How to Grow & Care for Ficus Elastica ‘Ruby’ (2024)

Hey, I Becky Decker here to share my experience of planting these beautiful flowers. Many people want to plant Ficus Elastica ‘Ruby’ in their house as the plant does have a gentle pink and glowing red tint on the leaves of the plant. But to plant them you need to know how to grow them and take care by providing the basic requirements. 

Every plant does have specific requirements like the Ficus Elastica ‘Ruby’ is unique, having different light requirements. They come under the low maintenance category and do not like relocation again and again after finding the correct location. Let’s learn more about Ficus Elastica ‘Ruby’ growing and caring requirements. 

History of Ficus Elastica ‘Ruby’

Ficus Elastica ‘Ruby’ is a very beautiful plant to be planted as your houseplant. They are native to the tropical regions of India and Malaysia. The plant is a variegated cultivar of the classic rubber tree. Also, you can find plants with different colors of leaves from electric pink to ruby red, white, and sage green.

Let’s see how to grow the plant !! 

How to Grow  Ficus Elastica ‘Ruby’?

There are various ways to plant Ficus Elastica ‘Ruby-like if you get the plant already with a pot then you need to just leave it in it as it is until you see the plant gets root-bound but in case you brought the plant in a nursery bag than you need to buy container having good amount of drainage holes but this is not simple there are some following points you need to follow such as:

1. After choosing the container having 3 or more drainage holes you need to fill the bottom 4 inches of the container with a potting mix. 
2. Remove the plant carefully from the nursery bags. Make sure the root doesn’t get damaged by tearing the bag
3. After this hold the plant above the substrate in the container. 
4. Now fill the container covering the roots of the plant but make sure not to cover the plant root crown. 
5. Water the plant by sprinkling on the substrate or you can also water the plant thoroughly. 
6. You will find that the plant looks weak in the starting stage which is common and when the plant starts looking firm again change the location of the plant finding a place having sufficient light

Interesting facts:

• You can find the Ficus Elastica ‘Ruby’ where the rubber trees are planted from rubber production and the plant is native to the tropical zones of Malaysia and India. 
• The plant is able to grow upto 30 feet or more when grown outside. 
• The main attraction for planting the plant is their variegated leaves, streaked with shades of pink and red against a dark green background. 
• The other benefit of growing the plant is having quality helps clean the air by filtering out the  mold spores and bacteria,

How to Care for Ficus Elastica ‘Ruby’?

According to the native you need to maintain the environment so that the plant grows in a healthy and lush way. The following are some basic requirements that you need to take care of for growing  Ficus Elastica ‘Ruby’:

• Light
• Soil
• Temperature 
• Fertilizer
• Humidity 
• Watering 
• Potting & Repotting 
• Pruning 

Light:

• The Ficus Elastica ‘Ruby’  does need a light that is bright, indirect light that ranges between  15,000-20,000 lux. 
• The plant is not able to tolerate full sun rays and needs a proper amount of light to maintain the color of the leaves.
• You can get the right amount of light by planting them next to a north or east window as there is no intense light ray during the morning.
• In case of keeping the plant in In south or west-facing room, you need to keep them away from the window in the afternoon time.

Watering:

• You need to water the Ficus Elastica ‘Ruby’ in a way to keeps the soil uniformly moist.
• Need to remember water should be done without being saturated with water.
•  In case of finding the top couple of inches of the soil dry you need to water the pot entirely.
• In the case of dried soil, you need to water the surface of the soil but dont make the water sit in it.
•  The best watering needs can be fulfilled with distilled or rainwater as the water coming from the tap consists of chemicals that can damage the plant.

Temperature:

•  The Ficus Elastica ‘Ruby’ plant does need an ideal temperature that ranges from 70 to 77ºF (21 to 25ºC).
• The tolerance level of Ficus Elastica ‘Ruby’ is below  60ºF (15ºC).
• You need to protect the plant from drafts and air conditioning vents and keep the plant warm in the winter.

Humidity:

• The ideal amount of humidity for growing the Ficus Elastica ‘Ruby’ is between 40-60%.
• The plant is able to tolerate lower humidity levels.
• In case you find out the leaves of the plant start to get brown then you need to help the plant to maintain the humidity by placing a pebble tray filled with water below the plant.
• The other way of maintaining the humidity is by purchasing a small humidifier.

Soil:

• The soil for planting Ficus elastica Ruby needs to be rich in nutrients, able to retain moisture, porous, and well-draining. 
• The pH level of the soil for growing the plant is from 5 -7. 
• You can also maintain the soil fertility by using commercial cactus soil or adding compost that will help boost the level of nutrient level. 
• Adding perlite, and potting soil with compost will help in creating a nutrient-rich, well-draining soil for growing them. 

Fertilizer:

• The perfect way of mixing the fertilizer is a balanced 10-10-10 ratio. 
• You should dilute the fertilizer to its half-recommended strength in order to avoid the burning of the roots of the plant. 
• You should water the plant once a month during the growing season and lower the frequency in the fall and winter seasons. 
• After watering the plant apply the liquid fertilizer directly to the soil surface but avoid getting the leaves on it. 

Potting & Repotting:

• You need to do the repotting of the Ficus elastica Ruby every 2 or 3 years according to the growth of the plant. 
• The excess of root bound will not allow the plant to grow well. So you need to watch the roots if they are coming out from the drainage holes then it’s a sign to repot the plant. 
• To repot the plant you need to select a pot that does have a good amount of drainage holes. 
• For changing the pot you need to use a desh potting mix in that pot.

Pruning:

• There is a need to trim off the dead or damaged leaves from the plant so that the plant looks beautiful and disease-free. 
• By pruning the plant, the plant discourages the growth of diseases in the plants. 
• The cutting of the plant to maintain the right shape should be done during the spring and summer seasons. 
• To cut the plant you should use sharp sterilized scissors or knives.

Conclusion:

I hope the above information will help you with how to grow and care for Ficus Elastica ‘Ruby’ that will result in success in planting without wasting the time and money for it.

FAQ’s