A Rubber Plant in your home or office can help keep air clean and fresh.
Rubber plants can be enjoyed either as a medium-sized houseplant or a beautiful indoor tree. If you have the patience, start with a small plant as those acclimatize better to indoor life than older specimens do.
They can grow to impressive heights within a few years, especially if you put their pot outside during the hot summer months. If you want a smaller plant, just buy a smaller pot.
Rubber plants don’t like sitting in water, so a well-drained, well-aeriated soil is essential. They also like a lot of bright but indirect sunlight and do well if you grow them behind a sheer curtain.
If your plant starts getting leggy with lusterless leaves, it’s not getting enough sun. Their watering needs vary with the seasons. In summer (growing season), your rubber plant likes a lot of water so keep it moist. This includes wiping or misting the leaves with water.
During winter, your plant may only need watering once or twice a month, though you’ll want to keep misting the leaves because of the dry heated air.
Droopy leaves mean the plant needs water, while yellow or brown leaves that drop mean too much water. Try watering with lukewarm water that’s been sitting out so the chlorine will evaporate.
And finally, fertilize your rubber plants only during the growing season.
Rubber plants can remove xylene, formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene from your home’s air. They do well in an office or living room – or just about any freshly painted or refurbished room.
