Ficus Ruby Care

The exquisite Ficus Ruby is a North East Indian native known for its colorful leaves and milky sap that can be used to produce rubber. Ficus Elastica is a beautiful rubber tree from the Moraceae or mulberry family. The Ficus ruby has been cultivated for rubber production, as the sap of the leaves contains latex.

Ficus Ruby grows best in a space with bright direct light, where the sunlight streams inside directly, and can also adapt to spaces with bright indirect light, where the sun rays are diffused. Avoid placing it in spaces with low light or spaces without natural sunlight.

The more indirect light the Ficus Ruby gets, the better the chances are that its leaves will retain their beautiful pink and ruby hues. To help it grow optimally and evenly, occasionally dust the leaves with a microfiber cloth and rotate the pot by a ¼ turn once a month. Rotation will ensure the leaves get the light they need on all of their leaves.

Growth isn't just in a plant's overall height and width but also in its leaves. Typically rubber plants, like Ficus Ruby, sprout new leaves every 3-4 weeks. Each leaf grows to a length of 13 inches and spans 2-6 inches wide. Ficus Ruby is a fairly slow-growing plant. The growth height depends on whether it's a house or an outdoor plant. Indoors, Ficus Elastica can reach up to 10 feet. This plant can grow to a staggering 50 feet out in the wild. Due to its slower growth, it only adds 1-2 feet per year. Therefore, Ficus Ruby takes 5-10 years to fully mature. Various factors affect the growth of this plant, including sufficient lighting, regular watering, adequate humidity, and temperature levels.

Being native to a warmer climate, the ideal temperature for the Ficus Ruby is between 65-80˚F (18-27˚C). Any temperatures below 55˚F (13˚C) could negatively impact the leaves, causing them to become misshapen and eventually drop off. Be sure to keep Ficus Ruby away from drafts, heating, or A/C vents. Ficus Elastica enjoys relatively high humidity. The ideal humidity level is between 40-60%. It can tolerate lower humidity levels, but if the edges of the leaves start to brown, try using a humidifier or group it with other plants in order to increase the humidity levels.

Some plants add a pleasing aesthetic to the home and can adapt well to the indoor environment but are unsafe to keep in the house. When considering a houseplant, it's important to know if anything toxic about the plant could harm children or animals if touched or ingested. If ingested, the Ficus Ruby is highly toxic for people and animals, so keep it out of the reach of children and pets. For most people, the toxicity results in mild skin irritation. If ingested, it could result in vomiting or diarrhea. The toxicity level is relatively low for most people, but for some, the latex in the sap can cause a severe allergic reaction. If you have an allergic reaction to the Ficus ruby, contact your physician or visit an emergency room near you.

Part of plant care is observing how your plant is fairing in its environment, so you can make adjustments if needed. Every houseplant will have different signs or tells when they aren't doing well. Here are a few things to look out for with the Ficus ruby and what to do to fix the issue. If the leaves on your Ficus ruby start to lose their variegation in color, try moving the plant closer to a light source. Often, the leaves will become greener and plainer in color if they don't receive enough light. If the leaves of the Ficus ruby are getting brown and crips, it could indicate that it's getting too much sun. Move the plant a bit further away from the window but still in the path of light. You can also use a sheer curtain to diffuse the light. If you notice dried-up, dropping leaves, it could be due to underwatering or overuse of fertilizer. Pull back on the frequency of using fertilizer or dilute its strength. Check the soil more frequently and water when the top 1-2 inches are dry. If you notice gray, green, or orange spots on the leaves of the Ficus ruby, these are Algal leaf spots caused by too much humidity. Cut off affected foliage and keep them dry. Use a humidifier to maintain humidity rather than misting. If you notice yellowing leaves on your Ficus ruby and the stems are mushy, the plant may have root rot due to overwatering. Check the soil before watering; only water of the first 1-2 inches of soil is dry. You may need to repot the plant in fresh well-draining soil and remove any parts of the root ball that have turned black. Ficus ruby plants may be prone to pests such as scale or mealybugs. These pests tend to congregate on the underside of leaves and appear like milky webbing or brown bumps on the leaves and stem. You can remove them with a microfiber cloth and some alcohol. You can also treat it with insecticidal soap or neem oil.