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Variegated Rubber Tree

4.6 out of 5 (32 experiences)

Large, lush leaves

Fast grower

About Variegated Rubber Tree

Ficus elastica, more commonly known as the rubber tree, has a white, milky latex that is a source of natural rubber. This variety is known for its leaves and their unique patterns and colors 🎨 They’ve been shown to have excellent antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. The aerial roots of the rubber tree have been used to create incredible living bridges in India. The bridges get stronger over time as the roots slowly fuse together, and some are over a hundred years old! 🌉

Taxonomy

Scientific name

Ficus elastica 'Tineke'

Genus

Ficus

Family

Moraceae

Order

Rosales

Also known as

Ficus Tineke

How to care for Variegated Rubber Tree

💦 Water

How often to water your Variegated Rubber Tree

Variegated Rubber Tree needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

No Yes

Select the pot size

☀️ Light

Finding light for Variegated Rubber Tree in your home

Variegated Rubber Tree love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.

Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Variegated Rubber Tree does not tolerate low-light 🚫.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Variegated Rubber Tree in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Variegated Rubber Tree

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Variegated Rubber Tree: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Variegated Rubber Tree after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

Browse #Ficus

💡 FAQs

⭐ Difficulty Level

Variegated Rubber Tree is generally easy to care for, though some plant parents report facing challenges with growing it. Check out the reviews down below to read more about their experiences!

How to Grow Variegated Rubber Tree →

Common Variegated Rubber Tree Problems →

Indoor Care Guide for Variegated Rubber Tree →

Outdoor Care Guide for Variegated Rubber Tree →

💦 Water Needs

Variegated Rubber Tree prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

☀️ Sunlight Needs

Variegated Rubber Tree requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Variegated Rubber Tree is not safe to consume. If you, a family member, or a pet has ingested any amount of plant material contact Poison Control, US (800) 222-1222, or your veterinarian. If you have children, cats, or dogs in the home, we suggest keeping this plant out of reach.

Is Variegated Rubber Tree Edible? →

💨 Humidity

Variegated Rubber Tree prefers dry environments. Providing extra humidity or misting your plant allows water to linger on leaves, which can create the perfect environment for harmful types of fungi.

🪴 Soil

Variegated Rubber Tree does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!

Best Pots for Variegated Rubber Tree →

When and How to Successfully Repot Variegated Rubber Tree →

What Are Healthy Variegated Rubber Tree Roots →

💩 Fertilizer

Variegated Rubber Tree should be repotted after it doubles in size or once a year, whichever comes first. Fresh potting soil has all the nutrients your plant needs, so as long as it’s refreshed yearly, you shouldn’t need to use fertilizer. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!

❄️ Dormancy

It’s common for Variegated Rubber Tree to go dormant in the wintertime and you may notice their growth slow down. Waterings should be spaced out more during this time.

🌎 Native Region

Variegated Rubber Tree is native to worldwide Tropics.

🌸 Flowers

Variegated Rubber Tree produces flowers in the wild, but does not flower when kept as houseplants.

Is Variegated Rubber Tree an Annual Plant? →

Is Variegated Rubber Tree a Perennial Plant? →

Variegated Rubber Tree Pollination Guide →

Common Variegated Rubber Tree Flower Problems →

⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

Variegated Rubber Tree will branch off as it grows. To encourage branching, pinch off the newest growth at the tip and the stem will branch off into two.

Variegated Rubber Tree Lifecycle →

Variegated Rubber Tree Size Guide →

How and When to Prune Variegated Rubber Tree →

🌦️ Growing Outdoors

USDA Hardiness Zone
Variegated Rubber Tree can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 10a-12b. Find your local hardiness zone here.

Variegated Rubber Tree Temperature Tolerance →

Variegated Rubber Tree Hardiness Zones →

Landscaping Ideas with Variegated Rubber Tree →

When to Plant Variegated Rubber Tree →

How to Plant Variegated Rubber Tree →

Where to Plant Variegated Rubber Tree →

Winter Care for Variegated Rubber Tree →

Best Companion Plants for Variegated Rubber Tree →

Is Variegated Rubber Tree a Weed? →

🌱 Propagation

Variegated Rubber Tree can be propagated by the stem method. To propagate:

Make a cut just above the node. The node is the break in the stem where the leaf emerges.
To get the cutting to root, you can either:
- Place the cutting in water until roots emerge and are ~2” long and then transplant into well-draining soil, or
- Place the cutting directly into well-draining soil and water when dry.

🍂 Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.

Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Variegated Rubber Tree, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.

Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!

🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.

Common Bugs Affecting Variegated Rubber Tree →

What Eats Variegated Rubber Tree? →

Care Summary for Variegated Rubber Tree

Variegated Rubber Tree

Greg recommends:

Water

0.5 cups every 9 days

Placement

< 1ft from a window

Nutrients

Repot after 2x growth

Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.

What other plant parents say

Large, lush leaves 18

Fast grower 12

Survivor 10

Easy to propagate 7

Browns easily 5

Blooms easily 2

Pest magnet 1

@Desiree

3 Plants

75 XP

Doha

12/19/2021

No mess. Lovely color. Easy to care of

Large, lush leaves

Fast grower

Variegated Rubber Tree plant photo by Desiree named Catalino on Greg, the plant care app.

@@alexcollectsplants

53 Plants

2,322 XP

08/18/2021

I have the regular ficus that’s just dark green and loved how easy that grew so this is the same but the leaves almost look like they’re painted. It grows so quickly, every time a leave blooms I see another one shooting up. Can’t wait for it to grow taller!

Large, lush leaves

Fast grower

Easy to propagate

Variegated Rubber Tree plant photo by @alexcollectsplants named Erica on Greg, the plant care app.

@@nathanddang

11 Plants

555 XP

08/16/2021

Easy to maintain

Variegated Rubber Tree plant photo by @nathanddang named Ficus Tineke on Greg, the plant care app.

@Yvette

9 Plants

168 XP

08/16/2021

The foliage is stunning. It grows a bit slower than other plants i own and you have to be careful with the light. Mine is in a south window and two of the leaves got a bit burned. No problem with pests so far.

Variegated Rubber Tree plant photo by Yvette named da Vinci on Greg, the plant care app.

@Dannielle

5 Plants

687 XP

Harpenden, England

07/20/2021

Grows tall, has gorgeous leaves, survived over & under watering and easy to maintain

Fast grower

Large, lush leaves

Survivor

Variegated Rubber Tree plant photo by Dannielle named Ophelia on Greg, the plant care app.

@@RJG

126 Plants

245,500 XP

Austin, TX

06/11/2021

so pretty and easy to grow as more has sun!

Fast grower

Variegated Rubber Tree plant photo by @RJG named Feeny on Greg, the plant care app.

@@Anah7077

117 Plants

4,332 XP

Corona, CA

05/26/2021

I have only had my Tineke for 6-7 months, but in that time it has been a very very very slow grower. The leaves will get brown mushy spots if you overwater. Let it dry 100% and it’s otherwise easy! I’ve successfully (and quickly) water propagated two babies from small stems.

Browns easily

Easy to propagate

Variegated Rubber Tree plant photo by @Anah7077 named George on Greg, the plant care app.

@@KatieL

40 Plants

796 XP

04/30/2021

Really fun colors and fast growing. It has sturdy, interesting leaves with a variety of color variations that are so interesting to look at. Leaves go from bright green and pink to a more gray-green and darker pink as they grow. As always, more light = more variegation.

Fast grower

Variegated Rubber Tree plant photo by @KatieL named Daphne on Greg, the plant care app.

@@SharonKoernig

68 Plants

3,168 XP

Austin, TX

03/12/2021

It wasn’t my favorite at first, but I’ve grown to love it. It’s easy to keep even when you don’t pay too much attention to it. Through my ownership of three month, it was moved from three pots and two spots on the house, but it stands unaffected. The leaves can get a little dull and needs dusting from time to time, but I don’t mind shining it.

Fast grower

Large, lush leaves

Survivor

Easy to propagate