Rubber Plant

Ficus elastica

Also known as Ficus elastica, Rubber Fig, Rubber Tree

Plantae›Moraceae

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.

Where it's from

Native to Assam, Bangladesh, China South-Central, East Himalaya, Jawa, Laos and 6 more

Recorded as introduced in Andaman Is., Bahamas, Cameroon, Caroline Is. and 31 more places

At a glance

Light: Bright indirect
Growth: Moderate
Placement: Emersed — roots in water, leaves in air
Temp: 64–82°F; 18–28°C
pH: 6.0–7.5
GH: 36–357 ppm; 2–20 dGH

Member photos

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Legality

No state or federal restrictions on record.

Not legal advice, and possibly incomplete or out of date. Rules vary by state and change over time; check with your state wildlife or agriculture agency before buying, keeping or shipping it.

The care information here is written with AI help, so it can contain mistakes. Spot one? Tell us and we'll fix it. Native range: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) (CC BY 4.0).