Ficus Shivereana
Plant Care

Ficus Shivereana Care

The key to ficus shivereana care is to keep it humid but not overwatered, and check it for pests when watering…

Ficus Shivereana Care Summary

Light needs:Medium to bright indirect sunlight.
Watering needs:Check weekly, water if top half of soil is dry.
Fertilizer:A balanced fertilizer once a month in spring and summer.
Soil:A well draining potting mix with 10% added perlite. 
Humidity:50%.
Temperature:15ºC-25ºC (59ºF-77ºF).
Where to buy:Try our list of Rare Plant Shops or Etsy.
Common issues:Overwatering and leaf burn from too much sun.

Introduction

The ficus shivereana is a mottled mojito colored variegated rubber plant. It’s as good as it’s sounds! I have a lot of these plants, some in my home and some that I propagate for sale, they are a great looking plant, you just need to be patient with their slow growth rate. Here I run down how to care for this rare houseplant.

See also: Ficus Shivereana Propagation, Fiddle Leaf Fig Care, Fiddle Leaf Fig Propagation, Variegated Ficus, Variegated Fiddle Leaf Fig, Rubber Plant Care.

Tip: we recommend Etsy for buying plants. Look for the best rated seller you can, and try to buy as close to your home as possible so the plant does not travel too far.

A note about affiliate links: when you buy a plant, pots, soil, or other goods through links on this article we sometimes earn a commission. It doesn’t cost you anything, but it really helps us out if you do use them. Thanks a lot! An example of this is if you buy a plant on Etsy using this link. Read our privacy policy for more information. Thanks again.

Ficus Shivereana Light Needs

Medium to bright indirect sun is great to encourage growth and the plants variegation. They can be really slow growing, do not worry too much if you don’t see rapid growth.

ficus shivereana cutting
One of my ficus shivereana propagations for more on this see: Ficus Shivereana Propagation.

How Often to Water

Let the soil mostly dry out before watering it again. Check it once a week and only water it if the top half of the soil or more is dry. By checking it weekly but only water it if it needs it you will ensure you do not over or underwater it.

Tip: you can tell if the plant needs watering by felling the leaves, when the plant is well watered the laves will be more difficult to bend or curl up as they are full with water. When the plant needs water the leaves will be thinner and you will be able to curl up the leaves like a taco, they may even be little wrinkled.

Fertilizer

Ficus like this will be fine without any feed, but they will grow quicker if you do fertilize them. Use a balanced plant feed once a month in spring and summer.

ficus shivereana cuttings set aside
One of my ficus shivereana propagations for more on this see: Ficus Shivereana Propagation.

Soil

A well draining commercial compost with 10% added perlite will be fine. You want the added drainage to avoid root rot.

When To Repot

Repot the plant yearly in spring, this way you’ll give it more space just when it needs it at the start of the growing season.

Humidity

50% humidity is ideal, but these are relatively tough plants and will do well in less. If your plant is in a dry part of your home you can up the huiidty with a humidifer to get the best out of it.

Temperature

15ºC-25ºC (59ºF-77ºF) is the ideal range during the day. But they will be ok with a bit above and below this. Try to keep them above 10°C (50°F).

How To Propagate Ficus Shivereana

The best way to propagate this plant is in sphagnum moss. You get the moistness of soil with much less chance of root of rot because it’s more sterile. You also get more oxygen to the roots and if you keep it in a clear container you can actually see the root growth. I would let the cutting callous over for a couple of hours and then put it in a cup of moist moss, then put that in a box or plastic bag for humidity and put that in bright indirect sunlight. Keep changing the air every couple of days and keep the moss moist and you should get a successfully rooted cutting that can then be potted up in soil.

ficus shivereana cuttings in water
One of my ficus shivereana propagations for more on this see: Ficus Shivereana Propagation.

Is It Toxic To Cats?

It is toxic to cats and dog if eaten. Contact a vet if you pet eats any.

Ficus Shivereana Vs Moonshine

They are different names for the same plant. Often the moon shine refers to a brighter variegation, but this may not be due to a new cultivar, but can be due to growing it under a grow light to bring out the variegation.

Where To Buy

Try one of these Rare Plant Shops. Or Etsy.

Other Names

Ficus elastica shivereana.

Ficus Shivereana Care FAQs and Common Problems

In general, be careful of overwatering and leaf burn from too much sunlight.

Where Does Ficus Shivereana Moonshine Come From?

They grow in the wild in South East Asia.

Other Articles You Might Like

You might also like our other articles: Variegated Ficus, Rubber Plant Propagation, Rubber Plant Care.

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A Ficus Shivereana cutting in soil
One of my ficus shivereana propagations for more on this see: Ficus Shivereana Propagation.
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