Rubber plant (Ficus Gold King)

Abstract

A rubber plant exhibiting variegated foliage and resembling the known Ficus elastica Roxb. var. decora tricolor hort., but bearing leaves exhibiting very narrow dark-green borders and light-yellow interiors and being smaller in size. The leaf blades are of an ovate shape with a thick coriaceous texture and with wavy edges. Propagation of the rubber plant by using cuttings is difficult and even impossible, therefore, air layering is employed.

What we claim is: 
     
       1. A new and distinct variety of Ficus elastica Roxb. var. decora tricolor hort., substantially as herein shown and described, characterized over the known rubber plant having variegated foliage, Ficus elastica Roxb. var. decora tricolor hort., in that leaves are smaller in size, the leaf blade has an ovate shape with a thick coriaceous texture and exhibits a very narrow dark-green area appearing on the edge of the leaf blade and a light-yellow area appearing at the interior of the leaf blade, the boundary between the dark-green border area and the light-yellow interior area is very distinct; the peripheral edge of the leaf blade is wavy; the internode length is shorter; the rate of growth is lower and, since propagation by using cuttings is difficult, air layering is employed.