Rubber Plant Melany
Ficus Elastica Melany, aka Rubber Plant Melany, is a popular ornamental plant from the Ficus genus. It has highly glossy leaves that are greenish burgundy in colour and it is unusual in that it is more compact than other varieties of rubber plants. Belonging to the Fig family, Moraceae, it was used for its latex sap to make rubber before synthetics were made available. Rubber plants make excellent houseplants, as they can tolerate low-light and help clean the indoor air from pollutants.
They should not be in a position to the see the sun directly, as it is too intense for them. Filtered sunlight through a sheer curtain is fine and most homes are comprised primarily of indirect sunlight. The best spot for them is where they do not see the sun during the majority of the day but still get bright, indirect light.
They will do well in medium light but will grow faster with brighter light. A good medium-light place in your home would be in the middle of a room that has a regular size window. Remember that plants will grow based on how much light they receive.
They like the soil to be relatively dry before the next watering. That usually takes about two weeks in an average home environment. It may vary depending on the time of year, your environment and lighting conditions, but for them, it's always safer to underwater or water when you see signs of lack of water (i.e. droopy, floppy, or soft leaves). Water more often in the warmer months!
They can live in any average home humidity condition and are fairly hardy. Try to avoid letting water sit on their leaves for too long as this can lead to rot.
They are very easy to take care of, the secret is do not overwatering them and pay attention to abnormal signs like curling or falling leaves. Also ensure they are receiving adequate light. Water more frequently during warmer months and fertilize during growth.
The plant comes with a default nursery pot. The nursery pot is usually 0.5" - 1" smaller than stated to fit into the same size decorative pot. Washable Paper Planter Bags are sold separately.
As with all living things, no two plants are alike. There is some natural variation in size, shape, and characteristics. We make every effort to bring you a plant that as closely as possible matches the plant as it appears on our website, in the size you have chosen, and have a good potential to happily grow in your home.
