Rubber Tree Plant

Hi Everyone..........I posted this message to the House Plant Forum a few days ago, but have not received a answer, so am hoping my friends here at "home" can help me out. I am visiting my daughter in Indiana and she has this huge Rubber Tree Plant that is out of control. It came with a gift from a florist when she was in the hospitial about 5 years ago....probably not more then 6 inches high.......She has since replanted this monster many many times but it just keeps getting bigger and bigger. What she wants to do is cut the top off and make it more manageable so it is not tippsie because when its windy, it falls over. So good friends from Michigan....my questions is....

1. Can she cut the top off and can she root what she cuts?

2. How does she do that? Does she use root-all or just stick it in water and wait for it to root.??

3 How does she transplant to a new pot?

I really don't know a whole lot about tropicals, which in my understanding is what "house plants" are really called......HELP!!

Deann

I have exactly the same plant and had the same problem.
I bought it at Franks 10-12 years ago for $1.99 it was 4-5 inches tall.
I had it in my office at work until I retired 4 years ago.
When I brought it home is was 6 foot tall.

I have it in my office during the winter and put it on the deck in the summer. It was getting out of hand, just like your daughers.
I was going to try and air layer it but never got around to it.

I finally whacked off 2-3 of the tallest branches last year. That really improved it. New shoots started growing and its healthier now than its ever been.

I think you could root the cuttings just like any other houseplant, in pearlite or some other medium.

To be honest I don't think you could kill this plant.

When I cut the branches off this thick white sap ouzzed out, I think thats what they make rubber from.

Paul

Paul.......thanks very much....now we can perform major surgery......I will show you what it looks like when we are done.....

Deann

I'm sure your work is completed by now, but the tree could easily go into another, much smaller pot. If you need detailed info on how to prune the roots, let me know.
Your tree undoubtedly responded well to the tops being pruned off? By now you should have vigorous backbudding well underway?

Al

Hi Tapla.......the rubber tree actually was my daughter's and Yes, she did cut off the top and made another plant from that. I will get her to take some pictures so I can post it to this thread...

A big thank you to all who helped with this operation...*s*

Deann