I would like to know the name of this plant. I've had it since early fall and although it is still alive it's not doing great. Any tips would be appreciated
what is this plant
Ficus elastica 'variegata', commonly known as variegated rubber tree.
Al
Oh - sorry ..... you'll find plenty of cultural help here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1136338/?hl=ficus+in+containers and still more here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1055230/?hl=ficus+in+containers.
A very fast draining soil - don't over-water, feed regularly with a 3:1:2 RATIO (different than NPK %s) fertilizer, very bright light but protect from midday sun, keep above 60* and away from cold drafts in winter.
Al
Does anyone know where to get a rubber tree plant from?
Almost any big box store that sells houseplants will carry them. They're very common.
Al
WalMart, Home Depot and Lowes.
As you are keeping your plant indoors it needs to be misted to keep some moister around the foliage, you can mist by using one of those spray bottles ladies use for their hair etc. mist the underside of the leaves too.
Keep dust off the foliage and every now and again give the leaves a wipe with a damp cloth. after a couple of years re-pot / change the compost (house plant compost from garden store) don't let the plant sit in a saucer of water for longer than half an hour after you have watered.
Good luck. WeeNel.
I'm sorry, but I feel that misting this plant is more likely to cause problems than increase vitality. The plant has thick, waxy cuticles and is well-equipped to handle the low humidity that goes along with indoor central heating and air systems. Misting only raises humidity for a few minutes and has virtually no impact on humidity levels beyond those few minutes. A humidifier that raises the RH of the air in the entire room, preferably with a fan to circulate the air, is much more desirable than misting. I'm not sating that anyone should treat their plants in the same manner I do, but I raise and strongly manipulate at least 30 perfectly healthy Ficus, covering at least 7-10 species, indoors and out, and I've never found conditions I felt misting would have improved. Various fungi detrimental to the health of the plant often need an extended period of moisture in their misting world to complete the life changes that allow them to reproduce. Conscientious misters often provide the incubation period for fungal infections to arise, thinking they might be greasing the skids for a plant on the way to perfect humidity control - that's too bad.
Al
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