Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southern Asia, Southeastern Asia, India, Nepal
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
Types
Rubber Plant, Rubber Fig
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Number of Varieties
6020
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
agricultural areas, Along Railroads, Coastal Regions, Forests, Roadsides, Scrubs, Suburban areas
Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-118-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-5
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
90.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
White, Red, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Multi-Color
Fruit Color
Yellow, Yellow green
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Red, Dark Green, Crimson
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Red, Dark Green, Crimson
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Red, Dark Green, Crimson
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Red, Dark Green, Crimson
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic to oblong
Lance shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
-
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Vegetative Reproduction
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Requires a lot of watering
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune for shortening long shoots
Cut off the flower stalks at the base of the plant, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
don't fertilize in winter
Apply 8-4-6 amount
Pests and Diseases
Mealybugs, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Yellow Leaves
-
Plant Tolerance
-
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
-
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Bold
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Butterflies
Allergy
Asthma, breathing problems
Rash
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
Part of Plant Used
Latex
Leaves, Rhizomes
Other Uses
Making rubber, Making tyres
Can be made into a herbal tea, Leaves used for wrapping zongi, Used to flavour noodles, Used to wrap mochi rice cakes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
FICUS elastica
ALPINIA zerumbet
Common Name
Rubber Plant
Shell Ginger
In Hindi
रबड़ का पौधा
Shell Ginger
In German
Ficus elastica
Shell Ginger
In French
Ficus elastica
Shell Ginger
In Spanish
ficus
Shell jengibre
In Greek
ελαστικός φίκος
Shell Τζίντζερ
In Portuguese
fábrica de borracha
Shell Ginger
In Polish
gumy roślin
Shell Imbir
In Latin
Flexilis herba
Crusta Ginger
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Lilopsida
Order
Rosales
Zingiberales
Family
Moraceae
Zingiberaceae
Genus
Ficus
Alpinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Ficeae
Alpinieae
Subfamily
-
Alpinioideae
Number of Species
800150
1
27800
👆🏻