Rubber Trees

Here in Thailand we see rubber trees everywhere.

The best rubber producing tree is H. braziliensis.

It takes six years for a rubber tree to grow to a point where it’s economical to harvest the sap, which is called latex.

Rubber tapping is the process by which latex is collected from a rubber tree. The latex is harvested by slicing a groove into the bark of the tree at a depth of a quarter inch with a hooked knife and peeling back the bark, the milky white latex fluid runs out of the bark, down the cut and is collected in a bucket, after about six hours, the fluid stops flowing, in that six hour period, a tree can usually fill a gallon bucket, the tree can be tapped again with another fresh cut, usually the next day.

The latex is used for products such as balloons, condoms and household gloves, it’s also great for repairing bicycle tyres!