Temperature
60–80°F
Keep away from winter window glass and heating vents.
Rubber plant
Ficus elastica
Rubber plant wants bright indirect light and water every 7 to 14 days, once the top two inches are dry. Toxic to cats, dogs, and humans.
Light
Bright indirect
LowMediumBright indirectDirect
An east window, or three feet back from a south one. Variegated cultivars lose their pink in anything dimmer.
Water
Every 7–14 days
Baseline for a 6-inch pot indoors. Check first: water when the top two inches are dry, not on a schedule.
Humidity
40% and up
Fine in normal household air. Prefers 50%.
Difficulty
Easy
Scores 2 of 5: Scores 2 of 5: forgiving of missed watering and holds its shape indoors. Loses points for dropping leaves after any move.
Habit
Upright
Grows to 24–120 inches. No support needed.
Toxic to cats, dogs, and humans
Contains proteolytic enzyme, psoralen. Reported signs include oral irritation, salivation, vomiting.
If a pet has chewed a leaf, rinse the mouth with water and call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
Full detail for cats → Full detail for dogs →
What each authority says
- ASPCA — entry for a different species in this genus: Ficus benjamina
- Toxic to cats and dogs · proteolytic enzyme, psoralen
- NC State Extension
- Entry exists and records no poison data.
Light
Bright indirect light. An east window, or three feet back from a south one. Variegated cultivars lose their pink in anything dimmer.
Water
Every 7 to 14 days in a 6-inch pot, when the top two inches are dry.
Treat the interval as a starting point and the test as the actual instruction. Pot size, light level and season all move the number.
| Method | soak and dry |
|---|---|
| Test before watering | the top two inches are dry |
Soil and potting
Three parts potting soil, one part perlite, one part orchid bark.
Repot roughly every 2 years, or when roots come through the drainage holes and water runs straight through without absorbing.
Common problems
Ranked by how often each turns out to be the cause for this species. Each links to a diagnosis page with the causes ranked for this species.
- Leaf drop this week
- Yellow leaves this week
- Brown crispy edges monitor
Pest and disease guidance for this species consulted at the Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, checked 2026-09-11.
Pests
Recorded for this species. Each links to identification and treatment.
- Scale insects this week
- Spider mites act today
Propagation
Stem cutting in water or soil. Roots in 21 to 42 days.
A cutting without a node will not root. It may stay green in water for months and never produce a single root, because it has no growth point.
| Preferred method | stem cutting |
|---|---|
| Medium | water, soil |
| Time to root | 21–42 days |
| Node required | Yes |
| Best season | Spring and summer |
Sources
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control — Ficus benjamina Checked 2026-09-11.
- North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — Ficus elastica (consulted; entry exists and records no poison data.) Checked 2026-09-11.
- Wikidata entity Q160576 — taxonomy and entity identity.
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Plants of the World Online — Ficus elastica Accepted name; family Moraceae. Checked 2026-09-11.
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder — Ficus elastica Pest and disease guidance. Checked 2026-09-11.
- Photograph: VuThiAnh, Wikimedia Commons , CC0.
Compiled and edited by Tony Valcarcel · 2026-09-02
Tony Valcarcel is the editor and publisher of this database, not a horticulturist
or a veterinarian. Every fact above is drawn from the sources listed, and
toxicity severity is reported only where one of them stated it.
How this is sourced.
Last updated 2026-09-02