Rubber plants are beautiful, low-maintenance houseplants. But these versatile specimens can sometimes drop their leaves without warning, leaving you to determine the cause.
If your rubber plant loses the occasional lower leaf but is otherwise healthy, don’t be concerned—it’s part of the plant’s natural growth cycle. But if leaf drop is persistent or affects much of the plant’s foliage, that’s a sign of a larger issue.
Here are 7 reasons your rubber plant could be losing its leaves, with helpful tips on how to fix the problem and keep your plant healthy.
Lack of Light
A leggy, spindly rubber plant that’s lost several lower leaves may not be getting enough light. These plants grow best with several hours of bright, indirect light each day and will reach toward a light source when they’re not getting enough. They may also drop their lower leaves under overly dim conditions.
If you suspect a lack of light is the cause, move your plant closer to the light source. A rubber plant should fare well in a north-facing or east-facing window but should be several feet from south-facing or west-facing windows that receive stronger afternoon light.
Ensure that the plant isn’t in direct sunlight, which can damage its leaves and stunt growth.
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Underwatering
Rubber plants are relatively hardy, but they won’t tolerate long periods without water. Overly dry soil can cause leaves to wilt, wither, and eventually drop as the plant tries to conserve much-needed moisture. Look for droopy yellow or brown leaves with a papery, crispy texture.
If your rubber plant is losing leaves due to lack of water, give it a deep watering immediately. You can water from the top, but it’s more effective to rehydrate a very dry root ball by bottom watering. After the soil is rehydrated, water once the top few inches of soil have dried out.
Overwatering
Too much water is a common cause of leaf loss in rubber plants. Leaves will first turn yellow before dropping off completely as roots are damaged by overly soggy soil.
If you suspect that overwatering has contributed to your rubber plant’s leaf drop, stop watering immediately. Allow the plant’s soil to dry out completely before watering again.
In extreme cases, repot the plant in fresh soil, cutting away any slimy, black, rotten roots in the process. Going forward, water when the top few inches of soil in the pot have dried out.
Poor Drainage
If you suspect too much moisture is the problem but you haven’t been watering frequently, drainage issues could be to blame.
If water isn’t able to flow freely through the soil and out of your rubber plant’s pot, the soil will remain soggy. This can cause your plant’s leaves to yellow and fall off.
To fix this problem, consider whether a drip tray, saucer, or self-watering planter could be holding excess moisture that’s harming your plant. Repotting with a potting mix that contains lots of perlite and at least a few holes in the bottom of the pot may be the best way to ensure good drainage.
Temperature Changes
Sudden changes in your rubber plant’s conditions can cause leaf drop on an otherwise healthy rubber plant. Cold, drafty air from a door, window, or air conditioning vent can shock your plant into dropping leaves.
There’s no way to fix this problem once it’s already happened, but you can keep your rubber plant from experiencing temperature shock by keeping it far from cold drafts and air vents.
Lack of Humidity
Overly dry air is another environmental cause of leaf loss in rubber plants. These tropicals can adapt to lower-moisture indoor environments, but they grow best with at least 40 to 50 percent humidity.
A sudden change in environment, like a move to a drier climate or the onset of low-humidity winter conditions, could cause leaf drop.
Prevent leaf drop due to lack of humidity by grouping your rubber plant together with other humidity-loving tropicals to create a more humid microclimate. You can also run a small humidifier near your plant to add moisture to the air.
Pest Issues
Common houseplant pests like spider mites, scale, aphids, and mealybugs can affect rubber plants. These sap-sucking insects damage foliage, which can eventually discolor and drop off in severe cases.
Examine your plant carefully, including stems and the undersides of leaves, for signs of pests like webbing, sticky honeydew, eggs, or insect bodies.
If pests are the cause, quarantine your rubber plant away from the rest of your collection to stop the infestation from spreading. Dab pests and their eggs off of the plant with a cotton ball dipped in rubbing alcohol.
You can also use insecticidal soap to remove pests, then treat the plant with neem oil to prevent a recurrence.
FAQ
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Water your rubber plant when the top few inches of soil have dried out.
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Rubber plants require several hours of bright, indirect sunlight each day.