Guayule (why-you-lee) is a desert plant indigenous to the southwest United States and northern Mexico, the guayule plant grows to an average height of three feet. The species (Parthenium argentatum) is a new industrial crop and the only species other than Hevea (the Brazilian rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis) that is used for latex production on a commercial scale. It is a natural and economic source for a variety of green products for use in medical devices, consumer products, industrial materials, and renewable energy.
Guayule is a new industrial crop; however, the growing techniques for this plant are steeped in history. Guayule cultivation and harvesting models share much in common with those successfully used on cotton for more than 100 years.
