Ficus elastica prefers bright sunlight but not hot temperatures. It has a high tolerance for drought, but prefers humidity and thrives in wet, tropical conditions. Ornamental hybrids (such as Robusta) have been derived from "Ficus elastica" with broader, stiffer and more upright leaves than the wild form. Many such hybrids exist, often with variegated leaves. "Ficus elastica" yields a milky white latex, a chemical compound separate from its sap and carried and stored in different cells. This latex was formerly used to make rubber, but it should not be confused with the Pará rubber tree, the main commercial source of latex for
Ficus virens Ficus virens Ficus virens is a plant of the genus "Ficus" found in India, southeast Asia, through Malaysia and into Northern Australia. Its common name is white fig; it is locally known as pilkhan and in the Kunwinjku language it is called an-borndi. Like many figs, its fruits are edible. One of the most famous specimens of this tree is the Curtain Fig Tree of the Atherton Tableland, near Cairns, a popular tourist attraction. "Ficus virens" var. "sublanceolata" occurs the subtropical rainforest of northeastern New South Wales, and south eastern Queensland in Australia. It is a medium-sized tree which grows