Parthenium argentatum
A.Gray.
Asteraceae
The Temperate Database is in the process of being updated, with new records being added and old ones being checked and brought up to date where necessary. This record has not yet been checked and updated.
Common Name: Guayule
General Information
Parthenium argentatum is an evergreen shrub that can grow up to 1.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a source of materials.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
270- Title
- Flora of N. America
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
Range
South-western N. America - Mexico to Texas.
Habitat
Limestone ridges and highly calcareous soils[
110- Title
- Rubber: Botany, Cultivation and Utilization.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Polhamus. L. G.
- Publisher
- Leonard Hill; London.
- Year
- 1962
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A lot of information on rubber production. It also looks at the major rubber producing plants and some of the less well known ones, though not in great detail. It deals mainly with tropical plants with a small section on temperate plants.
] in arid and semi-arid habitats[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Properties
| Habit | Evergreen Shrub |
| Height | 1.00 m |
| Pollinators | Insects, wind, Apomictic |
| Self-fertile | Yes |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Requires a very well-drained soil in full sun[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Prefers a sandy soil but cultivated plants succeed on most soils except clay[
110- Title
- Rubber: Botany, Cultivation and Utilization.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Polhamus. L. G.
- Publisher
- Leonard Hill; London.
- Year
- 1962
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A lot of information on rubber production. It also looks at the major rubber producing plants and some of the less well known ones, though not in great detail. It deals mainly with tropical plants with a small section on temperate plants.
]. Established plants are very drought resistant[
110- Title
- Rubber: Botany, Cultivation and Utilization.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Polhamus. L. G.
- Publisher
- Leonard Hill; London.
- Year
- 1962
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A lot of information on rubber production. It also looks at the major rubber producing plants and some of the less well known ones, though not in great detail. It deals mainly with tropical plants with a small section on temperate plants.
].
This species is not very hardy in Britain, plants dislike winter temperatures falling below -10°c and suffer damage below -15°c[
11- Title
- Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Bean. W.
- Publisher
- Murray
- Year
- 1981
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
]. In particular, they dislike fluctuating winter temperatures and excessive winter wet[
110- Title
- Rubber: Botany, Cultivation and Utilization.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Polhamus. L. G.
- Publisher
- Leonard Hill; London.
- Year
- 1962
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A lot of information on rubber production. It also looks at the major rubber producing plants and some of the less well known ones, though not in great detail. It deals mainly with tropical plants with a small section on temperate plants.
]. Plants grow well but give a poor yield of latex when growing in areas of higher rainfall[
110- Title
- Rubber: Botany, Cultivation and Utilization.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Polhamus. L. G.
- Publisher
- Leonard Hill; London.
- Year
- 1962
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A lot of information on rubber production. It also looks at the major rubber producing plants and some of the less well known ones, though not in great detail. It deals mainly with tropical plants with a small section on temperate plants.
]. (This refers to the very low levels of rain the plant experiences in its native habitat). More rubber is produced if the plant is prevented from flowering[
110- Title
- Rubber: Botany, Cultivation and Utilization.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Polhamus. L. G.
- Publisher
- Leonard Hill; London.
- Year
- 1962
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A lot of information on rubber production. It also looks at the major rubber producing plants and some of the less well known ones, though not in great detail. It deals mainly with tropical plants with a small section on temperate plants.
]. British summers are possibly not warm enough for this plant to thrive[
110- Title
- Rubber: Botany, Cultivation and Utilization.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Polhamus. L. G.
- Publisher
- Leonard Hill; London.
- Year
- 1962
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A lot of information on rubber production. It also looks at the major rubber producing plants and some of the less well known ones, though not in great detail. It deals mainly with tropical plants with a small section on temperate plants.
].
Hybrids between Parthenium argentatum and P. incanum have been noted[
270- Title
- Flora of N. America
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
].
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
A source of rubber obtained by mechanical maceration of the roots and/or stems.[
61- Title
- A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Usher. G.
- Publisher
- Constable
- Year
- 1974
- ISBN
- 0094579202
- Description
- Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
,
110- Title
- Rubber: Botany, Cultivation and Utilization.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Polhamus. L. G.
- Publisher
- Leonard Hill; London.
- Year
- 1962
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A lot of information on rubber production. It also looks at the major rubber producing plants and some of the less well known ones, though not in great detail. It deals mainly with tropical plants with a small section on temperate plants.
,
171- Title
- Economic Botany.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Hill. A. F.
- Publisher
- The Maple Press
- Year
- 1952
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Not very comprehensive, but it is quite readable and goes into some detail about the plants it does cover.
]. Yields of up to 240 kilos per hectare per year are possible (harvested when plants are 5 years old)[
110- Title
- Rubber: Botany, Cultivation and Utilization.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Polhamus. L. G.
- Publisher
- Leonard Hill; London.
- Year
- 1962
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A lot of information on rubber production. It also looks at the major rubber producing plants and some of the less well known ones, though not in great detail. It deals mainly with tropical plants with a small section on temperate plants.
].
Propagation
Seed - we have no details for this species but suggest sowing the seed in a greenhouse in early spring. Only just cover the seed. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Temperate Plants Database 2016 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
