Highland chilte
Cnidoscolus elasticus

Family: Euphorbiaceae

What it is like

Can be misspelt as Cnidoscolus eslasticus.

Cnidoscolus elasticus is an evergreen Shrub growing to 1 m (3ft 3in) by 1 m (3ft 3in) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

Height (m): 1

Where it is found

Not known

Mesoamerica. inc. Durango and Sinaloa, Mexico

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

Mexico, North America, USA.

How it is used

Food

Rating: 0

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating: 4

Carbon Farming Solutions - Industrial Crop: hydrocarbon (Crops grown for non-food uses. Industrial crops provide resources in three main categories: materials, chemicals, and energy. Traditional materials include lumber and thatch, paper and cardboard, and textiles). Hydrocarbon latex crops - Cnidoscolus elasticus, the source of highland Chilte, is an excellent rubber yielding tree from the states of Durango and Sinaloa, Mexico

Experimental Crop: Plant breeders are testing these plants to see if they could be domesticated for cultivation, but they are still in an experimental phase. Examples include milkweed and leafy spurge.

Industrial Crop: Hydrocarbon: Materials, chemicals and energy include bioplastics, rubber, biomass products gasoline, jet fuel, diesel, butane, propane, biogas. Plants are usually resprouting plants and saps.

Management: Coppice: Cut to the ground repeatedly - resprouting vigorously. Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.

Experimental Crop: Plant breeders are testing these plants to see if they could be domesticated for cultivation, but they are still in an experimental phase. Examples include milkweed and leafy spurge.

Industrial Crop: Hydrocarbon: Materials, chemicals and energy include bioplastics, rubber, biomass products gasoline, jet fuel, diesel, butane, propane, biogas. Plants are usually resprouting plants and saps.

Management: Coppice: Cut to the ground repeatedly - resprouting vigorously. Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.

Carbon Farming: Plants that can be a critical part of the solution to climate problems. The Carbon Farming Solution - Eric Toensmeier.

How it is grown

Climate: tropical highlands. Humidity: arid to semi-arid. Very little information is avaialble. One of the areas it grows well is Durango and Sinaloa, Mexico. Durango is one of the coldest regions in Mexico with an average daily high temperature of only 28 degrees centigrade. Several months of the year it is warm to hot at temperatures continuously above 25 degrees centigrade, sometimes up to 34 degrees. Carbon Farming Solutions - Cultivation: experimental. Management: coppice (Describes the non-destructive management systems that are used in cultivation). .

Propagating it: Seed, Cuttings.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Shrub

Hardiness: 9-11

Growth: Fast

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Highland chilte

Synonyms

Cnidoscolus eslasticus (misspelt). No synonyms are recorded for this name.