# Latexplant (*araujia odorata*)

The Latexplant is a unique and fascinating plant that produces a milky latex. It has long, twisting vines that can climb high into trees, making it a fun plant to explore!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** The Latexplant thrives in tropical and subtropical regions, often found in forests and along roadsides.
- **Also known as:** Arauja, Mato Grosso Vine, Rubber Vine

![Latexplant](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Morrenia_odorata_seeds.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Steve Hurst @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Morrenia_odorata_seeds.jpg)

## Appearance

The Latexplant is a vigorous climbing vine with attractive heart-shaped leaves that are glossy green on top and pale underneath. It produces small, bell-shaped white or cream-colored flowers, followed by large, rough, pear-shaped fruits.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Gentianales
- **Family:** Apocynaceae
- **Genus:** Araujia

## Interesting facts

- It can grow incredibly fast, covering fences and trees in just a single growing season.
- Its large, pear-shaped fruits split open to release hundreds of seeds with feathery parachutes!
- The milky sap can be quite irritating to human skin, so it's best not to touch it directly!
- This plant is sometimes called 'Moth Plant' because its sweet scent attracts night-flying moths.

## Special abilities

- **Sticky Shield:** Latexplant has a milky, sticky sap that helps it defend against hungry herbivores and quickly seal wounds.
- **Climbing Power:** Latexplant can quickly climb over other plants or structures, helping it reach sunlight and dominate its space.
- **Pollinator Trap:** Latexplant has unique flowers that temporarily trap insects, ensuring they pick up pollen before escaping.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 200-700 cm
- **Spread:** 150-500 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-3 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer to fall
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Moderate
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — attracted by flowers for nectar
- **Eats:** [Oleander Aphid](https://www.snappit.app/explore/oleander-aphid) (*Aphis nerii*) — sucks sap from stems and leaves
- **Shelter:** [House Sparrow](https://www.snappit.app/explore/house-sparrow) (*Passer domesticus*) — uses dense vines for nesting and cover

## Traits

- [Climbing/Vine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/climbing-vine): Climbing or vine plants are characterized by a growth habit that allows them to ascend upwards by twining, tendrils, or adhesive roots.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
- [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Avoid touching the latex directly as it can irritate the skin.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Latexplant?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Latexplant?

200-700 cm

### How wide does Latexplant spread?

150-500 cm

### How big are the flowers on Latexplant?

1-3 cm

### When does Latexplant bloom?

Summer to fall

### Is Latexplant edible?

No

### Is Latexplant toxic?

Moderate

### What is Latexplant's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Colonel Joe Kittinger Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/colonel-joe-kittinger-park) — Florida, US · Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Latexplant: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/latexplant)