Ficus elastica

Botanical Description

Rubber plant is a large, evergreen tree, growing up to 55 metres tall with abundant aerial roots from the trunk and the main branches which do not thicken to form 'pillar roots'[ 310 Title Plant Resources of Southeast Asia Publication Author Website http://proseanet.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia. ]. The plant often begins life as an epiphyte, growing in the branch of another tree; as it grows older it sends down aerial roots which, when they reach the ground quickly form roots and become much thicker and more vigorous. They supply nutrients to the fig, allowing it to grow faster than the host tree. The aerial roots gradually encircle the host tree, preventing its main trunk from expanding, whilst at the same time the foliage smothers the foliage of the host. Eventually the host dies, leaving the fig to carry on growing without competition[ 310 Title Plant Resources of Southeast Asia Publication Author Website http://proseanet.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia. ]. The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of latex. It was at one time cultivated in plantations in Asia and west Africa for the production of latex[ 317 Title Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants Publication Author Website http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Terse details of a huge range of useful plants. ]. It is grown as an ornamental tree in all tropical regions and is a very popular indoor plant all round the world[ 317 Title Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants Publication Author Website http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Terse details of a huge range of useful plants. ]. The latex had become a trade commodity by the middle of the 19th century, when prices rose for a product that had previously only been used locally. However, interest in the crop waned in favour of Hevea brasiliensis (the Brazilian rubber tree) which could produce higher yields of higher quality latex. Most trade in the latex of this plant had ceased by 1920[ 310 Title Plant Resources of Southeast Asia Publication Author Website http://proseanet.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia. ].