Hevea brasiliensis

Common Name: Para Rubber Tree

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Synonym(s): Siphonia brasiliensis Willd. ex A.Juss.

Country of Origin: South America

Description: This tree reaches 120 ft (36 m) in its natural habitat along the Amazon and Orinoco rivers in South America but elsewhere it seldom exceeds 60 ft (18 m). The thick, leathery leaves are divided into 3 leaflets and the greenish white perfumed flowers are insignificant. These flowers appear before or with new growth, which is a distinctive bronze-purple. It is rarely grown other than in commercial plantations or in botanical gardens.

Uses: In Brazil used for an insect repellant and soap.

USDA Zone: 11-12

Accession #: 200202487

Accession Date: 2002-11-18 00:00:00

Bloom Status: 🪴 Not Flowering

Location: 1310

Quantity: 1

Source: Marcia Kirinus - Duke

Provenance:

Duke Acc#02-090
Plants recieved at Duke from Tom Hecker (Butterfly Conservatory) who recieved seed from Malaysia and grew them on.

Culture: Tropical heat and humidity are essential to the commercial cultivation of these trees, although they will survive in large heated greenhouses where they should be pruned in late winter to restrict size and maintain a neat shape. They need moist, free-draining soil and part-shade in the heat of summer. Propagate from fresh seed.

Division: Magnoliophyta

Class: Magnoliopsida

Subclass: eurosid I

Order: Malpighiales

Family: Euphorbiaceae

SubFamily: Crotonoideae

Tribe: Micrandreae

SubTribe: Heveinae