Common Name: Para Rubber Tree

General Information

Hevea brasiliensis is a fast-growing, deciduous tree with a conical crown, rarely exceeding 25 metres in height in plantations, but wild trees of over 40 metres have been recorded[]. The bole is usually straight or tapered, branchless for 10 metres or more, up to at least 50cm in diameter, without buttresses[].
The Para rubber tree is the most important rubber-producing tree in the world[]. It is widely cultivated for its latex under humid lowland tropical conditions, roughly between 15°N and 10°S, where there is comparatively little variation in temperature[]. Many improved forms have been developed[]. The tree also has many other uses, including for food, oil, timber and fuel.

Known Hazards

The seeds contain cyanic compounds are poisonous to humans unless treated[]. See notes on edible uses below[].

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Brazil around the Amazon and Orinoco rivers.

Habitat

Along river banks in rainforests[]. Rainforest, often in periodically flooded areas, but larger trees are found on the well-drained plateaux. In its natural habitat, it forms part of the middle storey of the tropical forest[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	20.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Wind, insects
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in humid lowland tropical areas, growing best at elevations of 300 - 500 metres, but also succeeding at elevations up to 900 metres[]. Planting above 400 - 500 metres is not generally recommended because trees at higher altitudes tend to be smaller, with less vigorous growth, and with reduced production of both latex and timber[]. It grows best in areas where the mean annual temperature is in the range 23 - 35°c, and a mean annual rainfall of 1,500 - 3,000mm, though it can tolerate up to 4,000mm[]. In some areas, rubber can tolerate a 2 - 3 month period of drought[].
Prefers a fertile, moisture-retentive soil in light shade[]. Plants tolerate some waterlogging[]. Tolerant of a wide pH range from 4 - 8, though it does better in acid soils[]. Lime is harmful, and shallow or poorly drained or peaty soils should be avoided. Thrives best in deep, well-drained loamy soil covered by natural undergrowth or a leguminous cover crop and protected from erosion[]. Requires protection from strong winds[].
Plants can be tapped for their latex from about the age of 7 years[].
The root system has a well-developed taproot with far-spreading lateral roots[].
In high-rainfall areas, good internal drainage of the soil is important. Strong winds may snap trunks and branches; however, more wind-resistant clones do exist[].
Only a few clones are self-incompatible, but most benefit from cross-pollination or from hand pollination[].
The economic life cycle of a rubber plantation is 30 - 35 years, after which replanting is necessary[].

Edible Uses

Seed - cooked[]. Although poisonous, the seeds are a staple food of local peoples in the jungle[]. The seed needs to be treated by soaking for a prolonged period or boiling them to destroy the cyanic poisons[, ].

The seeds contain 40 - 50% oil. This is suitable for use as food[].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

Intercropping with coffee or cocoa, perhaps in conjunction with ipecac, is possible. After a few years under legumes, no nitrogen fertilizer may be needed, but phosphorus, magnesium and potassium may be limiting in some areas[].

Other Uses

Press cake or extracted meal can be used as fertilizer[].

A latex is obtained by tapping the trunk[]. The latex coagulates with the aid of acetic acid, formic acid and alum[]. This is the major source of natural rubber, used in a wide variety of applications including car tyres, shoes and boots, balls, elastic bands, erasers etc[]. It is also much used by local people to make domestic items such as water bottles, balls etc[].

The seeds contain a semi-drying pale yellow oil, known as Para rubber seed oil[, ]. Boiling the seed removes the poison and releases the oil, which can be used for illumination, soap making, paints and varnishes[, ].
The oil can be used as an effective treatment against houseflies and lice[].

The heartwood is pale cream in colour, often with a pink tinge when fresh, darkening on exposure to pale straw-coloured or pale brown, not clearly demarcated from the sapwood. The grain is straight to shallowly interlocked, texture moderately coarse but even. Sawn rubberwood often shows black stripes with the inclusion of bark material, the result of poor tapping practices with damaged or removed cambium; in freshly sawn wood there is a characteristic and distinct smell of latex. Most of the timber is used to manufacture furniture. Other uses include interior finish, moulding, e.g. For wall panelling, picture frames, drawer guides, cabinet and other handles, parquet flooring, many household utensils, block board cores, pallets, crates, coffins, veneer, and glue-laminated timber, e.g. For staircases and door and window components[]. Since the timber is only moderately durable when exposed to the elements, it should not be used for exterior purposes[].
Offcuts and other rubberwood residues have been used successfully in Malaysia for the production of particle board, wood-cement board, and medium-density fibreboard[].
Rubberwood was formerly regarded as a by product of the rubber plantations and used for the production of charcoal or as fuel wood, for brick making, tobacco drying and rubber drying[].
Rubberwood waste is an excellent medium for the growing of mushrooms, especially oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus spp.)[].

Propagation

Seed - it only has a short viability of 7 - 10 days and so should be sown as soon as possible[, ]. The seed is often sown in situ - usually 2 or more seeds per hole are planted, and then the seedlings are selectively thinned[]. The seeds can also be planted in a nursery bed. Seeds germinate in 1 - 3 weeks, depending on climatic conditions and freshness[]. It germinates best at a temperature of about 25°c[]. Seedlings grow to a height of 1 - 1.5 metres in 6 months[].
Seed storage behaviour is recalcitrant; viability can be maintained for 3 months in moist storage with moist charcoal and sawdust in a perforated polythene bag at 7 - 10°c. Whole seed moisture content is 36%; lowest safe moisture content is 20%, and no seeds survive further desiccation to 15% mc[].
Seeds are killed on exposure to -5 °c for 3 - 4 hours. Commercial clonal seed are stored in cold storage at about 4°c, which often gives reduced but tolerable germination[].
Vegetative propagation is by budding or cuttings. Seedlings make good cuttings, but cuttings from older, rubber-bearing trees take very poorly or not at all[].

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