FICUS ELASTIC

Common name: Rubber Tree, Rubber Plant, India Rubber Tree, Indian Rubber Bush • Marathi: रबराचो वड Rabracho-vad • Malayalam: Shimayal, Simayal • Telugu: Rabbaru, Sagubanka, Simamarri •Kannada: Goli, Goni, Shimeala, India rubber mara • Khasi: Diengjri • Assamese: অথা বৰ Atha bor

Botanical name:   Ficus elastica   

Family: Moraceae (Mulberry family)

Synonyms: Ficus cordata, Ficus decora

Geographical distribution: Ficus elastica is native to tropical Asia, India, and Malaysia and has been introduced to the West Indies. And other found in Japan, java, Sikkim and Nepal.

Specie Type: Tree

Introduction Rubber Tree is a beautiful tree native to NE India, the eastern Himalayas, and SE Asia. Rubber Tree is popular because it is very easy to grow and care for. They can get big pretty quickly, as they are vigorous growers and don’t ask for much attention. It grows up to 30-40 m tall, but is usually seen as a smaller garden tree. It has broad shiny oval leaves 10-35 cm long and 5-15 cm broad. Leaf size is largest on young plants (occasionally to 45 cm long), much smaller on old trees (typically 10 cm long). The leaves develop inside a reddish sheath at the tip of branches, which looks very attractive. It grows larger as the new leaf develops. When it is mature, it unfurls and the sheath drops off the plant. Inside the new leaf, another immature leaf is waiting to develop. The small stalkless, yellow-green oval figs, 1 cm long, grow in pairs. This is a popular house-plant, and grows in all Indian conditions. The tree can yield a milky white latex, which has been used to make rubber.

Cultivation and collection:

In parts of India, people guide the roots of the tree over chasms to eventually form living bridges.

Ficus elastica is grown around the world as an ornamental plant, outside in Ficus elastica is grown around the world as an ornamental plant, outside in frost-free climates from the tropical to the Mediterranean and inside in colder climates as a houseplant. Although it is grown in Hawaii, the species of fig wasp required to allow it to spread naturally is not present there.

In cultivation, it prefers bright sunlight but not hot temperatures. It has a high tolerance for drought, but prefers humidity and thrives in wet, tropical conditions. Ornamental hybrids (such as Robusta) have been derived from Ficus elastica with broader, stiffer and more upright leaves than the wild form. Many such hybrids exist, often with variegated leaves frost-free climates from the tropical to the Mediterranean and inside in colder climates as a houseplant. Although it is grown in Hawaii, the species of fig wasp required to allow it to spread naturally is not present there.

Medical uses: For healing wounds, cuts and pores. It is use in treatment of parasitic worms.

Flower and fruits: April-May