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''Ficus elastica'', the rubber fig, rubber bush, rubber tree, rubber plant, or Indian rubber bush, Indian rubber tree, is a species of flowering plant in the family Moraceae, native to eastern parts of South and Southeast Asia. It has become naturalized in Sri Lanka, the West Indies, and the US state of Florida.
In parts of India, people guide the roots of the tree over chasms to eventually form living bridges.
File:Ficus elastica - Köhler–s Medizinal-Pflanzen-206.jpg, Illustration from '' Köhler's Medicinal Plants'' (1887)
File:Living bridge formed of the aërial roots (33071614871).jpg, An 1854 illustration of ''Ficus elastica'' trained as a
Description
It is a large tree in the banyan group of figs, growing to – rarely up to – tall, with a stout trunk up to in diameter. The trunk develops aerial and buttressing roots to anchor it in the soil and help support heavy branches. It has broad shiny oval leaves long and broad; leaf size is largest on young plants (occasionally to long), much smaller on old trees (typically long). The leaves develop inside a sheath at the apical meristem, which 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.Pollination and fruiting
As with other members of the genus '' Ficus'', the flowers require a particular species of fig wasp to pollinate it in a co-evolved relationship. Because of this relationship, the rubber plant does not produce highly colourful or fragrant flowers to attract other pollinators. The fruit is a small yellow-green oval fig long, barely edible; these are fake fruits that contain fertile seeds only in areas where the pollinating insect is present.Range
The natural range of ''F. elastica'' extends from Nepal in the north to Indonesia, Bhutan, Northeastern India,Myanmar
Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John C. Wells, Joh ...
, Yunnan in China, and Malaysia. It has been widely introduced in most tropical regions of the world, including Hawaii and the West Indies. In Europe, it can be found in mild locations throughout the Mediterranean Basin
In biogeography, the Mediterranean Basin (; also known as the Mediterranean Region or sometimes Mediterranea) is the region of lands around the Mediterranean Sea that have mostly a Mediterranean climate, with mild to cool, rainy winters and w ...
.
Cultivation and uses
In parts of India, people guide the roots of the tree over chasms to eventually form living bridges.
Ornamental
''Ficus elastica'' is grown around the world as an ornamental plant, outside in frost-free climates (though it also tolerates light frosts) 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. Most cultivated plants are produced by vegetative propagation. This can be done by cuttings or by layering. All parts of the plant contain an abundant milky white latex, which has been tested for use in the manufacture of rubber, but without economic and technical results; commercial rubber is actually produced from the sap of the ''Hevea brasiliensis
''Hevea brasiliensis'', the Pará rubber tree, ''sharinga'' tree, seringueira, or most commonly, rubber tree or rubber plant, is a flowering plant belonging to the spurge family Euphorbiaceae
Euphorbiaceae, the spurge family, is a large fami ...
''.
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.
Latex
''Ficus elastica'' yields a milky white latex, a chemical compound separate from its sap and carried and stored in differentcells
Cell most often refers to:
* Cell (biology), the functional basic unit of life
Cell may also refer to:
Locations
* Monastic cell, a small room, hut, or cave in which a religious recluse lives, alternatively the small precursor of a monastery w ...
. This latex was formerly used to make rubber, but it should not be confused with the Pará rubber tree (''Hevea brasiliensis''), the main commercial source of latex for rubber making. Just as with ''Hevea brasiliensis'', the latex of ''Ficus elastica'' is an irritant to the eyes and skin and is toxic if taken internally.MacDonald, Elvin "The World Book of House Plants" Popular Books
Gallery
living bridge
A living root bridge is a type of simple suspension bridge formed of living plant roots by tree shaping. They are common in the southern part of the Indian state of Meghalaya. They are handmade from the aerial roots of rubber fig trees (''Fic ...
File:Ficus elastica Ficus lutea.JPG, ''Ficus elastica'' leaf on the left compared to '' Ficus lutea'' on the right
File:Ficus elastica figs.jpg, The figs of ''F. elastica''
File:Ficus elastica.jpg, ''Ficus elastica'' near the roadside in Savusavu, Fiji, showing the effects of constant pruning on the growth form.
File:Ficus elastica.Ghana.jpg, A huge ''Ficus elastica'' tree in Ghana showing the aerial roots.
File:Rubber Plant (Ficus elastica 'Robusta').jpg, Many cultivars, such as this ''Ficus elastica'' 'Robusta', are common in the houseplant trade
File:Starr 080117-1722 Ficus elastica.jpg, A variegated cultivar
File:Ficus elastica (rubber plant).jpg, ''Ficus elastica'', commonly called the rubber plant.
File:Ficus10.jpg, Ficus black
References