Ficus elastica 'Makana'

Trade name and nursery form of Ficus elastica 'Makana'

Makana is a European trade name used for rubber plants in the ‘Robusta’ group. The name is used within the cultivated ‘Robusta’ group.

The bare lower stem and raised crown are created by nursery training while the plant is young.

Keeping Ficus elastica 'Makana' stable and healthy indoors

• Stability and light: Put the plant in bright filtered light and turn it gradually if the upper foliage leans towards one side. A sturdy growing pot or heavy outer pot supports the leafy top; use a slim stake when the stem itself needs support.
• Watering a deep container: Check moisture deeper around the roots, not only at the surface, and lift the pot to judge its weight. Water when the deeper mix has partly dried and the container feels lighter, then let it drain completely.
• Repotting and leaf care: Use a loose bark-based mix with perlite or pumice. Repot one size larger when roots fill the pot, drainage slows, the mix breaks down or the plant becomes unstable. Support each broad leaf while wiping both surfaces so the leaf stalk is not bent.
• Height and propagation: Shorten the stem just above a node—the point where a leaf joins the stem—when the plant outgrows its space. Air layering lets the upper leafy section form roots before it is removed and replanted. A regular stem cutting also needs a healthy node.
• Room conditions, feeding and safety: Keep the plant at about 18–26 °C with normal household humidity. Keep the pot off cold floors and the foliage away from cold windows, draughts and hot heater air. Feed while leaves or shoots are forming, following the rate on the label, and pause when growth slows. Wear gloves when pruning because the milky sap can irritate skin and eyes, and keep the plant away from children and pets because it is harmful if eaten.

Common problems with Ficus elastica 'Makana'

• The plant leans or the pot begins to tip: Check whether the upper growth is reaching towards one light source and turn the plant gradually. Use a heavier outer pot when the container is unstable, or a slim stake when the stem needs support.
• A soft dark patch appears where a leaf touched cold glass: Move the foliage away from the window and keep the room steadily warm. The damaged tissue will remain, but later leaves should open normally once the cold contact stops.
• Several lower leaves yellow while the pot stays wet: Stop watering and check the mix deep around the roots. When the roots are firm and the mix is still loose, return the plant to the pot and let it dry further. Replace mix that smells stale or holds water for too long. Cut soft, dark roots back to firm tissue with a clean tool, throw away the damaged roots and wet mix, clean the pot and repot in fresh potting mix that drains freely.
• Several leaf edges become dry and brown: Check whether the deeper mix has been drying completely between waterings and move the plant away from hot heater air. If it has been fed frequently, run plenty of water through the potting mix once and let it drain fully.
• Speckles, silver scars, sticky residue or pest clusters appear: Fine speckles with webbing suggest spider mites; silver scars and black specks suggest thrips; sticky residue with brown bumps or white clusters points to scale insects or mealybugs. Isolate the plant, identify the pest and choose an indoor-plant treatment labelled for that pest. Follow the label for safe use and any repeat applications.

Ficus elastica ‘Makana’ is toxic to people and pets

• Keep this plant away from children, cats and dogs, and avoid contact with its milky sap.
• The latex contains ficin and psoralens, which can irritate the mouth, digestive tract, skin and eyes.
• Exposure may cause mouth irritation, drooling, vomiting, stomach pain or a skin rash. Contact a veterinarian or medical professional if symptoms develop or persist.

Ficus elastica: where the name comes from

Classical Latin ficus means fig. Elastica refers to the latex once investigated as a rubber source.

Carl Linnaeus established the genus Ficus in 1753 in Species Plantarum, page 1059; Joseph Pitton de Tournefort had proposed the name.

Jens Wilken Hornemann first described Ficus elastica in 1819 in Supplementum Horti Botanici Hafniensis, page 7; William Roxburgh had proposed the name.