I purchased this large, lovely variegated rubber tree about two and half weeks ago and I noticed this week some of the leaves are turning brown at the edges. I am in LA and we did just have an crazy heat wave (100+ for a couple days in the row) and we don't have AC. I have moved it closer to the window thinking it was not get enough light. I am a little unclear about the amount of water it needs, as the browning starting right after I thoroughly soaked it (and maybe let the extra water sit a bit too long as I thought with the heat it would evaporate quickly). I also spritzed the leaves with water because I read that was good...

Please help. I am new to such big house plants, as my longtime NYC apartment didn't have light for anything more than African violets.

Thanks!!

I cant see what type of pot its it, but if its not draining well, you might be correct, you may have over watered it. Check your roots to see how wet they are, be careful taking the plant out of the soil, dont rip the roots

The brown leaf edges are a generic symptom without one specific cause. It could be heat damage, but more likely it is improper watering. As Christine has pointed out, without knowing how yours is potted, it is hard to give specific watering instructions. If it is properly potted and close to a sunny window, then it would need a thorough watering as soon as the surface of the soil is dry. If it is in a large pot or away from the window, then allow the top inch of soil to dry between waterings. Try to protect it from temps above 85 degrees and hot sun shining directly on the leaves.

My variegated rubber has the same problem. It came with some spots on it, I had it in a western window. After moving it to an eastern window, the spots grew and leaves are now becoming crisp. Do I remove the leaves or wait for the to drop. Or do I prune the tree altogether, cutting from below the bad leaves? Will it continue to grow? How do I safely prune, if that's the thing to do? As you can see, it is the uppermost leaves? Thank you for your help.

It is hard to give a variegated Rubber Plant too much indoor light, so I don't think that is the cause of the leaf edge burning. Possible causes are improper watering, using hard water, over fertilizing and the leaves coming in contact with hot surfaces.

When you water, add enough so that a small amount trickles through the drain holes. Then water again as soon as the top half-inch of soil feels dry. If your tap water is hard, use filtered or distilled. If you have been fertilizing, stop.

It is possible the damage you are seeing now was caused by improper care prior to your getting it. It can take a while for symptoms to appears. So don't over-react.

If new leaves that come in are healthy, you know you are on the right track. The damaged leaves can be removed entirely or just trimmed to remove the brown edges. Pruning and trimming will have no effect on the overall health of the plant.

Unlike most houseplants, like aglonoema's, the variegated rubber trees prefer less light then the darker ones. That variagated one should not have any direct sunlight. Especially on spots that were already browned. I would move it further from window if its catching direct sun. The darker Burgundy rubber trees can take a couple hours of direct sunlight a day.

When watering I let it get pretty dry, at least couple inches down. then water till it drains out bottom. I use non softened filtered water that has sat out for 48 hours. I also prefer not to mist the rubber tree cause they easily develop water spots or guttation lines. Better to wipe the leaves down from time to time. Feather dusting is also good for these plants since they attract alot of dust easily.

Variegated plants need more, not less light than their all-green counterparts.

WillC said:Variegated plants need more, not less light than their all-green counterparts.

This is true. but when it comes to direct sun and rubber tree plants. As I said, burgundy ones can take a couple hours of direct sun. They might be little lighter and not as dark depending on how much. But they will grow great. But The variegated ones will actually lose their variegation or burn in direct sun like pictures shown above. This is from personal experience.

Just so you don't think I'm crazy. Search "How to Care For Rubber Plant [Ficus Elastica] | Houseplant Care Tips" by crazy plant guy on youtube. In his video he says the Ruby Variegated is ok for a some direct sun, but the "teneke" variagated one he keeps shaded cause it burns. All too often in pictures and videos too I see them with brown edges. Thats not from watering or soil, its from too much sun.

Even if you look closely at his ruby one, a couple of the lower leaves that are lighter like the teneke leaves have very slim burnt edges.

I keep mine in filtered light south window. Burgundy in unfiltered west window with couple hours of direct sun. (but shaded from backyard trees) Very few plants besides succulents I would keep direct sun all day. I do have a yucca that is ok in multiple hours of direct sun, only the tips get burnt, but thats about it.

Never keep a plant in direct sun for more then a couple hours period imo.

@cooloutac - Interesting video, but not the final authority. He has an odd definition of indirect sunlight. Unless he is in the southern hemisphere, his south-facing window provides substantial direct sunlight for most of the day, even a couple of feet from the window.

For sure outdoor direct sun would be too intense for all of the Elasticas that were grown under shade for indoor use where light is much less intense.

The dark burgundy Elasticas are just as prone or more so to too much sunlight as the variegated varieties. In any case, I don't think too much sun is a problem for most owners of indoor plants.

WillC said:@cooloutac - Interesting video, but not the final authority. He has an odd definition of indirect sunlight. Unless he is in the southern hemisphere, his south-facing window provides substantial direct sunlight for most of the day, even a couple of feet from the window.

For sure outdoor direct sun would be too intense for all of the Elasticas that were grown under shade for indoor use where light is much less intense.

The dark burgundy Elasticas are just as prone or more so to too much sunlight as the variegated varieties. In any case, I don't think too much sun is a problem for most owners of indoor plants.

I feel the opposite. The teneke are more prone to burn then the burgundy. I would take it a step further then crazy plant guy and say the burgundy actually prefer direct sunlight. I notice they tend to go green or thinner leaved if not getting enough sun. The variegated I would keep in indirect bright light or they tend to burn in from the edges.

If you notice the crazy plant guy has a huge terrace looking window he says is south facing. and his plants are right up against them. They burgundy one looks only inches away. But the teneke one he has way back like 5 feet behind the front plants which are in the path of the light to block it. That one huge windows probably lights up all his plants though, indeed it prolly gets alot of light.

I have burnt all types of plants. Even succulent kinds like snake plants, which supposedly can take direct sun according to the experts, can burn up the whole leaf quite fast. Once you get one little spot, or burnt edges or a scar its best not to face that leaf towards the direct sun or the whole thing can get engulfed before you notice. Even with filtered light with sheer curtains in a north east window this has happened to me. Had a plant for about a year with a little itsy bitsy scar i kept towards the back so you couldn't see it and the plant thrived. Decided one day to rotate it just to change the look. after a week that scar burnt and grew and took up half the leaf and I had to cut it. I also hate crispy looking jagged edges on the snake plants. I now consider them shade plants, even the variegated kind. And like the rubber tree I try not to wet the leaves, just wipe them down when looking dusty or dirty.

The rubber tree I will wipe down quite often. Sometimes a couple times a week. the only plants I mist alot are small or thinner leaf plants. The ones that tend to get brown tips if not getting enough humidity or are prone to spider mites. like palms, dracaenas, ferns, etc...

Most people don't have perfectly south facing and unblocked windows. meaning no buildings or trees, shades etc.. Landscapes and parts of the world are different. So you're right its hard to judge what is direct light from a south window for one persons plant may not be for another.

I actually use led lights for alot of my plants, which I consider better then sun in most cases. And I usually hang the lights right in front of my non south windows. Even in front of the south windows sometimes in the summer.. I live in north east and get quite a bit of cloudy rainy days that can last over a week Either daylight spectrums or red and blues. I have great success with any of them. LED lights are really taking the world by storm right now. They are like magic. Last forever, don't get hot, can take lots of humidity, don't use alot of electricity, I keep them about a foot away and grow plants like crazy. They are teaching kids in school how to grow plants with led's now.

One way I judge whether its a light or water condition is in most situations if the drooping or browning starts on the bottom leaves its watering issue. If it starts from the top leaves its a lighting issue.

I see this was writen a year ago but my answer could save someone else a problem. The whiter parts are prone to burning in sunlight full stop, even in high humidity outdoors, most of these variagated Ficus were not meant for the garden either unless you can give them bright indrect light.
Another important problem to bear in mins beyond scortching but with similaer symptoms is a calcium problem. Growers of these for sale have the same calcium problem as we do but unfortunately we the consummer don't realise what it is and how to remedy the situation. Most Ficus are tricky to grow and produce for sale for the same reason. You have to keep up the calcium, ordinary 100% calcium carbonate will do the trick. If you dont symptoms much like these will start showing up but also making them much more light sensitive. Starting with new leaves inthis case you will get cupped shaped, distorted, stunted leaves (folding inwards or outward) often with necrotic edges (brown wilting or die back). With ordinary sunlight burn you get yellowing after the necrosis not with calcium shortage. With Clacium the browning crisp necrosis comes straight from dark green or whatever colour the distorted leaves are.
You need to apply water disolved Calcium carbinate untill the soil is alkaline rather than acidic. When planting in the garden this problem is less apparent as mineral soil is usualy rich enough in common micro ferts like calcium, though if planting in pure compost backfill you may have some micro shortage problems untill the roots can find their way out of it into real mineral soil. Leaf compost usualy has enough calcium if its very well rotted.
Potting soil used to grow Ficus at producers contains zero micro fert, it's usualy peat based or pure organic substitute so everything has to be given via watering including micros. Once you get it home these micro ferts are exausted almost straight away as a result, washed away with your first watering, unless slow release fertilisers with micro ferts has been mixed into the potting soil already. They will though eventualy run out and need replacing. The potting soil is prone to turn acidic instantly as the potting medium break down without micro ferts and this stops the uptake of calcium in it's track for Ficus even if the tap water is reasonably alkaline.
So I would try keeping it out of direct sun at all times indoors and give a ittle calcium just to be sure, it certainly will not harm it either but bear in mind it will take a few more stunted cupped shaped leaves before things revert to normal.