Ficus elastica 'Decora' - Rubber Tree

this is just like the tree we had in the school grounds in Gran Canaria. We used to sit underneath it and have lessons. Fab

It sounds like it brings back some good memories. :>)

There's many very large Rubber trees here in San Diego.

Large? thats Gigantic!..the biggest I've seen here would be like a large branch on that one. I posted a pic of it on Daves Garden.

There used to be a 35' tall F. elecastica 'Decora' between a motel building in San Lorenzo. It survived the freeze of 1990 because of it's protected spot. Sadly it was cut down around 1996.

Is that the largest Ficus elastica in soucal? Its near Moreton Bay Fig immense.

That's funny! No, this is not even close to the largest Ficus elastica 'Decora' in San Diego.

Here's some photos of some larger F. elastica 'Decora'
There's some giants on Coronado Island, also.

http://www.growsonyou.com/genus/slideshow/Ficus/179957-ficus-elastica-decora-rubber-tree

http://www.growsonyou.com/genus/slideshow/Ficus/191783-ficus-elastica-decora-rubber-tree

http://www.growsonyou.com/genus/slideshow/Ficus/172450-ficus-elastica-decora-rubber-tree

Here's more Ficus pics, most are mine.

http://www.growsonyou.com/genus/browse_photos/14

Yes it looks great left not cut back.

It most likely has been pruned in the past. It's in a really good spot where there's nothing around it to hinder the branches and the roots can grow free. :>))

Perhaps so to keep it healthy. Yes it looks good with no obstruction in its way.

Yes, giant Ficus tree's are periodically thinned out so the wind can go through them. If not, the big branches can break in storms. It's common for big cables to connect the big branches, also.

They prune off lower branches also to make it easy to walk under,sit in the shade or even for maintenance trucks to drive around it.
I remember a very old Elm tree planted in Oakland's Dunsmuir house and grounds that had a long 30' or so branch that never got more then 2-3' off the ground.
I have to credit the old groundsman who long ago left that unique branch. 99.99999% of others would have cut that right off.

Yes, that's true the lower branches are cut so you can walk under the tree. That must have been done decades ago. This tree was probably planted when the USD was build back in 1948.