Hevea brasiliensis (Willd. ex A.Juss.) Müll.Arg.

• Common Name: Para Rubber Tree
• Family: Euphorbiaceae Juss.

• Country of Origin: South America
• Habitat: along the Amazon and Orinoco rivers

• 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.

• 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.

• USDA Zone: 11-12

Additional images for this accession:

Accession Data:

• Accession # 200202487
• 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.

• Accession Date: 11-18-2002
• Bench: 1319 - NEO:Guyana Highlands B
• Qty: 1 confirmed on 01-14-2013

Classification:

• Division: Magnoliophyta
• Class: Magnoliopsida
• SubClass: eurosid I
• Order: Malpighiales
• SubOrder:
• Family: Euphorbiaceae
• SubFamily: Crotonoideae
• Tribe: Micrandreae
• SubTribe: Heveinae

References:

Botanica, Turner & Wasson, 1997, CD-ROM Version
Personal Communication with Frank Vincentz, International Euphorbia Society - 4 JAN 2006

data regenerated on Wed, 22 May 2013 14:22:35 -0400