What Is This Plant? (Rubber Plant - Ficus Elastica)

By

Cricketnc

It's definitely a rubber tree plant. And one suggestion on it's care. Once the last frost is over put it outside for the summer. Then bring it back in before the first frost of the season. You'll be amazed at the difference it makes! It'll fill out and the leaves won't fall off nearly as badly. It'll be beautiful before the first season is over.

By Amy (Guest Post)

Looks like an umbrella tree to me as well. My mom got one as a present over a decade ago, and the stupid thing won't die. She kept this plant in a windowless office for 3 years on a book shelf, no it's over 7 feet tall. She never fertilizes it, often forgets to water it, and it's attacked by cats constantly. It got so big this year she can't get it out her door to the patio.

You'll see that rubber plant leaves turn up a bit, while umbrella trees fan out and droop slightly. The umbrella tree's trunk will get more tree like, having bark and being very light tan.

By

bailegirl

It could also be a orange tree. When I was very small, I planted seeds from an orange that I was eating in one of my mother's house plants, and one of the trees lived for almost 20 years (until my Dad accidently left it outside and it got frostbiten). It looked exactly like this. It never flowered. Upon a bit of research, we were told that there had to be both a male and a female tree in order for them to produce fruit.

By Debra (Guest Post)

The photo is of a Rubber Plant - Ficus elastica

By Floreen coverstone (Guest Post)

That is a rubber plant. I found them very sensitive to grow after I lost a couple of them I finally gave up. Don't water very much!

By

MomX5

Thank you all so much. Yes, I do believe it is a rubber plant. My mother had them when I was younger. I don't have much of a green thumb, but I am trying.

By

Butterfly770

It looks like a very young rubber tree. It needs some support stakes and some fertilizer.

By Jackie (Guest Post)

You will have to tell your MIL that yes, it is a rubber tree. Google "rubber tree photos" to check it out.

By Julia in UK (Guest Post)

It looks like a laurel bush, which grow like crazy in my garden. Or it could be a rubber plant.

By Tammy (Guest Post)

If it has lots of branches coming out all over with three or four leaves on each branch, like it looks in the pic (hard to tell), it looks like an umbrella plant. The person above me is correct. I asked the same question to my fl plant group earlier this week. lol.

By Jan (Guest Post)

It IS a rubber tree plant according to my knowledge... I had a few of them and that is what i bought from the nursery.

By

KBENNETT

It's called a Rubber Plant.

By Debbie M (Guest Post)

Looks like a magnolia to me.

By

zballoongirl

Not sure, but it looks to me like a schefflera arbicola (umbrella plant).