This plant has lovely dark green glossy foliage that persists during the growing period even through drought. Plants are very tolerant of urban situations except compacted soils. The plant is somewhat pH adaptable. Moderate size is a significant asset to urban planners. (see photos below)
Hardy rubbertree has a tendency to form codominant leaders. These weak branch angles may be-come structurally unstable and fail. Pruning as a young plant can reduce or alleviate this prob-lem. Male plants can be selected to eliminate fruit but the fruit has not been a concern. Cold hardy seed sources are needed for the Midwest.
Ohio Shade Tree Project tests with hardy rubber tree have shown that while the plant generally did well, in isolated situations the plant is somewhat susceptible to decline due to urban stresses, such as soil compaction, particularly if planted in high light situations. In these cases, if planted in an area where lawn trees, buildings or other modest shade sources exist, the plant should do fine.
For More information, check out the
Ohio Street Tree Evaluation Project.
