Hi!! Just wanted to say I’m very new to plants so I don’t know much about them. I got this rubber plant just today and there’s these tiny greenish/white dots on every leaf, mostly around the border. Is this something I should be worried about? Also, I’m corrently spraying the leaves down with some soap diluted in water, then wiping them clean. Is that good enough to clean them well? I don’t want any pests or something like that!
I asked the same question when I purchased mine. Any help would be great!
1 Like So many people replied here! The spots are completely normal and we shouldn’t worry.
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Hi Indigo, The dots on your burgundy ficus are normal, nothing to worry about. If you want to prevent pests, stir some Bonide systemic granules into the soil. It's best to clean the leaves with a combination of lemon juice and white distilled vinegar. Enjoy your rubber tree💚
2 Likes Thank you so much!! I’ll definitely make sure to clean the leaves with that solution next time! I’ll also look into the granules as that’s the first time I’ve ever heard of them. Although my knowledge on plant care is very little haha. I appreciate your help!!
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Those dots are called cystoliths and are perfectly normal for ficus or rubber plant. Ficus are prone to spider mites so cleaning the leaves regularly when a insecticidal soap will help. I make my own with a diluted castile soap and water. I use a tablespoon or two per my 32-oz spray bottle. I add a few drops of peppermint essential oil which I have read pests don’t care for that smell.
3 Likes Wow thank you so much!! I’m definitely getting the castile soap next time and trying it since someone else also recommended it!
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I clean my plants with a mixture of 5oz neem oil, .5oz dr. Bonner’s peppermint Castile soap and water to fill the rest of a gallon sized container. I dip a cloth in the mixture and wipe the top and bottom of every leaf. It works great to clean the leaves and repel pests!
3 Likes Thank you!! Cleaning the rubber plant’s leaves is actually so satisfying since they’re sturdy and have a good amount of surface area. I’m excited to try this !!
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Those dots are part of the leaf, no worries
1 Like Thank you!
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