Can I grow this in my house?

It is generally too large and requires too much humidity for a typical home.

How do I harvest the rubber?

You must carefully tap the bark to collect the sap, which is a specialized skill.

Plant guide

Rubber tree.

Hevea brasiliensis

Pronounced HEE-vee-uh bruh-zil-ee-EN-sis

Also known as Natural Rubber, Para Rubber Tree, Para rubber, Pará Rubber Tree, Rubber Plant, Rubber Tree, Sharinga Tree, hevea

The rubber tree is a tropical giant known for its milky sap that serves as the primary source of natural rubber. It thrives in warm, humid environments and grows quite large in its native habitat. While often grown as a commercial crop, it can be a striking specimen in a large conservatory.

Another photo of Rubber tree — Photo by Ashwin A (CC BY) via gbif

At a glance

Care level: Moderate
Plant type: Tropical tree
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Indoor light: Bright indirect
Water: Every 5 to 10 days
Mature size: 100 feet
Growth rate: Fast
Hardiness: USDA 10 to 12
Bloom time: Late spring to early summer

Care

Keep this plant in a consistently warm spot with high humidity to mimic its tropical home. Watch for yellowing leaves which often signal overwatering or poor drainage. Ensure the soil stays moist but never soggy to keep the roots healthy.

Watering: Water when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch.
Feeding: Feed with a balanced liquid fertilizer during the active growing season.
Pruning: Prune back long branches once a year to maintain a manageable shape.
Repotting: Repot young trees every year or two until they reach a large size.
Soil: Well draining loamy soil
Soil pH: 5.0 to 6.0
Temperature: 15 to 35°C
Humidity: 70 to 90%
Drought tolerance: Low
Lifespan: Perennial, typically 30 to 100 years
Fragrance: Light
Deer and rabbits: Moderate

Signs it needs repotting

Roots growing out of drainage holes
Stunted growth despite proper care

Safety

People: The milky sap can cause contact dermatitis in sensitive individuals.
Pets: The milky sap is toxic to cats and dogs if ingested and can cause skin irritation.
Children: Keep children away from the seeds as they are poisonous if swallowed.
Contact allergens: Latex proteins in the sap are a well known cause of contact allergies.
Airborne allergens: Pollen may cause mild respiratory irritation during the flowering season.
Edibility: The seeds are toxic if ingested due to cyanogenic glycosides.

How to identify it

Large trifoliate glossy leaves
Milky white latex sap
Tall straight woody trunk
Small yellowish flowers in clusters

Height: 15 to 30m
Spread: 5 to 10m
Leaves: green, deciduous
Flowers: yellow, cream, 0.5 to 1cm
Fruit: brown, Autumn

Problems to watch for

By symptom

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Growing it

Propagation: seed, cuttings, grafting
When to plant: Spring, Autumn
Overwintering: Ensure the tree remains in a frost free environment with high humidity throughout the winter months.
In containers: It is not suitable for containers due to its massive size and deep root requirements.

Seed propagation

1. Collect fresh seeds as they lose viability quickly.
2. Soak seeds in warm water for 24 hours.
3. Plant in well draining soil at a shallow depth.
4. Keep consistently moist and warm until germination.

Planting in diverse tropical polycultures helps reduce the spread of species specific fungal diseases.

Grows well with

Coffee · They share similar shade and moisture requirements in tropical agroforestry systems.
Cocoa · These trees grow well together in mixed tropical plantations.

Similar species

Guiana rubber tree · It is a closely related species that also produces latex.

Science

Family: Euphorbiaceae
Genus: Hevea
Order: Malpighiales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Native range: Amazon basin in South America
Conservation: It is widely cultivated and not considered threatened in its native range.

It thrives in the high rainfall and consistent warmth of the rainforest understory and canopy.

Value to wildlife: nectar source
Pollinators: bees, butterflies
Uses: rubber production, timber, ornamental shade tree

Through the year

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Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Salinity: 1/9
Soil reaction: 5/9
Light: 7/9
Temperature: 9/9
Moisture: 8/9
Nutrients: 6/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Can I grow this in my house?: It is generally too large and requires too much humidity for a typical home.
How do I harvest the rubber?: You must carefully tap the bark to collect the sap, which is a specialized skill.

Where the name comes from

The genus name Hevea comes from the native name for the tree, while brasiliensis refers to its origin in Brazil.

Good to know

The rubber tree can live for over 100 years.
It grows very quickly in its native tropical environment.
The wood is used for high quality furniture.
Latex is collected by making shallow cuts in the bark.

Also in

Plants toxic to cats and dogs

Keep your rubber tree growing

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This guide was generated with AI on September 26, 2026 and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.