Growing Ficus Ruby Can Add a Pop of Color to Your Home—Here's How

Ficus ruby is a type of rubber tree with shiny green leaves edged in pink, red, and cream. This variety of Ficus elastica will have brighter, more pronounced variegation with brighter light. Ficus ruby prefers warm, humid conditions similar to its tropical native range in India and Malaysia. It grows best with bright, indirect light, temperatures between 60°F and 80°F, and rich, well-drained soil.

Ficus Ruby Care

• Plant ficus ruby in rich, well-drained soil.

• Water to keep the plant's soil consistently moist but not soggy.

• Put in a place with bright, indirect light.

• Fertilize twice monthly during the growing season.
  

Light

Your ficus ruby will thrive and show the most colorful variegation with lots of bright, indirect light. Consider putting the plant in an east-facing window, where it can receive less intense morning sun, or several feet from a west-facing or south-facing window. Note that direct sunlight can burn the plant's leaves and inhibit growth.

Soil

Ficus ruby requires rich, well-drained potting mix that's slightly acidic or neutral in pH. Use a mix that includes peat or coconut coir to hold moisture and plenty of perlite or coarse sand for fast drainage. Typical houseplant potting mix will do, or you can make your own potting medium by combining equal parts coarse sand, orchid bark, and peat or coconut coir.

Water

Water ficus ruby to keep the plant's potting mix evenly moist but not soggy. Check the soil moisture regularly to know when it's time to water. When the top inch or two has begun to dry out, give the plant a drink. Avoid letting the soil dry out entirely. Overly wet soil can cause root rot, so be sure not to let the plant sit in accumulated water in its saucer or cache pot.

Temperature and Humidity

Though it's native to warm, humid regions of South and Southeast Asia, ficus ruby can adapt well to average indoor conditions in temperate climates. The plant prefers temperatures between 60°F and 80°F and humidity ranging from 40 to 60 percent. Keep the plant away from cold, drafty doors, windows, or air conditioning vents.

Fertilizer

Help your ficus ruby thrive by feeding it regularly with a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer diluted to half strength during the growing season. Start fertilizing when you see the first new growth on your plant in early spring, then fertilize every two weeks or so through the end of summer. Hold off on feeding your plant in fall and winter.

Pruning

Ficus ruby doesn't require regular pruning, but you may wish to cut back the plant a bit if it's becoming very tall or outgrowing your space. Use sharp, sterilized shears or pruners to remove up to 30 percent of the plant's growth. It's best to do this in late winter when the plant's sap isn't flowing as much.

Wear protective clothing and gloves, put down newspaper, or bring your plant outside to prune so the sap doesn't create messy stains or irritate your skin. Throughout the year, it's a good idea to remove dead or damaged leaves as they appear.

Propagating Ficus Ruby

Like other types of rubber tree, ficus ruby is easy to propagate by taking stem cuttings and rooting them in soil. You'll have the best chance of success in spring. Before you begin, gather sterilized shears, a 50-50 blend of peat moss or coconut coir and perlite, small plant pots, a healthy mother plant, rubber bands, gardening gloves, and rooting hormone powder.

1. Look for a few healthy stems on your plant around areas where you'd like to shape or cut back slightly.

2. Cut six-inch stem tip cuttings that have at least least four leaves. Make your cuts right below a node.

3. Remove the leaves from each cutting, except for the leaf at the tip of each stem. Roll the remaining leaves, shiny side out, into a cylinder and use the rubber bands to keep them in place. Rolling the leaves helps reduce moisture loss while the cutting is rooting.

4. Fill the plant pots with the peat-perlite blend and water to moisten it. Plant each cutting in the potting mix so that each leaf node is beneath the soil surface.

5. Put the cuttings in a warm place with bright, indirect light. You can cover cuttings with a clear plastic bag or plastic dome to will help hold in humidity.

6. Keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy. The cuttings should root in about a month. Give the stem a gentle tug—if you feel resistance, that means the cuttings have rooted. You can pot them up and care for them as usual.

Common Pests

Keep an eye out for common houseplant pests like scale, mealybugs, aphids, white fly, thrips, and spider mites. Dab away pests with a cotton ball dipped in rubbing alcohol. Treat infested plants with neem oil or horticultural soap.

Common Problems With Ficus Ruby

Lack of Variegation

Because ficus ruby is variegated, it needs brighter light than your average rubber tree to thrive and keep its coloring looking bold. If your plan is lacking variegation, move it to a place with brighter light.

Leaves Turning Yellow

Yellowing leaves are a telltale sign of overwatering on many houseplants, including ficus ruby. Lack of light can also cause leaves to turn yellow.

Plant Leaves Falling Off

Lack of light, overwatering, and shock from a sudden change in environmental conditions can all contribute to leaf loss in ficus ruby.

Frequently Asked Questions

How big can ficus ruby grow?

Ficus ruby typically grows up to 6 to 10 feet tall indoors. Outdoors, plants can grow up to 40 or 50 feet tall with the proper conditions.

How do I keep my ficus ruby's leaves red?

Give your ficus ruby bright, indirect light to help the plant keep its coloring.

What's the difference between ficus ruby and ficus tineke?

The main difference between ficus tineke and ficus ruby is the color of their leaves. New leaves on both plants can emerge with a pinkish tint. However, as they mature, ficus tineke's leaves are a green and cream variegation with pinkish veins. The leaves of ficus ruby are a mix of cream, green, and pink or deep red.

Read the original article on The Spruce.