The rubber tree (Ficus elastica) is popular not only for its beautiful, broad leaves and statuesque presence, but also for its calm nature. The plant responds well to pruning and grows like a tall tree or bushy shrub. In this article, we’ll explain how to prune a rubber plant to keep it healthy and manageable, and how to shape it into the desired shape.
How to prune a rubber plant: Rubber plants can quickly overgrow a space, but regular pruning will help keep them healthy and under control. With the techniques of topping to stop upward growth and pruning to encourage branching from a lower node, the plant can take on the form of a compact tree or shrub.
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General description of the pruning of a rubber plant (Ficus elastica)
the revered ficus elastic it can reach almost 100 feet (30 m) tall in its natural habitat: a bit of a problem for a houseplant. A potted specimen can become spindly and even break under its own weight. Size is the key to a well-bred rubber plant.
It’s that easy: these pleasing plants are quite malleable when pruned wisely. They can be tamed, strengthened, and shaped over time with a few simple techniques. As a bonus, the cuttings propagate easily.
Rubber plants can be pruned throughout the year, but the ideal time is late spring to early summer. New growth may be delayed if you prune outside of its growing season.
Individual stems can be cut to any length. There should be a minimum of two leaves on the stem of a small rubber plant, or six to 10 leaves on each branch of a larger plant.
Pruning should be done with a sharp, sterile blade. Cut just above a node or growing point. You can cut straight or at a 45º angle. New branches grow under the cut.
Rubber plants can be pruned a lot. It’s fine to prune a third or even half of the plant at a time, but be aware that this affects photosynthesis and therefore recovery. If you need to remove more, do so in stages every two to three months to avoid damaging the plant.
Don’t worry if your beloved plant looks a bit dark after heavy pruning. With good care, it quickly fills with healthy leaves.
Step One – Make a plan before you carve your rubber plant
Before you start pruning a rubber plant, imagine the result you want. Although you can prune the plant in a funky way, there are two basic ways: a tall spindly tree with a single needle or a bushy bush with a lower profile.
Once you have decided on the shape you want, study your plant. Evaluate which branches should remain or be removed.
Once you’ve started trimming, step back occasionally to check the emerging shape.
Pre-size work
Cleanup of foreign branches:
- Remove dead or damaged stems. Cut them almost flush with your main stem.
- Prune weak branches, including those with a tight crotch.
- Cut back any branches that are growing downward or hindering other growth.
- If the plant is too dense, cut it to let in light and air. Choose three branches equidistant from each other and cut them by about a third. If leaf growth is still too great, cut those branches back ½ inch from the central stem.
watch out for the juice
Rubber plants bleed white latex sap from cuts. After all, the plant comes from the same plant family that produces natural rubber. The sap can be corrosive and dirty, so take precautions.
Many people are allergic to rubber tree sap. Wear gloves and protect your skin, taking care not to get any in your eyes.
If you can’t get the plant out before pruning, mulch the soil underneath. Have a damp paper towel handy to immediately remove any spilled juices. Dries at room temperature and may stain and harden on wood or tile flooring; may be worse for carpets.
It helps to wrap a cloth around the stem until the flow of sap stops, which takes about two minutes. Watch out for the sap dripping over the nodes, where it can harden and seal the growing points.
By the way, clean your cutting tools. If the juice dries on the scissors, it will take some time to re-open them!
Important Care Factors
When you carve a rubber, it will react much better if it is healthy. In addition normal care and prune in the right season, the key factors below will help make your plant strong enough to recover quickly.
Note: If you are making any changes to improve the care of your plant, do so well before any major pruning. First acclimatize it to the new conditions.
good light – Rubber plants thrive in abundance bright, indirect light. They can survive in low light conditions, but it’s not optimal. After significant pruning, photosynthesis makes a big difference in recovery. Two to four hours of direct sunlight in the morning or late afternoon is ideal.
correct watering – Rubber plants tolerate drought better than flooding. Water them thoroughly when the top inch of soil dries out., but not more. Don’t prune a plant that has recently been stressed by excess water…and don’t give it extra water in the hope that it will grow quickly.
No recent replanting – Pruning is less demanding than replant, but both surgeries require energy for recovery. Not repotting and pruning at the same time is a major plant metamorphosis.
normal fertilization – Additional nutrition does not allow a healthy rubber plant to grow faster. They don’t eat much and you don’t want to surprise them. Simply maintain your usual fertilization schedule with light feeds each month during the hot season.
Proper pruning: the shape of the tree
The slim profile of a tall rubber tree is a great look for rooms with high ceilings. To create this shape, select the tallest healthy stem as the central stem of the plant. Trim other branches to reinforce this shape and concentrate growth. If necessary, you can cut other stems vertically above the ground.
When removing side branches, cut just above a node to encourage branching. If you don’t want to encourage further growth, prune the petiole close to the trunk.
Do not prune the top of your rubber tree until it has reached the desired height. If you cover the plant, it will stop growing vertically and branch below that point.
Future finishes can focus on maintaining the high form. Cut the vertical branches that emerge to compete with the main trunk.
How to prune a rubber tree to create a bushy bush?
Rubber plants also look great as compact houseplants, but this form requires a bit more planning and maintenance.
The first step is to determine the correct diameter taking into account the existing growth. Side stems should be pruned to encourage branching, which will eventually fill out the center of the plant – choose a width you can prune.
Methodically cut the top and side branches to the diameter of your choice. Prune just above a growth node where you want to encourage branching. Sometimes a new stem is made from one cutting, sometimes from two.
Once new growth emerges, you can also cut those stems. This will eventually thicken the leaf cover. Wait until the new branch has two sets of leaves before each pruning.
The final shape is up to you. To maximize leaf density, continue to regularly prune branches above new nodes. If you want to thin the plant, cut the stems back to the trunk.
Major reconstruction: restoration of bare branches
After a branch loses its leaves, either due to stress or old age, they rarely return (read more about why rubber plants lose their leaves here† To be to be possible a bare branch may regrow leaves if the plant has plenty of light, humidity, and other ideal conditions, but often the best solution is to prune it back and encourage brand new growth.
A common scenario is a rubber plant that has overgrown but lost its lower leaves. If you cut off the tip of the leaf, you end up with a bare stem. There are a few ways to do this:
- If you have a healthy plant that is kept in optimal conditions, such as a greenhouse, one strategy is to prune the lower leaves in hopes of encouraging new growth. If this happens, you can cut the trunk down to these leaves, etc., until it is the desired height.
- You can try layering the bare stem with air. Once the roots have formed, you can cut off the tops and start a new plant. However, this is time consuming and a bagged rod isn’t the best look.
- Trimmed cuttings can be replanted in the same pot. If successful, younger plants can fill out the bottom of the plant.
- You may be lucky if you cut the stem back to ground level and wait for new growth, but that’s risky: the plant can only regrow if it has enough stored energy to sustain itself without photosynthesis while it produces new leaves.
propagation cuttings
As mentioned, a bare stem can be air-layered…but propagation by cuttings is quite easy.
The main rule is to make sure there is a node from which the leaves can grow. The new growth you pinched off won’t have a knot, so it won’t spread.
Often you can simply plant a cutting and let it grow into a new plant. If you keep the cutting moist, there is a 50 to 50 chance that it will establish and grow into a new specimen.
Here are some tips to increase the odds:
- The best cut size is about six to eight inches long.
- Remove the lower leaves and plant them in a moist, well-aerated substrate.
- Many growers first dip the cut end in rooting hormone. Adding a heating pad under the pot can also help stimulate root growth.
- Use clear plastic to form an enclosed tent over the cut to retain soil moisture and increase local humidity.