Any Ficus hates this and you will run into issues if you do. Check your plant for pests. In Brief. And maybe it is also in a dark spot? Check out my blog post on how to air layer rubber plants for a step by step method. You’ll want to give your plant a thorough watering as soon as the top one or two inches of the pot (depending on the size of the pot) is dry. Humidity The common reason of an indoor rubber tree plant dropping leaves is the lack of humidity. Leaf Curl On Rubber Plants: What Causes Rubber Plant Leaves To Curl, What Is A Pebble Tray – Keep Plants Humid With A Pebble Saucer, Rubber Plant Information: Taking Care Of A Rubber Plant Outdoors, History Of Red Poppies – Why Red Poppy For Remembrance, Winter Pruning Tips - How To Prune In Winter, Ancient Flowers - Learn About Flowers From The Past, Lichens On Trees – Treatment For Tree Lichen, Tips To Control Cabbage Maggot In The Garden, Bougainvillea Plant Pests: Learn More About Bougainvillea Loopers, Iris Flower History – Where Did Iris Originate, Aloe Plant History – Interesting Facts And History Of Aloe Vera, Indian Turnip History: Jack-In-The-Pulpit Folklore And Origins, National Cabbage Day: History And Fun Facts About Cabbage. Also, check out my shop on Amazon for all your houseplant care needs:OHIO TROPICS PLANT CARE STOREFRONT. Rubber plants can grow up to 100 feet in their native homeland of Southeast Asia. Of course you’ll need to follow good cultural practices for watering as well. In particular, rubber tree plants are susceptible to being infested with scale bugs, and these pests will cause the leaves to drop off until the plant is treated. Plants can also drop leaves and experience shock when brought indoors for the first time. This is probably due to not enough light. Do not rely on soil moisture meters because these can present a lot of problems. The stem is also in the bark phase. Everything about Rubber Plants! If a rubber plant receives too much direct sunlight, or is underwatered or overwatered, the leaves can get scorched. Light Change – A common reason for a rubber plant losing leaves is a change in the light. Keeping the soil too dry or too wet can cause the leaves to droop and curl. You can tell if your rubber plant needs more light if it becomes leggy, its leaves lose their luster, and lower leaves fall off. Here are some possible reasons- 1. I describe the hardening off process in a blog post that I’ve written. Just the affected areas. Light intensity drops dramatically with each foot that you move away from a window. Many people unfortunately take this “low light” label to mean that the plant requires low light. Be sure to read these critical repotting tips before you repot any houseplant. Inconsistent care can result in deformed new leaves. Read the answer to the question above. If you come in contact with this, be sure to wash your hands off immediately. The most common rubber plants that will find on the market include: F. elastica ‘Decora’ is probably the most common and typical variety, F. elastica ‘Robusta’ has larger leaves than ‘Decora’, F. elastica ‘Burgundy’ has very dark leaves with a reddish midrib, F. elastica ‘Tineke’ has gorgeous yellow and shades of green variegation, F. elastaica ‘Ruby’ has stunning pink variegation. These plants don’t like cold conditions and they hate drafts. Continue to treat as needed. I would immediately place it in front of a window at this point, and try and follow my information in the post for watering, etc. Move your plant to an area with brighter light (you guessed it…in front of a window). Problem: Leaves are … This is normally due to improper watering. Ficus elastica is mildly toxic to cats, dogs and humans. Solution: Your rubber plant has been overwatered; To avoid root rot, go easy on the watering as soon as you notice this problem. Rubber tree plants only need to be fertilized once in awhile. Only then will you have a thriving houseplant. Avoid wilted plants, as the roots may already be damaged. Root diseases. Either the soil has been left too dry for too long (“underwatering”) or the soil has stayed too wet for too long (“overwatering”). When you bring the plant indoors, increase the artificial light on the rubber tree, that may prevent the rubber plant from losing leaves. This is either due to inconsistent watering, or sun scorch. One of my pet peeves are plant labels and many growers label these plants as low light plants. If your plant is in very poor light, it will stay wet for longer. Your plant will languish and I will describe the various problems that can occur at the end of this post. If eaten by cats or dogs, it can cause gastrointestinal issues. Whatever your rubber plant problems or woes are, you will find it here. Winter is sometimes tough in many areas of the world, but you can increase the humidity with a humidifier if you’d like. This reduces to about 3 parts potting mix, 1 part perlite and 1 part bark mix. Leaf spot diseases will not seriously harm your plants, but there are things you can do that, when done together, can reduce the disease on the tree in following years. The leaves are all green. The vinegar helps to dissolve those stubborn mineral deposits from hard tap water. Rubber plants can attract fungal and bacterial pathogens that can cause leaf spots. If your rubber plant is staying in it’s bushy form and not growing at all, you guessed it…it probably needs more light. Maybe everything else checks out above, but your plant is sitting in a cool/cold room. The sheath will eventually loosen and fall off as the new leaf gets bigger. This common plant disease is known to infect flowers such as holly, lilacs, azaleas and rhododendrons. Rubber trees rarely are affected by bugs or diseases, so they’re the perfect plant for you to sit back and enjoy without a lot of fussing. Aim to let approximately the top quarter of the potting mix to dry out. Rubber plants are durable plants with leathery leaves and a single erect stem when they're young, although older plants will branch out. And if you compound this with keeping your plant in a dark location, the soil will stay wet for even longer. And there are a lot of questions! At the tip of each stem, you’ll notice that the growing tip has a covering called a sheath. A high level of salt in the soil can affect the process of osmosis that can be the reason for plant wilting… If you are having problems and your plant is dying, I’ll help you reverse it and get back on track. I bought a basic rubber plant which I potted up, almost immediately, as it was in quite a small pot. It causes dieback of shoots and stem cankers of these flowers. Don’t do this on the entire plant. Did you just buy your plant from a nursery and you just brought it home? The plant owner then proceeds to shove the plant in a dark corner. Light is the most important factor and you can’t expect your rubber plant to thrive and grow well if it is shoved in a dark corner somewhere in your home. Too much or too little water plus insects and mites are the main problems. There are a few ways to clean the leaves on your Rubber plant and it’s easy to clean rubber plant leaves one by one because they’re so big. But most importantly, the leaf shine sprays will clog the stomata (or leaf pores) that plants essentially use to “breathe.” Avoid these sprays! Solution: Your rubber plant has been overwatered; To avoid root rot, go easy on the watering as soon as you notice this problem. Mark. This was a friend that reached out asking what was wrong. My rubber plant is leggy but now has little pink buds popping out above the nodes where old leaves were. Often times, rubber plants may have an initial protest by dropping some leaves initially until it gets used to its new environment. Potting your plant into a pot that is much too big for its root system greately increases the risk of the soil staying wet for a longer period of time because you have a lot more soil. I'm guessing you either kept the soil too dry for too long, or maybe it was sitting in water for a long period of time. Simply dip a cotton ball or paper towel in rubbing alcohol and apply to the area where you removed the scale. They are large trees in nature and grow in full sun, or close to full sun. If your plant is growing in very warm or hot conditions, and it is receiving too much direct sun, it may scorch the leaves. Mealybugs may infest rubber plants. My plants are in an east facing windowsill, not touching the window. The very first symptoms are occurrence of water-soaked spots on leaves that are on the lower sections. While there are no serious problems associated with rubber plants, it is important to still keep an eye on plant diseases that might affect the foliage. The sheaths are shriveled and they have turned to a dark burgandy color instead of a vibrant red. This can spell trouble very quickly for rubber plants. Move it to a warmer location. Have you ignored your houseplant for a while? This could potentially be the result of a bacterial or fungal infection. Your pot size might be too big and the soil is not drying out fast enough. Plant leaves can sometimes change colour or produce unusual marks, blotches or even weird-looking structures on them. After you treat the plant, keep a close eye on the plant to ensure that it doesn’t reappear. Hi Mark! I'd need a photo to try and help better, but are you doing anything differently from what I describe in the post? Do you see anything crawling or flying around? (This is an indication of underwatering.) It is as close to the window as possible without touching it. An excellent super-well draining potting mix and watering practices are very critical for any Ficus, including the very finicky Fiddle Leaf Fig, or Ficus lyrata. I have included general care information for all varieties of rubber plant (Ficus elastica) and if there is anything different about the care or problems of each variety, I have called it out. Variegated plants are sensitive to this. If that checks out OK, think about your care. Over Fertilization – Rubber tree plants are frequently killed with kindness from their owners. LEAF DISEASES OF RUBBER ... rubber; Reduces plant growth and yield; This is the ultimate, most comprehensive rubber plant care guide you will find! And you should be fertilizing regardless! Spider Mites: It’s easy to diagnose a spider mite problem as the tiny pinhead-sized mites spin webbing that covers the Rubber Plant’s leaves. Be patient. When a rubber tree plant is over watered, it can shed its leaves. Don’t worry though — as a houseplant, rubber plants usually get to around 8-10′. An off color may indicate a nutrient problem (which may be easy to correct), insect damage, or damage from too much or too little water. Sign up for our newsletter. Brown Leaf Tips & Edges: Brown leaf tips and margins can be caused by exposure to hot dry air, improper watering, insect feeding, and salt accumulation. Many Ficus plants including F. elastica have a milky irritating sap in the stems and leaves that can cause gastrointestinal issues if eaten and skin irritation if the sap is allowed to rest on the skin for a time or gets into small cuts. Proper soil mix is absolutely critical for any Ficus. Try to avoid locations where these plants might get direct, very cold drafts. Immediately transplant your rubber plant into a pot with a drainage hole. ress_js("//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US&adInstanceId=3727937f-fd2d-4a8e-aac6-737ec7e1cc2a"); Ohio Tropics (Raffaele Di Lallo) is a participant in the Amazon.com Services LLC program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. This is is ESPECIALLY important if you ever place any of your houseplants outside during warm months. Proper watering is by far more important, but if you can increase the humidity as well, this is great for your plants. They are both in the Ficus genus. SYMPTOMS: Stunted or twisted leaves, white spots or black moldy areas on the top of … Is the soil completely dry and perhaps it has stayed dry for too long? It is one of my easiest least fussy plants. How do you water, and how do you determine when you need to water? North windows would be acceptable, but the plant needs to be as close to the window without touching it. Rubber Tree Plant Leaves Falling. Leaf yellowing may occur if the soil stays too wet. Some people mistaken this for a flower, but it is simply a protective covering that each new leaf has when it grows. If you have spider mites, you will see very fine webbing on the leaves an stems, especially where the leaves meet the stem. They're easy to grow and don't require a lot of care, making them a popular choice for those with a less-than-green thumb. Check out my spider mite blog post to learn how to safely and naturally treat spider mites, and how to discourage them from coming back. Is the stem still plump and firm? I did have one question though. I’ll describe all these problems at the end of the post. If your leaves are pretty dirty and you want to get a better cleaning, add a little dish soap to warm water. Only water the plant when the top of the soil is dry. Poor drainage due to heavy soil causes leaf yellowing as well as root rot. So it is important to monitor the soil moisture by feeling the potting mix. It didn't grow any more and, over the winter, the leaves turned pale and yellowish and have now all dropped off! Treat scale or other pests with an insecticide like neem oil. Simply mix 1 teaspoon of white vinegar to a gallon of warm water. This is a very important aspect of rubber plant care. Nutrient deficiencies are not as common, but if you are using a good, complete fertilizer (available on Amazon) like Dyna-Gro Grow, you should not have to worry about these issues. Others can survive on nearby dead plants or infected gardening tools. Just today I went to move the plant and about 7-10 leaves fell off of the plant. I'll be able to tell you what's going on. Is it wet? First, you can just purchase it that way (instant gratification). Why are the leaves on rubber tree curling? But before I get to each specific problem, I urge you to take the time to read through the entire post in the order that I’ve written it. There are no shortcuts for plant growth. Check out my blog post on the 9 easiest plants to clean your indoor air. If you see little tiny white dots around the outer edge of your rubber plant leaves, this is no cause for alarm! Rubber plants like bright light and a lot of it, but not direct sunlight. If your rubber plant leaves are just lightly dusty, simply take a damp sponge, cloth, or paper towel and gently wipe the surface of the leaves. They are very common and inexpensive in the U.S. Hi. Air Drafts – Rubber tree plants are susceptible to cold air and, while your home may be the right temperature for rubber tree plant, cold drafts from windows or doors in your home may be hitting the plant and causing the rubber tree leaves to fall off. Proper watering, light and fertilizing will eventually get you there, but have a little patience. In the vast majority of cases, it is one simple answer: light. Remove each scale with your fingers, and then dab that area with rubbing alcohol. Solution: More water! Discard excess water. One word of caution, if you have had your plant growing in really low light, don’t just place your rubber plant immediately into a lot of direct sunshine. Throughout the growing season, except in the pits of winter when almost nothing is growing, I like to use Dyna-Gro Grow fertilizer on my rubber plant which I get on Amazon. At the same time, you can quickly cause a lot of damage to your plant if you let all of the soil completely dry out for extended periods of time. Houses can be dry, especially in the winter when the heat is on. As you’ve discovered, there can be a LOT of problems with rubber plants. As a domesticated houseplant, rubber plants grow anywhere between six to ten feet tall.You can grow outdoor rubber plants if you live in … For more information on watering plants see HGIC 1459, Indoor Plants – Watering. Best offers for your Garden - https://amzn.to/2InnD0w-----How to Help a Rubber Tree Plant That Is Losing Leaves. The moisture meter told her she was ok, but after a few months, the soil was bone dry for a long time and the resulting leaves were wrinkled, folded and taco-like. It can be from a number of things. In fact, most fungal, bacterial and viral plant diseases are spread naturally by wind currents, rain, soil seeds, insects and other animals. It is important to water these plants thoroughly, but they need to dry out a bit in between. Months! Like many things in houseplant care, this can be due to a variety of things from pests, nutrient deficiencies, or inconsistent and/or improper care. First, you have to know why the leaves are drooping on the rubber plant. This is one example of why I mentioned earlier that in order for your houseplants to thrive, you must have all the important elements in balance: light, watering, potting mix, etc. The water intake wasn't homogeneous and the excess water didn't drain properly. The mites suck the plant’s juices and if left uncontrolled can eventually kill the plant and infest your other indoor plants. Many times, this will happen when you bring your rubber tree plant in from outdoors, and this change can cause a total drop of the rubber tree leaves. A few rubber tree leaves may fall off the plant with the change from summer to fall, when light levels change. One may be a sudden decrease in light. It could also be that your rubber plant is severely pot bound and needs to be repotted into a bigger pot. If your plant was in a 4 inch pot, repot into a 6 inch pot. There are many reasons for dropping and falling leaves. Most of the time it is sitting in a dark corner. Dyna-Gro Grow is an amazing, complete fertilizer that is urea-free and contains all micro and macro nutrients. You will also see some discoloration and uneven coloring on the leaves. First of all, it will give them a very unnatural look. When you first notice yellow leaves, immediately check the soil with your fingers and lift the pot if you can to check the weight. Problem: The color of the leaves is starting to fade. 9 easiest plants to clean your indoor air, 50 houseplants that humidify your indoor air. Here are some of the more common leaf problems. dangers of using moisture meters for plants. Has your plant been sitting in excess water in the saucer for a while? (And How To Fix It) - … Curling leaves on rubber tree plants are usually indicative … With pest management and pest prevention, keeping a close eye on your plants is key for success. Please do me a favor and share this post to social media because it will help me spread the Ohio Tropics houseplant care tips to the masses! If you just have slight curling but the plant looks healthy otherwise, I wouldn’t worry.
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