How to Start a Rubber Tree Plant

A tropical plant from Malaysia, India and South America, the rubber tree adds warmth to any room. The rubber tree is attractive, low maintenance and easily propagated. Rubber trees do grow large and need to be pruned. Pruning is a good time to start new rubber tree plants as additions to your indoor garden or as gifts. It takes about 2 to 3 weeks for the root system to start and a new plant is ready for potting.

Things You'll Need

• Large pot for the plant
• Potting mix
• Perlite or course sand to increase soil drainage
• Plastic wrap
• Pruning shears
• Knife
• Sphagnum moss
• Rooting hormone, optional

Instructions

Cuttings

1. Prune a branch at least 6 inches long with leaves.

2. Trim off any leaves at the bottom of the cutting leaving two or more intact.

3. Place the cutting in potting mix with some perlite added. Optionally, you can dip the bottom of the cutting in rooting hormone first.

4. Cover the cutting with plastic or use a plastic jar. Be sure the leaves do not touch the plastic.

5. Transfer the plant to a large permanent container after the roots have formed.

Air Layering

1. Remove any leaves near the base of the cutting while keeping those further up intact.

2. Cut a 1-inch wide ring completely around the base of the cutting leaving it attached to the mother plant.

3. Remove all the soft tissue leaving only the hard core.

4. Apply rooting hormone to the core ring.

5. Wrap the ring with sphagnum moss.

6. Cover the moss with plastic wrap.

7. Cut the new plant free after roots have formed and pot in a large container. It takes 2 to 3 weeks for the roots to form.

References

• Gardening know how, How to start a rubber tree plant
• My indoor house plants, Rubber tree, A true giant