Rubber plant
Ficus elastica · also called Indian rubber plant
Foliage and indoor
- Light
- Part sun
- Pot size
- Large pot (more than 15 litres)
- Care level
- Easy
- Year round or seasonal
- Kept year to year; in a pot, keep it above about 12.8 °C (55 °F)
- Pets
- Not pet-safe (NC State)
Light and position
Bright, indirect light or part shade, with protection from afternoon sun.
Size and pot
A tree in the wild; NC State says indoors it is usually kept to 2 to 10 feet. Our pot band: large pot (more than 15 litres).
Watering
Water regularly without overwatering, and reduce watering in the cooler, slower months.
Potting mix and feeding
NC State suggests a soil-based potting mix. Keep the plant in one spot and wipe dust off the leaves.
Growing through the year
Keep it above 55 °F (about 12.8 °C). Cold draughts, sudden drops in temperature and overwatering make leaves fall; losing a few bottom leaves is normal.
Winter outdoors
Cold limit in a pot: about 12.8 °C (55 °F). NC State says to keep it above 55 °F.
| Your coldest winter nights | What to do |
|---|---|
| Coldest nights 15 °C or warmer | Can stay out through this winter |
| Coldest nights 10 to 15 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 12.8 °C |
| Coldest nights 5 to 10 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 12.8 °C |
| Coldest nights 0 to 5 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 12.8 °C |
| Light frost: nights down to about −5 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 12.8 °C |
| Hard frost: nights below −5 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 12.8 °C |
A plant can stay out only when its limit is below the coldest night in your band; a limit equal to that night counts as needing shelter. A rare cold snap, wind or a wet pot can still damage plants. We convert °F to °C with NIST’s formula.
Watch for
Mealybugs, thrips, scale and spider mites.
Pets and people
NC State lists Ficus elastica as a problem for cats, dogs and horses. ASPCA’s “Indian Rubber Plant” entry refers to a different fig, Ficus benjamina (toxic), so we treat this plant as not pet-safe.
General gardening information, not professional advice. Plant toxicity details are a starting point, not veterinary or medical advice: if a pet or child may have eaten a plant, contact a veterinarian or doctor promptly.
Care level: NC State’s maintenance rating (Low). Pot band and summary wording are ours, based on the sources below.