Hardy Rubber Tree

One of our most fascinating trees actually doesn’t change leaf color in the fall. It maintains its beautiful, glossy green leaves. This tree, the Hardy Rubber (Tree #25), located on the NE corner of Sec. 3, is native to China. It’s considered so valuable to their economy that it’s been banned from export since 1977.

Our mature specimen is approximately 65’ tall, and it makes an excellent shade tree. The Hardy Rubber tree is known for the latex it produces in the leaves. In China, the tree’s sap is processed and solidified to coat the inside of oil pipelines, insulate electric cables, and is even used for tooth fillings! The timber is used to make furniture and is also used as fuel. It’s even more highly valued for its medicinal uses, where they’ve utilized both the leaves and bark for over 2,000 years. Be sure to stop by and pull off a leaf and tear it apart slowly to see the rubber latex it produces.