Written from the home-garden experience of Shami, who has grown plants for 8+ years in Malappuram, Kerala. All photos are our own.
I've had a rubber plant growing in the ground for about 3 years now. I haven't given it any special care or any fertilizer, and it keeps growing well. Plants in pots are a different story, and they do better with a little attention, but that's what I mean when I tell beginners this is a good plant to try. If you don't have much time to look after plants, rubber plant is a good one.
Why it's called rubber plant
It's called rubber plant because it has a sticky liquid that comes out of it, like rubber. Botanically it's Ficus elastica. In India its latex was tapped for rubber in the 1800s, before the Pará rubber tree took over, and commercial rubber doesn't come from this plant today.
A caution about that latex: the milky sap can irritate your skin and eyes, and it's toxic if swallowed. It's also listed as a problem plant for pets. Wear gloves when you prune or cut it, wash your hands afterwards, and keep it away from small children and pets.
Plain, variegated and burgundy types
There are 10+ varieties, including plain types and variegated leaves. The burgundy-shade variety has very shiny leaves, and it's beautiful to see. The leaves are so thick that the plant can look artificial, which is why it's favoured as an indoor plant. Indoor plants usually need a lot of care, but this one doesn't.
You'll often see rubber plant sold as an "air-purifying" plant. That reputation comes from a 1989 NASA sealed-chamber experiment, and I'd read it in an article too. But later research found that houseplants do very little for the air in a real, ventilated home, so I grow it for the leaves, not for the air.
The aerial roots
This plant has aerial roots, and they can climb across to the pots next to it. Roots can come from the top, the bottom, and everywhere, so watch that they don't climb up your walls. In Meghalaya, people have trained the aerial roots of this same species across rivers to make living bridges that last for generations.
The potting mix
This plant doesn't give flowers or fruits. I grow it for its leaves, so I use a nitrogen-rich mix, and the plant grows faster. The mix is about 5 parts soil, 4 parts cow dung powder and 2 parts compost. You can also add some cocopeat. The mix stays loose, and water flows through it without trouble, which is what you want.
Light
It likes around 50% sunlight. Indoors, put it somewhere with bright light. If you put it where there's less sunlight, the plant has no problem with that, but the leaves won't be as beautiful as they could be.
If you want to give it some time outside in the sun, don't rush it. Moving the plant straight into sunlight can harm the leaves and turn them yellowish. If you grow it outdoors, always plant it in shade.
Watering
Water when the potting mix is dry. You can also tell by touching a leaf: if the leaf feels soft, the water has gone out, and it's time to water. When you water, make sure the whole soil in the pot gets wet.
Keeping the leaves shiny
Clean the leaves with a cotton cloth dipped in neem oil mixed in some water. It helps prevent insect attacks and gives the leaves a shiny texture. Diluted hydrogen peroxide solution works the same way (dilute it well).
I haven't had any pest attack on this plant, so I don't think it's attacked much by pests.
Pruning for a bushy plant
If you grow it indoors, you can leave it without pruning. If you prune it, it turns into 2 to 3 branches. Cut the plant after leaving 2 to 3 leaves, then the branches will grow and the plant will turn bushy. The piece you cut off can be used to make a new plant.
Feeding
It doesn't need much fertilizer. With watering and a bit of sunlight, the plant stays healthy enough. If you feed it when the new leaves are coming, the leaves come out a very good size. For that stage you can use NPK 19:19:19 (dose as directed on the product label). If you prefer organic, use cow dung mixed in water: dilute 1 cup of cow dung with 6 to 7 cups of water and give it once a month.
Three ways I've propagated it
I've tried 3 methods, and here's how they ranked for me.
1. Air layering (the most successful)
Choose a stem and make a small cut around it, about 0.5 inch wide. Mix cocopeat and soil, put it in a plastic cover, and wrap it around the cut. After 15 days you can see roots coming. This is the method that has worked best for me.
2. Stem cuttings (70 to 80% success)
If the plant is indoors, leave 3 to 4 leaves and prune the others. That gives you the stem cutting. Plant it in a new pot with soil, cocopeat and lake sand, and place it in shade. After a month you can see roots. You can also do this in water, as long as you change the water once a week.
3. Leaf cuttings (about 40% success)
Cut the leaf right at its very start, at the base, and dip it in a glass of water. Roots come after a month. You can also plant the leaf in cocopeat and spray water on it. This method hasn't given me much result, so I prefer stem cuttings and air layering. A tip on why: a leaf alone may grow roots, but without a piece of stem attached it usually won't grow into a new plant.
If you like plants for the beauty of their leaves rather than flowers, this is a very good one. It gives a premium look to a living room, and it's easy to look after.