One of the earliest and most important successes was the introduction, experimentation and promotion of Para Rubber, Hevea brasiliensis. This became a major crop that brought great prosperity to the South East Asian region in the early 20th century.

Name: Hevea brasiliensis

Common Name: Para Rubber Tree, Sharinga Tree, Rubber Tree

Height: 30-40 m

Hevea brasiliensis is a deciduous tree, typically grows up to 30-40 m tall. The trunk is cylindrical in shape, but is swollen towards the base, and the color of the bark is pale to dark brown with a smooth surface. The inner bark is pale brown with an abundant of white or cream colored latex. The leaves are in spirals form and have three leaflets. The flowers are small with no petals, it is bright or creamy yellow in color and extremely pungent.They are either male or female but both are found in the same inflorescence. The fruit is an exploding 3-lobed capsule.

In the wild, this trees may grow up to over 40 m and live for 100 years, but in plantations they rarely exceed 25 m because growth is reduced by tapping for rubber. Plantation trees are usually replanted after 25-35 years when yields fall to an uneconomic level.