Cindi, My rubber tree was/is? battling scale. I have treated it once with Safe Garden's Indoor Plant Spray. Recently I rewashed the leaves. It has improved a great deal, however, it has become woody at the bottom and I am still losing leaves. Beyond that, I know that the plant needs to be repotted. Can I do that now? Will removing all of the old soil help remove the scale? Thanks for any help! dca

Ficus elastica is the botanical name of the Indian Rubber Plant. The evergreen shrub or tree is native to India and Malaysia and is a ubiquitous indoor plant. The dramatic shape of the plant makes an interesting architectural element for any home or office.

The characteristic leaves are thick, glossy, leathery and dark green. They can grow to 8-12 inches long and 4-6 inches wide. New leaves unfold from rosy pink sheaths that will drop off as the leaves mature.

They prefer a spot in bright, indirect light indoors. Allow the soil surface to dry out in between watering.

Rubber plants don't tend to be affected by too many pests problems, although mealybugs and scales can sometimes become an issue. Scale insects feed on plant sap through long, flexible sucking mouthparts. Their tiny bodies can’t process the amount of sap that they eat, so they will excrete a waste substance called “honeydew”. This honeydew produces a sticky surface on plant leaves. This is usually a telltale sign that these pests are at work. In heavy infestations and the right environmental conditions, a black, sooty mold will grow on the honeydew causing some really unsightly problems for your plants.

The first step in ridding your plants of scale will be to clean them off well with a strong blast from your shower. You can also wipe the leaves and stems off with a 50% alcohol solution. An insecticidal soap is also usually an effective control for scale.

Scale insects lay their eggs on leaves and stems of the plant. During their first immature stage, the insects will be in a crawler stage, and though they are small, you might be able to see them moving around on the plant. As they mature, their little legs will atrophy, so that the insects can’t move around anymore. But they are still feeding on your plant!

Diligence is the key to eliminating them. Repotting with fresh sterile soilless mix is a good sanitation practice that might also help to eliminate the infestation.