Ficus elastica rubber making. Just as with "Hevea brasiliensis", the latex of "Ficus elastica" is an irritant to the eyes and skin and is toxic if taken internally. Ficus elastica Ficus elastica, the rubber fig, rubber bush, rubber tree, rubber plant, or Indian rubber bush, Indian rubber tree, is a species of plant in the fig genus, native to eastern parts of South Asia and southeast Asia. It has become naturalized in Sri Lanka, the West Indies, and the US State of Florida. It is a large tree in the banyan group of figs, growing to (rarely up to ) tall, with
Ficus subgenus "Sycomorus", and the species of subgenus "Ficus", though the relationships of the sections of these groups to one another are not well resolved. Subgenus "Ficus" Subgenus "Pharmacosycea" Subgenus "Sycidium" Subgenus "Sycomorus" Subgenus "Synoecia" Subgenus "Urostigma" Unknown subgenus Numerous species of fig are found in cultivation in domestic and office environments, including: Fig trees have profoundly influenced culture through several religious traditions. Among the more famous species are the sacred fig tree (Pipal, bodhi, bo, or po, "Ficus religiosa") and the banyan fig ("Ficus benghalensis"). The oldest living plant of known planting date is a "Ficus religiosa" tree known as