Rubber Tree (Hevea brasiliensis) is a tropical tree. It is native to the Amazon Basin in Brazil and adjoining countries. In the early stages (that is up to about 1910) most rubber was harvested from "wild trees" growing in the Amazon Basin and to a lesser extent from other natural sources of natural rubber (such as Ficus elastica) growing in the Congo Basin of Africa. From the Amazon to South Asia (Sri Lanka) and South East Asia (Singapore and Malaysia) it was grown experimentally and later on plantations, cultivation spread to Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia and Thailand, and subsequently to Liberia, Nigeria and Cote d'Ivoire. Initially cultivation took place on plantations, but smallholders rapidly adopted it as a source of income.
Maturity
Mature Hevea trees on rubber plantations are 20-30 metres high, with graceful upwards-extending branches and a relatively slim trunk. Such trees flower once a year, and after insect cross-pollination produce large fruits containing several thimble-sized seeds with hard outer coats. If satisfactorily germinated and planted within 2-3 weeks, seeds grow to produce seedling plants. Depending on conditions, the latter then take 5-10 years to reach 'maturity', which is defined as the stage when tapping can be started. In practice, this is the time when the trunk has about 500 mm circumference at 1 metre above ground level.
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