Is that a flower bud on my rubber tree ?
I understand why you ’re here , because not so long ago , I found myself asking the same query .
Everyone on the satellite who have one of these houseplant apparently necessitate this at some point , particularly if they are not familiar with the develop habits of plants in the genus Ficus , or fig kinsperson .
Photo via Alamy.
You ’re not alone .
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Usually , this development occurs in the outflow or summertime , when the flora are actively growing .
You ’ve likely observed what come along to be a spike , wrapped in a shocking , scarlet red sheath , spring up from the end of one or more branch .
It ’s unfluctuating , tightly closed in , and getting declamatory every day . What else could it be , besides a maturing bud ?
So … does a rubber tree bloom ? have ’s find out .
What You’ll Learn
Does Ficus Elastica Bloom?
The reply here is yes , and no …
The condom tree is a member of the Moraceae family that belongs totheFicusgenus , a group of over 900 species . And it is an angiosperm , or flowering plant , that produces seeds enclosed within a yield .
Those of us who love to grow flowers typically think of colorful , many - petaled , and showy blooms , often with an enticing scent . But you wo n’t find these on a ficus .
In its aboriginal environment – humid , tropic forest in Southeast Asia – thisepiphytecan straggle out over one hundred feet , or sometimes more .
Its general structure as well as its history are intriguing , but even more interesting is just how different its growth habits are when it ’s grown as a houseplant rather than outside , in its natural home ground , and how much it varies in outward appearance from other angiosperms .
I was certainly guilty of being woefully unaware of the details myself , before I look for out more information .
In a tropical , outside stage setting , mature safety trees may discharge all parts of their natural life history cycle , include procreation . Flowers may in fact sort throughout the spring and summer , although they may bloom through other seasons as well in the warmest climate .
But do n’t get mad yet , because alas , the blooms do n’t amount from inside those red sheath .
Even though the flowers of this species are often described as peanut , lacking color , and being unextraordinary overall , the fact is that you wo n’t be able to see them at all – unless you were to cut overt one of the fruit - like receptacle that hold in them .
Seeing these is exceedingly rare among indoor gardener , and the manner in which they ’re pollinated is strange and fascinating .
The lilliputian dark-green flowersFicus elasticaproduces line the wall of thesynconiaor unripened caprifigs , uneatable fruits less than half an in across that conformation on the branches in the spring and summer .
A midget species of wasp , Platyscapa clavigera(formerly classified asBlastophaga clavigera ) , coevolved with these plant . It crawls inside the synconia through anosteole , or a pore that is designed to allow access for pollenation .
An beguiling fragrance and showy efflorescence are n’t required forFicus elasticato attract this pollinator , and plants grow outside the natural rubber tree diagram ’s aboriginal reach wo n’t be pollinate if they do create synconia , a sort of reverse anthesis that contains the tiny manly and female efflorescence , and resembles immature yield .
While pollinate long - style or “ true ” distaff flowers set germ , grownup distaff wasps lay their eggs in the shortly - styled or “ gall ” female flowers .
After the eggs think up , the insects that emerge then Paraguay tea inside the fruit . Females make their issue , carrying pollen with them to the next synconia , while the male person are broken down by ficin , an enzyme farm by latex - containing plants like fig .
Though the flyspeck icteric caprifigs produced in the wild byF. elasticaare not tasty to eat , except for sure animals , and most of the figs naturalise in the US for fresh eating do not require pollination by tiny specialized wasp , this process has been known to give vegans intermission before consume this particular type of fruit .
Now , I can get a line many of you squeal with joy over this . Who would n’t need to find an unexpectedly magical mating ritual taking blank space around and within one of their preferred plants ? I detest to bust your house of cards , but again – not so fast .
Unfortunately , it ’s very rarefied that an indoor plant , or even a rubber tree cultivate outdoors , will nail the generative part of its life oscillation at all in its lifetime .
More than likely , it will continue to grow indefinitely without ever producing synconia . These reproductive mental process occur in mature trees grow in the state of nature .
Even if they do begin the process of producing caprifigs , the wasps that coevolved along with them to pollinate the tiny bloom live only in their aboriginal range , in role of Asia .
What Are These Colorful Sheaths?
Rather than being revelatory of flowers to follow , that capsule of lurid Red River – or sometimes deep pink or orangish , in case of the ‘ Doescheri ’ or ‘ Tineke ’ cultivars , for illustration – is declarative of the formation of new leaves .
That might seem less exciting now that you ’ve get all of this Modern information , but I personally think extolment are in club for keeping your houseplant goodish and felicitous enough to develop novel leaves !
As the leaf inside the strikingly colorful protective sheath grows , it will eventually emerge and undefended , revealing new leafage that expose the coloration and pattern of the particular cultivar you ’re growing .
What Happens Once the New Leaf Unfurls?
Once the leaf has full opened , the crimson exterior may darken slightly , and finally , it ’ll lessen off .
Next season , you ’ll probably see more of the same reddish sheaths as newfangled leaves prepare to emerge .
Be sure to irrigate your plant consistently during this time , to keep it healthy and stand it while it is actively growing .
You may also want to provide some fertilizer , such as Dr. Earth ’s Organic and Natural Palm , Tropical , and Hibiscus Fertilizer ( NPK 5 - 4 - 6 ) , which isavailable at Walmartin one - pounding packages .
Dr. Earth Organic and Natural Palm , Tropical , and Hibiscus Fertilizer
Be sure to follow the package directions for app .
For complete information ongrowing and manage for rubber tree constitute indoors , register our guide .
Don’t Be Disappointed, It’s Still a Good Thing!
Perhaps it ’s not the reply that you require , and frankly , I ’d also love it if the red sheaths were bud that open into self-aggrandising , beautiful blooms .
But this is still good news program , as you ’ve nurtured your plant life well enough to produce newfangled growing !
And if you ’re looking for more information oncaring for safety trees , check out out these guide next :
© Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL right RESERVED.See our TOSfor more detail . Product pic via Walmart . Uncredited photos : Shutterstock . With additional writing and editing by Allison Sidhu .
About
Kelly Spicer
