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Rubber Plant “Mangrove”

Latin name

Ficus elastica “Melany Petit Mangrove”

Pronounciation

(“FY-kus ell-ASS-tik-ah”)

Common name

Ficus elastica Melany Petit Mangrove

Origin

India and Malaysia

How easy am I to care for?

Buy one of my cousins from the nursery:

Rubber Plant “Mangrove”, or Ficus elastica Melany Petit Mangrove is an attractive large-leaved foliage plant with dark, glossy oval leaves that emerge from red leaf sheaths. The variety “Petite Melany” has much smaller leaves and a more compact habit than other varieties of this species.

Ficus elastica is the original rubber plant. Elastica obviously means elastic, and refers to the sticky latex that exudes from the plant whenever its stems or leaves are damaged. This was used for the manufacture of soft rubber goods, such as elastic bands and erasers until the south American plant Hevea brasiliensis was introduced to south-east Asia in commercial plantations. Ficus elastica was first introduced to the UK as a decorative plant in 1815.

All our potted plants come in compostable coir pots.

Caring for your plant

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Light

Can tolerate quite low light levels, so ideal for most rooms in the house
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Watering

Keep soil moist and do not dry out completely. As a rainforest plant, it will tolerate the occasional accidental overwatering
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Pruning

Small plants will rarely need pruning, but once they have grown to a more substantial size, branches can be cut back to a bud to encourage branching or to maintain an attractive shape
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Feeding

Add dilute fertilizer to the water every time you water the plant
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Pest & Diseases

Occasional mealybug, which can be controlled by keeping your plant clean

Mill Pond Nurseries,
Mill Road,
Henham,
CM22 6AA

T: 0345 505 3333
E: enquiries@planteriagroup.com

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