CARE GUIDE -Ficus Burgundy
A popular, robust, evergreen, ornamental plant with shiny burgundy leaves and distinctly pink new growth. Not only hardy and low maintenance this plant will remove chemical toxins from the air, like formaldehyde.
WATER
Water when the top 50%-75% of soil becomes dry, then thoroughly drench until the water drains through. Do not splash water on the leaves, this can cause stains. The worst thing you can do to your Rubber Tree is to overwater it.
Gently clean the leaves with a very soft cloth or sponge and warm water to keep them glossy. If leaves are stained, use a tiny amount of liquid hand soap to gently remove the stains.
The most common cause of yellowing leaves among Rubber Trees is improper soil moisture–in particular, overwatering. Only water your Rubber Tree when the top 2-3 inches of soil are dry
Rubber plants don’t like to sit in water, so a well-draining soil is important.
Mist during any season if they air is too dry, especially heated dry air like that which might occur during winter indoors.
LIGHT
The ideal setting for this plant is bright, filtered light. This plant tolerates low light, but the leaves will fade to a light green color. However, if the plant gets less light while growing, the leaves will actually become larger!
You can tell if your rubber plant needs more light if it becomes leggy, its leaves lose their luster, and lower leaves fall off.
TEMPERATURE
Ideal temperature for this plant indoors is 18.5 - 25 degrees celcius Avoid sudden temperature drops.
As a native to the tropics, your Rubber Tree will appreciate you misting its leaves to increase humidity—especially when it gets very warm in the summer. Misting regularly also helps to keep mites (damaging insects) from making themselves at home on the leaves.
PRUNING
Once the rubber plant has grown to the height you want it to grow up to, you can cut the top off. You may also want to prune back any unwanted branches to give the plant a fuller shape. It's best to prune in spring or summer but any other time will be fine.
RE POTTING
Rubber plants grow fast and need larger containers every couple of years. A layer of stones on the bottom of the plant pot acts as extra weight so the plant will not tip over. Use a mixture of two parts peat moss, one part potting soil and one part sand in the container.