Rubber Plant

Ficus elastica

Also known as Ficus elastica, Rubber Fig, Rubber Tree

Plantae›Moraceae

📍 South and Southeast Asia

Big, glossy burgundy-green leaves on an upright, easy-going plant. Grown emersed with its roots in the tank water, it works as a living biofilter — pulling up nitrate while the foliage stays in the air.

Terrestrial / emersed plant

Grown with its roots in the tank water and its leaves in the air — a living nitrate filter, not a submerged aquarium plant. Give it bright indirect light; no aquarium CO₂ or substrate needed.

Toxic if eaten

Milky sap (latex) irritates skin and is toxic if eaten — keep foliage above the water; the roots are safe.

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Quick Facts

light: Bright indirect
biofilter: true
placement: Emersed — roots in water, leaves in air
growth rate: moderate

Water it likes

ph: 6.0–7.5
nitrate: Thrives on high nitrate — a strong natural exporter
hardness: Soft to hard (2–20 dGH)
temperature: 64–82°F (18–28°C)

Legality

No state or federal restrictions on record for this species.

Not legal advice, and possibly incomplete or out of date. Rules vary by state and locality and change over time — always confirm the current regulations with your state wildlife or agriculture agency before buying, keeping, or shipping this species.