Ficus elastica ‘Shivereana’
Nicknamed “Moonshine,” this Ficus variety can be a fun addition to your indoor plant collection. If you know Ficus, this one does not behave differently than its relatives the Ficus Burgundy or Tineke. These plants grow upright, putting on new leaves from the top, they prefer very bright light and ask that you water them well when dry (letting the plant get fully dry will result in leaf drop). The Ficus Shivereana can acclimate to full sun, but start slowly. In Minnesota, the best placement of the Ficus Shivereana indoors would be a south or west window, with an added emphasis on turning the plants a quarter turn every couple weeks in the darker winter months (otherwise you will start to see a mean lean as the plant reaches for the sun). Feed monthly in the active growing months, March-September.
The Ficus Shivereana is known for its unique coloration, speckled green on ivory leaves. The fantastic newer growth will have pink sunrise/sunset tones with a significant pink vein running down the middle.
Repot your Ficus when the plant needs a larger base for stability, when you are struggling to keep it watered or soil volume seems to be depleted. In general, most Ficus like to be a bit root bound, so let her grow!
This plant is toxic to pets, as are all Ficus.
