Welcome to this article which will be talking about the possibility of using rubber plants for bonsai. It’s very much possible doing this and it might be one of the better ones even to use. Rubber plants are generally speaking pretty resilient and easy to grow in most places.
The plant will need a good warm environment where it can get about 8 – 10 hours of sunlight each day and have soil rich in nutrients. Making sure you have these things covered will make it easier to ensure you have a beautiful plant. It’s easier trimming and cutting a healthy plant than one that’s not.
Below we will continue the topic of growing and caring for your new rubber plant bonsai. A great option for beginners starting either in the gardening space or in the bonsai space exclusively perhaps.
Rubber Plant Bonsai
As we mentioned at the beginning of this article here, the rubber plant will be an excellent choice for those that wish to use it for bonsai. It grows relatively easily in most environments and doesn’t come with a lot of requirements.
It simply needs a place where it can get enough sunlight each day and soil where it always has enough nutrients. It shouldn’t dry out either that much. We mention these things because cutting and trimming a plant for bonsai will be a lot easier if the plant is healthy from the start.
It will take some patience before you are able to start cutting and shaping your bonsai plant. At years 3 – 4, you might be able to do the first. Before then the only thing we might do is shape it with metal rods. The ones used to bend the main stem of the plant to what we want.
What also should be mentioned is that the plant can’t really take too much cutting at the same time. Instead, you might want to plant out your trimming and cutting a little bit more. If the plant is too stressed it will just take longer until the next time you are able to do some trimming.
Some of the signs that a rubber plant isn’t feeling very well are leaves starting to wilt or changing color rather drastically. Those are things we definitely need to look out for as they can be very serious.
If your rubber tree is starting to turn black then you might want to read this article right here, Rubber Tree Plant Turning Black.
Can Rubber Plant Be Bonsai
As we already revealed in the article here, the rubber plant is actually a great option to have as a bonsai. The plant is rather resilient to a lot of common diseases and the roots can grow very strong and stable, providing longevity for the plant.
But there are some things that should be mentioned. It’s hard to have a really bushy appearance or several off-growths from the main stem of the plant. The style and look of the rubber plant will be very specific.
But working with this different type is what we feel is the whole point. It looks good and provides an interesting way of growing and caring for houseplants.
If you are seeing air roots on your rubber plant then this article might be interesting if you want to learn more, Rubber Plant Air Roots.
Does A Rubber Plant Need Sun Or Shade
A rubber plant will need more sun than shade. We often recommend about 8 – 10 hours of sunlight at least each day for the rubber plant. That way we can be sure it’s not getting too little or too much.
If the plant is getting too little the structure and health of the plant will start to diminish. It needs the energy the sunlight provides in order to continue to grow and establish itself in the space it’s in.
