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The term "rubber tree" originates from the Indian language "cau-uchu", meaning "tearful tree". It is native to the western part of the Marañón River Basin in the Brazilian Amazon region. It is mainly produced in Brazil, followed by Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Venezuela and Bolivia.
During the prehistoric period of rubber, only the Indians of South America carried out simple extraction and utilization of it.
At the beginning, rubber was probably used as a form of wealth or an extremely valuable item. Around 500 BC, in the Teotihuacan area of Mexico, a rubber-producing nation - the Olmec Kingdom - emerged.
In 1873, rubber trees were transplanted to the British Kew Gardens. In 1877, 22 trinerved rubber trees were transported to Singapore. In 1898, they spread to the Malay Peninsula. China introduced them in 1904 and they were distributed in Hainan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Yunnan and other regions. Among them, Hainan was the main rubber-growing area. They were cultivated on flatlands, terraces or hills below 500 meters in altitude. However, in some high-altitude areas, rubber trees were planted at an altitude of 700-1000 meters. If proper management could be strengthened, they could also grow well and produce rubber normally.
Nowadays, rubber trees have been planted in over 40 countries and regions across Asia, Africa, Oceania and Latin America. The countries with larger planting areas include: Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, China, India, Vietnam, Nigeria, Brazil, Sri Lanka, Liberia, etc. The Southeast Asian countries have the widest cultivation and the highest rubber production. The countries with the largest rubber planting areas and production in the world are Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and India, accounting for 90% of the world's total. The rubber-growing areas in China are mainly distributed in Hainan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Yunnan, and Taiwan can also grow rubber. Among them, Hainan is the main rubber-growing area.
The rubber tree is a deciduous tree with milky sap. It requires an average annual precipitation of 1150 to 2500 millimeters. However, it is not suitable for planting in low-lying and wet areas. It is suitable for growing in deep, fertile, moist and well-drained acidic sandy soil. The economic lifespan of a seedling rubber tree is 35 to 40 years, while that of a budded tree is 15 to 20 years. The growth lifespan is approximately 60 years. The rubber tree is a toxic plant included in the Chinese Plant Atlas Database. Its toxicity is from the seeds and leaves. If a child accidentally eats 2 to 6 seeds, it can cause poisoning. The symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness, weakness in the limbs, and severe cases may present convulsions, coma and shock. Cattle can also be poisoned after eating it.