It will also appreciate a feed with liquid fertiliser once a month throughout spring and summer and a top up or repot with houseplant compost every two-to-three years.
Did you know?
In parts of India, the rubber tree’s incredibly strong roots have been trained to form ‘living bridges’ over small rivers.
Easy care
