Rubber is quite a popular product, found in everything from tires, toys, medical devices, surgical gloves, clothing, and even aircraft. Did you ever wonder where this mainstream resource comes from? You might be surprised to learn that rubber does in fact grow on trees, unlike money!
Latex is gathered from these trees by collecting sap from the rubber tree. It is then put through a process called coagulation. Eventually, we have the types of rubber that go into products we use daily. The harvesting of these products takes place in Africa, Central and South America, and Asia.
Stick around for a while to learn more about the different regions that produce and harvest these rubber products. We’ll talk about where the trees grow best, in what conditions, and how you can best support a rubber tree. Before you know it, you might even have access to grow your own if you’re in the right location.
Where Did Rubber Trees Originate?
According to the University of Kansas’ Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, the rubber tree is native to the Amazonian region of South America, nearest to Brazil. That would make sense why its scientific name is, then, Hevea brasiliensis.
These Mesoamericans would use rubber products to paint, for ritual use, and even for medicinal purposes. Rubber, after all, is a product of the sap in the tree. We’ll get into that process later on.
During the late 19th century and early 20th centuries, Amazonian rubber from Brazil was the only source of rubber, and the prices were set by the region. It was around this same time, in the early 20th century, that the rubber tree replaced its relative, the rubber plant, as a main source of rubber.
The rubber tree originated in the South and Central American regions of the world and was then brought to Africa and Asia as demand and exports changed and evolved.
Key Characteristics of the Rubber Tree
Rubber trees are large trees, and can grow to heights of 100-130 feet when in the wild. They mature around 6 years of age when they can begin being tapped for the sap, or latex, inside the tree.
This means that there is a long lifespan of harvesting when it comes to rubber trees, as they can live up to 100 years old.
So, 94 years or so of rubber harvested from the same tree? Not too bad.
Latex is the Base
There are so many man-made latex products out there these days that it might surprise you to learn that latex, which is typically the base for many rubber products, is a natural product.
Rubber trees are first harvested for their latex before the rubber-making process begins.
So, though these are technically called rubber trees, perhaps they should be thought of as latex trees since they produce the base of rubber but not rubber itself.
Technicalities aside, we’ll dive into the details of this process a bit later because it is quite an interesting one.
Rubber Tree Growing Zones
Rubber trees grow best in areas that are warmer, and their cold hardiness is not very well-developed, since these trees do best in a subtropical or tropical environment.
If you are looking to plant a rubber tree in the United States, you’ll need to do so in USDA Hardiness Zones 9-12.
Even then, hardiness zones 10b-12b have been noted as the best regions for rubber tree growth.
How does rubber get processed from latex, though?
Good question! Let’s dive in!
How Does Rubber Get Processed from a Rubber Tree?
It all starts with sap. Latex, to be exact.
While there are thousands of trees that actually produce the sap that we know as latex, almost all rubber does come from that Hevea brasiliensis that we’ve been talking about.
Cuts are made in the bark, and the liquid sap is collected into cups or containers.
This process is called tapping and is quite similar to tapping a maple tree to make syrup! By the way, we recommend heading on over to our article about tapping a maple tree to make syrup, to learn more about that!
Next Step: Coagulation
Ammonia is then added to keep the sap from solidifying, as that would interfere with the entire process, then comes a process called coagulation, wherein there is acid mixed in to extract the rubber, during a 12-hour process, give or take.
This new mixture is then put through rollers to remove excess water, in a process similar to that of the papermaking one.
Finally, once the layers of rubber have had a chance to air dry on their racks, they can be folded and sent along for processing. This can turn the rubber into any kind of product it is then needed for.
Requirements To Grow A Rubber Tree
Now that you know more about where rubber trees can grow, how they turn into an actual rubber product, and even the history of these trees, it’s time to talk about growing the tree itself.
So, to best grow a rubber tree, you’ll need the following things!
Temperature
Your rubber tree will do its very best when kept between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, as a tree is meant to grow in a region that is subtropic or tropical.
However, keep in mind that it can survive extreme, average low temperatures as low as 20 degrees Fahrenheit, if necessary.
Soil
Sandy, loamy soil, or even more clay-based soil is going to be best for growing a rubber tree successfully. When it comes down to it, fertile and well-drained soil is always best!
When in doubt, heavier clay soil will be a good choice for growing. Mildly acidic and neutral soils are best for the tree, but Hevea brasiliensis can also grow in very acidic soils when need be.
Moist soil is preferred, but this tree is an adaptable one and can make it through drought conditions, as well.
Sun
Areas with light to no shade are best for this tree, which enjoys warmth, sun, and space.
Timing
Late winter and early spring, like February or March, is the best time for you could plant your rubber tree.
The winter frost will have died out but there will still be enough time for your tree to settle in before the soil gets drier in the warmer season.
Rainfall
The tree prefers medium to light rainfall but can survive a drought. If there is an extreme lack of water, you can support your rubber tree by using a Flantor Garden Irrigation System to give it some water.
Fertilizer
Rubber trees will thrive with a fertilizer like Southern Ag All Purpose Granular Fertilizer. Its NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) balance is 10-10-10, so your tree gets a very well-balanced mixture of essential nutrients.
6 Common Places That Rubber Trees Grow
So, you know about rubber trees, the rubber production process, and more.
Here are the 6 most common places you’ll find rubber trees growing!
Africa- The Congo
The search for rubber, like that for many other resources, caused great strife in this African nation between the locals and the Belgian colonists who came to plunder the area.
While the west coast of Africa used to hold the primary supply of rubber trees, there came a period when resources were drained.
So, the rubber trees began to spread through the trade of seeds and other cultivars, before making their way to Asia- the predominant producer of natural rubber in our 21st-century world.
Rubber Is Still A Primary Cash Crop In The Congo!
According to the International Trade Administration, the now-Democratic Republic of the Congo still sees rubber as one of its primary cash crops today.
Though resources may have been depleted in a particularly gruesome period of history, rubber trees are still quite successful in the area and will continue to be.
Natural rubber grows well in this part of the world, thanks to the access to light, warmth, and lack of overcrowding from other trees, as rubber trees do their best when they are spaced out from others.
Asia- Malaysia
The first rubber tree was planted in 1877 in Malaysia and was one of nine seedlings brought over at the time when rubber trees were being brought to Asia so that production of rubber could increase.
Environmental factors like temperature, sunlight, rainfall, and even spacing were ideal, so Malaysia began producing rubber.
The first rubber tree is now a tourist attraction.
Asia- Thailand
Today, Thailand is the global leader in rubber production. Although the tree is not native to the country, it was also brought over at the end of the 19th century, in 1899.
Like Malaysia, the first rubber tree in Thailand has become a tourist attraction, today.
Rubber production is most prevalent in southern Thailand, due to its space and conditions.
Asia- Indonesia
The constant high temperatures and wet environment of Indonesia make it one of Southeast Asia’s most prominent rubber producers, with similar conditions to Thailand.
Did you know that around 70% of the world’s natural rubber production comes from Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia alone?
The climates and conditions are right for production, and this global industry ebbs and flows as synthetic rubber, made from petroleum, either rises or drops in price.
Regardless of fluctuating demand, rubber production in Indonesia is constant.
South America- Venezuela, Ecuador, and Colombia
Rubber trees did not originate on this half of the continent, but the western portion of South America has become a rubber producer nonetheless, thanks to its similar environment and conditions.
Southeast Asia is by far the biggest producer of rubber, but South America holds its own on a global scale.
Unfortunately, rubber disease is more common in this part of the world, while it is not as common in Asia. So, production is unable to exceed that of its competitor continent.
South America- Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru
Let us not forget that rubber trees originated in Brazil’s Amazonian region.
So, while there is rubber disease and lower-scale rubber production, this is still an important region in the world of natural rubber.
Without its origination in the Amazon of Brazil, the rubber that we know and have developed today would not be nearly the same.
Are Rubber Trees the Only Plant that Produces Rubber?
Not quite, no.
Rubber plants used to be the primary producer of rubber products, up until the early 20th century. Then, the rubber trees that are known and used today became more popular.
The trees that moved from the Americas to Africa and Asia are the ones that caused the ‘Rubber Terror’ in the Congo and ended up forming huge rubber plantations and factories in Asia.
Now, latex is synthetically produced more often than not, though rubber trees are still used to produce rubber products, as well.
As long as the tree is growing in a subtropical or fully tropical environment, it will be able to produce the latex that turns into rubber material.
See Ya Later!
Rubber trees are found mainly in Asia nowadays, though they originated in the Americas and had a long run in West Africa.
They grow best in subtropical and tropical areas, which fits the regions where they are most commonly found in.
These trees have been cultivating rubber for a long time before the Europeans found them and began a global frenzy over the rubber.
The native people of the Americas used to use rubber products to help waterproof things like clothing, to create balls to play with, and for more practical uses, like shoes, too.
Here are the 6 most common places where rubber trees grow:
- Africa- The Congo
- Asia- Malaysia
- Asia- Thailand
- Asia- Indonesia
- South America- Venezuela, Ecuador, and Colombia
- South America- Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru
If you are looking for some of the most prevalent areas where rubber was first found, you may not find it as a major industry there at all. The Castilla elastica rubber tree originated in Central America, but is not a primary location where rubber is now produced.
Hevea brasiliensis, however, does remain in its original location of South America, as well as in countries across the world.
The United States is not generally called upon as a rubber-producing region, but if you are particularly interested in growing and owning one, make sure you live in USDA hardiness zones 9-12 for best success.
With that, happy planting. I hope that this helped you to learn more about this important tree, and wish you the best as you venture farther along your own tree journey.
References
Clément-Demange, A., Legnaté, H., Seguin, M., Carront, M. P., Le Guen, V., Chapuset, T., & Nicolas, D. (2001). Rubber tree. In Tropical plant breeding (pp. 455-480). CRC Press.
Gouvêa, L. R. L., Silva, G. A. P., Verardi, C. K., Oliveira, A. L. B., & de Souza Gonçalves, P. (2013). Simultaneous selection of rubber yield and girth growth in young rubber trees. Industrial Crops and Products, 50, 39-43.
Seguin, M., Flori, A., Legnate, H., & Clement-Demange, A. (2003). Rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis). In Genetic diversity of cultivated tropical plants (pp. 293-322). CRC Press.
