How to Propagate & Care for a Rubber Plant (Ficus Elastica)

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Grow new rubber trees in water, soil, or by air layering

Co-authored by Ryan Glynn, CPA and Devin McSween

Last Updated: July 13, 2024 Fact Checked

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• Propagating Cuttings in Water
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• Propagating Cuttings in Soil
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• Propagating by Air Layering
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• Rubber Plant Care
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• Warnings

|Show more |Show less

Ficus elastica, also known as the rubber plant or tree, is a popular houseplant that’s super easy to take care of. Luckily, this plant is also easy to propagate if you want to grow your collection. Simply snip off the tip of a stem, set the cutting in water or perlite, and leave it in a warm, sunny window. We spoke with plant specialist Ryan Glynn to learn how to propagate rubber trees in water, soil, and by air layering and how to care for these beautiful plants. Read on to get propagating!

Rubber Plant Propagation

To propagate a rubber plant, take a 6 in (15 cm) stem cutting about 1 in (2.5 cm) below a leaf. Place the cutting in a glass of water or pot of perlite and set it in indirect light. Then, wait for roots to grow in about 3 weeks.

Steps

Section 1 of 4:

Propagating Rubber Plant Cuttings in Water

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1. 
   1
   Take a 6-inch (15 cm) cutting from the top of a healthy stem. Look for a healthy, green stem on your rubber plant that has several leaves. Then, put on a pair of gloves. Use a sterilized pair of scissors or shears to cut about 1 inch (2.5 cm) below the leaf at a 45° angle.

   • Cutting the stem at an angle can help it soak up more water and root faster.
   • Warning: Wear gloves when making a rubber plant cutting. Rubber plants secrete a white, sticky sap that can be irritating to your skin.
   • Glynn recommends sterilizing your pruning shears with isopropyl alcohol. He says this ensures “you're not spreading any potential disease from one plant to another.”
   • Taking a top cutting is also a great way to prune your rubber tree and encourage new growth. Glynn says the plant will branch out and grow bushier at the cut spot.
2. 
   2
   Remove the lower leaves and place the cutting in a glass of water. Pull or cut off the leaves at the bottom of the stem, making sure at least 1 leaf remains at the top. Then, fill a clear glass with enough water so the bottom half of the stem is submerged. Then, place the cutting in the water.

   • Optional tip: Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone to help it root faster.
   • Propagating rubber plants in water might be a slower and less successful method compared to soil propagation. However, it does allow you to monitor the roots as they grow.
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3. 
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   Set the cutting in bright, indirect light and change the water weekly. Move the glass of water to a spot that gets bright, indirect light, like in front of a window. Simply refill the glass with fresh water about once per week, or whenever the water looks dirty.

   • Do not place the cutting in direct sunlight, as this can burn the leaves and prevent the cutting from rooting.
4. 
   4
   Plant the cutting in soil once the roots are 1 to 2 inches (2.5-5 cm) long. Once the cutting’s roots are about 1 to 2 inches (2.5-5 cm) long, fill a pot that has drainage holes halfway full with houseplant potting soil. Place the rooted cutting inside, fill the rest of the pot with soil, and water your new plant thoroughly.

   • It can take the rubber plant cutting several weeks to months to grow roots.
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Section 2 of 4:

Propagating Rubber Plant Cuttings in Soil

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1. 
   1
   Cut off a 6-inch (15 cm) stem about 1 inch (2.5 cm) below a leaf. Find a healthy stem tip on the mother rubber plant that has several leaves. Then, put on a pair of gloves and snip off the stem at a 45° angle using a sterilized pair of scissors or shears.

   • If the stem is leaking sap, blot it with a damp cloth until it stops.
2. 
   2
   Take off the bottom leaves and dip the stem in rooting hormone. Use your hands or scissors to remove the leaves on the bottom of the stem, ensuring at least 1 remains at the top. Then, coat the bottom of the stem in rooting hormone to encourage it to root faster.
3. 
   3
   Pot the cutting in a soilless medium, like perlite, and water it. Fill a small pot that has drainage holes with a soilless growing medium like perlite or vermiculite. Simply poke a hole in the center of the medium and stick the cutting inside. Then, water it thoroughly.

   • For instance, pot the cutting in a 4, 5, or 6-inch nursery pot (10, 13, or 15 cm).
   • Using a soilless growing medium helps prevent the cutting from rotting or contracting diseases.
4. 
   4
   Cover the pot in a plastic bag and set it in bright, indirect light. Rubber plants like a lot of humidity, so seal the pot inside a plastic bag to trap the moisture. Then, place the cutting in front of a warm, sunny window that gets indirect light.

   • Place stakes inside the pot to help lift the plastic bag off the cutting if it droops onto the plant.
   • Do not place the cutting in direct light. The plastic traps heat, which can make the leaves especially susceptible to burning.
5. 
   5
   Keep the growing medium moist and wait for roots after 3 weeks. Open the plastic bag every few days to check if the growing medium feels moist. If it feels dry, water the cutting again. Then, simply wait for the cutting to grow roots, which can take about 3 weeks.

   • After 3 weeks, test whether the cutting has roots by very gently tugging on it. If you feel resistance, the cutting has successfully rooted.
   • As an alternative, carefully remove some of the growing medium to see if any roots are growing.
6. 
   6
   Remove the plastic cover and repot the plant in soil, if you desire. Once the cutting has roots, it’s safe to remove the plastic bag over the pot. Then, either keep your new plant in the soilless growing medium, or plant it in houseplant potting soil.
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Section 3 of 4:

Propagating a Rubber Plant by Air Layering

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1. 
   1
   Make 2 deep, circular cuts around a stem. Find a healthy, green stem on the rubber plant. Then, cut around the stem about 12 inches (30 cm) from the tip using a sterilized knife. Just make the cut deep enough to expose the woody center of the stem. Then, make a second deep cut 1 inch (2.5 cm) below the first.

   • Air layering is a more involved but very successful way to propagate rubber plants. With this method, you grow roots while the “cutting” is still attached to the mother plant.
   • Be careful when making the cuts. While you want the cuts to be deep, you do not want to completely cut the stem off of the plant.
   • Warning: Wear gloves when cutting the rubber plant’s stem. The stem might drip sap which can be irritating to your skin.
2. 
   2
   Remove the ring of bark around the stem and any nearby leaves. Make a vertical cut between the 2 rings you just cut. Then, use your knife to scrape off the bark between the 2 rings. Use your hands or your knife to remove any leaves around the exposed stem.

   • The exposed section of the stem is where new roots will grow!
3. 
   3
   Coat the exposed stem with rooting hormone. Apply a thin coating of rooting hormone around the exposed bit of stem you just cut. The rooting hormone helps the “cutting” grow roots faster.
4. 
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   Cover the exposed stem with a moist ball of sphagnum moss. Grab a handful of sphagnum moss and hold it under cool, running water. Then, squeeze out the excess water so it’s moist, not dripping wet. Carefully layer the moss over the exposed bit of stem so it’s completely covered.

   • The sphagnum moss keeps the exposed stem moist to encourage it to grow roots.
5. 
   5
   Wrap the moss with plastic wrap and secure it with twist ties. Cover the sphagnum moss with plastic wrap to keep it in place and trap in the moisture. Then, wrap twist ties around the top and bottom of the plastic wrap to ensure it doesn’t fall off the moss.

   • Note: The plastic wrap should keep the sphagnum moss moist as the roots grow. However, if you notice the moss looking brown or dried, carefully peel off the plastic wrap and mist the moss with water.
6. 
   6
   Watch for roots growing after 3 to 4 weeks. It typically takes several weeks for rubber plants to grow roots by air layering propagation. Just keep watch for white roots growing through the sphagnum moss.

   • If you think you see roots, carefully take off the plastic wrap and move away the moss to check.
7. 
   7
   Cut off the stem below the roots and plant it in a pot of soil. Carefully remove the plastic wrap and sphagnum moss from around the roots. Then, take a pair of sterilized scissors or shears and cut the stem 1 to 2 inches (2.5-5 cm) below the roots. Fill a pot that has drainage holes halfway full with houseplant potting soil and set the cutting inside. Then, fill the rest of the pot with soil and give your new plant some water.
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Section 4 of 4:

Rubber Plant Care

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1. 
   1
   Keep your rubber plant in a warm spot that gets indirect light. Place your new rubber plant in a spot that stays between 65 to 80° F (18-27° C). Make sure the spot you choose gets lots of bright, filtered light instead of direct light.

   • Rubber plants originate from tropical regions in Southeast Asia, so they prefer warm temperatures. Keep your plant away from drafts and air conditioning units.
   • If you don’t have a lot of light in your home, place a grow light over your plant.
2. 
   2
   Water your rubber plant when the top 1 inch (2.5 cm) of soil feels dry. Let the rubber plant’s soil dry out between waterings to prevent overwatering. Simply stick your finger in the soil about 1 inch (2.5 cm) deep. If the soil feels dry, give your plant a thorough drink.

   • If your plant is on a drainage saucer, empty any excess water after you water your plant. This prevents it from sitting in water, which can harm the plant.
3. 
   3
   Keep your plant in high humidity. Rubber trees are tropical plants, so they like high humidity. Simply fill a tray with pebbles and cover them with water. Then, set the tray under your plant’s pot or directly next to it.

   • Make sure the pot isn’t sitting in the water if you place the tray under your plant.
   • Alternatively, place a humidifier in the room where you keep your rubber plant.
4. 
   4
   Fertilize the rubber plant biweekly during its growing season. Throughout the spring and summer, fertilize your plant with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer. Just feed your plant about every 2 weeks.
5. 
   5
   Prune your plant or leave it natural. Glynn says pruning a rubber plant is “more for aesthetic purposes than it is for the health of the plant.” You might want to snip off the tops of the stems to encourage branching and a bushier look. Or, you might not prune at all and allow the plant to grow tall and more tree-like.

   • If you choose to prune, do it in the spring and summer when the rubber plant is growing. This helps it recover faster.
6. 
   6
   Treat pests with horticultural oil. Rubber plants are pretty resistant to pests and diseases. However, like most houseplants, they can get infected with scale insects, mealybugs, and spider mites. If you notice any pests on your plant, spray them with horticultural oil, like neem oil.
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Warnings

• Wear gloves when making cuttings or pruning your rubber plant. The stems produce a white, sticky sap that can irritate your skin.
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• Keep rubber plants away from small children and pets. The sap can lead to an upset stomach or vomiting if it’s ingested.
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