Burgundy Rubber Tree

These trees of oval shaped glossy leaves get their “rubber” name from ancient uses of their sap in the wild. Olmec, Maya and Aztec cultures used their latex sap to make waterproof shoes, clothes and rubber balls. Indoor variations of this tree will provide gorgeous bold statements and conversation pieces. This plant is also great at communicating its needs to you. It will do great in medium to bright light and can handle some direct sun. You will notice that both the burgundy tree and the tineke variation will turn their leaves back to green if they are not receiving enough light. This is a really cool trick to maximize chlorophyll to utilize light that is available. Depending on light and season, you can adjust watering accordingly. Usually you’ll water every 1-2 weeks, allowing the top 1-2 inches of soil to dry out between watering. Keep the soil moist but not wet during growing seasons. If you choose, you can fertilize with a diluted fertilizer during these months as well. The plant may also benefit from misting and wiping the leaves with a damp cloth on occasion. This will mimic the humidity it likes, and also keep those leaves nice and shiny.