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 altissima is obtained. It has been planted in southern Florida, where it didn't used to seed because there weren't any native insects available to pollinate the flowers. However, non-native wasps ("Eupristina" sp.), that have become established in the area, seems capable of pollinating it and the tree is now proliferating and becoming invasive. Ficus altissima Ficus altissima, commonly known as the council tree, is a species of flowering plant, a fig tree in the family Moraceae. It is a large, stately evergreen tree and is native to southeastern Asia. "Ficus altissima" is a large, evergreen forest tree with a buttressed trunk