Seed of the Week: Guayule

Our mystery seeds from last week

belonged to a plant that isn’t very well known, but has the potential to make a name for itself:  guayule or Parthenium argentatum.

Guayule (pronounces why-u-lee) is a gray-green shrub that grows in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It isn’t very remarkable to look at.

If you are allergic to standard rubber latex gloves, however, it is nothing short of a miracle plant. It turns out that guayule contains a material in the bark that can be used to produce a rubber substitute for the production of non-allergenic medical gloves and supplies.

To add to the benefits, the plant parts that are left over after the latex is extracted, or “bagasse,” can be used as a source of biofuel (energy).

Even tire companies are taking a look at the potential of guayule rubber to make tires.

Given that these drab plants can grow under the harshest of desert conditions, they really could make an impact in the future.

Who knew?

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More about guayule

Detailed report on guayule

20 Comments

  1. Silvio

    Interested in trial plantations in south West France…

  2. Roberta

    Were you looking for Arizona contacts?

  3. Giovanni Cattaruzzi

    Good morning, I look for Guayule seeds for seeding tests in northern Italy

  4. Sanjay Magdum

    Good Morning.
    I would like to cultivate Guayule and extract latex from it. Can you advice about farming and latex extraction

  5. Roberta

    I am sending you an email at the address you provided.

  6. Javier

    Hello. I’m interested in buying seeds.
    @roberta could you send me info about it?
    Thank you

  7. Eden

    Roberta, I sent you an email about finding Guayule seeds at your Gmail address listed here. Could you help me maybe? Thank you so much!

  8. Roberta

    Javier and Eden:

    I have sent you emails with the contact information for a person who researches guayule. Good luck!

  9. Roberta

    I apologize for the delay. My website was down for a few weeks.

  10. Ilyas

    Please help me find and buy the seeds of the guayule plant

  11. Roberta

    I will send you a message shortly.

  12. Mokhtar HARRAT

    Hello.
    I’m interested in buying seeds.
    Thank you.

  13. Kit c

    Looking to get some seeds to see if they will grow where I live , farmers no or little water

  14. Adekunle Babaniyi

    I need to buy Guayule Seeds for trial planting.
    I need contact if Guayule Seed Sellers.
    My Email: babaniyia@gmail.com

  15. m. Towns

    Hello! I’m very interested in planting native plants. I’m from north America and would love to get some seeds. Can you help me find some?

  16. Christoph Gogelein

    Dear.

    We are interested in buying some Guayule seeds. Would you mind to give us an addresse of an distributor. Ideally, it is located in Europe, but any seller is ok.

    Thank you very much in advance.

    Greetings,
    CG

  17. Karen

    Hi Roberta ! Would you be able to send me the contact information to purchase Guayule seeds please ? Thank you so much !!

  18. Alejandro Liçon

    Highly interested in guayule seeds
    Have over 100 acres of hars semi desertic land where guayule can work perfectly.
    if somebody can email me
    alejos1406@gmail.com
    Kind regards

  19. Jim Koweek

    Hi Roberta, Like others, looking for a source for Guayule seed. Any leads would be appreciated. Thnaks you.
    Jim Koweek Arizona Revegetation & Monitoring Co.

  20. Roberta

    Hi, guayule is popular! I’ve been sending people to a scientist who does research on the plant:

    Dr. Hussein Abdel-Haleem
    USDA-ARS, Arid-Lands Agricultural Research Center
    21881 N. Cardon Ln.
    Maricopa, AZ 85138

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