Rubber Plant 'Robusta' 140mm

A classic rubber plant with gorgeous, glossy leaves and a lust for life that will have even the brownest of thumbs looking good. Great for beginners and forgetful gardeners, it thrives on neglect and is more likely to be killed with kindness.

This larger pot size will create instant impact.

Large, dark, shining leaves layer along the stems. They unfurl from pink sheathes and gradually grow 10-25cm long. As the plant matures it will develop more trunks and fill your pot beautifully.

Size: 60-200cm x 40-60cm (the size of the pot will contain them).

Water Needs: Water regularly in spring/summer and less in winter. They don’t want to completely dry out, so test the top few centimetres and once it is dry, give the pot a good soak. You might want to water overhead, in the shower or outside with the hose to give the leaves a bit of a clean at the same time. They will forgive you if you miss a watering or two, but will resent you if you leave them to sit in a puddle.

They appreciate some humidity – especially in homes with ducted heating/air conditioning. It isn’t as vital as for many house plants, so you might get away without it. But, you can provide some humidity for your beloved plant, by placing them over a dish with rocks and water, this will naturally fancy and grow a few of these tropical treats, purchasing a humidifier is a good investment – they are also good for you. Or you could grow it in a bathroom which naturally gets a good dose of steam. Or grow with other plants where the humidity will naturally form around the plants.

I will Survive: Bright, indirect light is ideal. You should be able to read during the day in their position in the room without turning on a light. They can grow in artificial light and will need 8-10 hours of this a day – good news for the office.

You can prune them as required in spring, they don’t mind at all. Cutting their tops will encourage more branching.

Their ideal temperature range is 14-28C but are quite resilient.

A diluted liquid fertiliser in spring/summer will keep them happy and healthy.

Ficus love to be crowded in, so there is no need to repot for a few years. Repot in spring, once they have reached their limit.

Leafdrop occurs when your plant is unhappy, possible reasons for this is you’ve moved it to a new spot and it isn’t happy, there is a draught, too much or too little water or not enough humidity. It should be fairly easy to work out the reason and remedy it. Any questions shoot them through ?