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Wednesday 24 april 2024 locAl
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Rubber vine, an invasive introduction Episode CCL - 250

Each week, Island Insight shares with you one story
of Aruba through the eyes of Etnia Nativa, a native
venue that welcomes curious visitors to a unique cul-
tural island experience and connects them with the
mystical aspects of its native culture and its colonial
heritage. Since that educational glance in this epi-
sode, shares about a poisonous, climbing, invasive,
but beautiful plant: “Cordon di San Francisco,” an in-
vasive introduction.

Over time, on Aruba, different plants, for many differ-
ent reasons, with characteristics adaptable to our soil
and our climatic conditions, were introduced. Some
of them originate from Madagascar, a big island
close to the African continent in the Indian Ocean.
Like fruit trees such as the tamarind, ornamental flow-
ering trees like the beautiful flamboyant, various col-
ors of periwinkles, and our subject, the rubber vine
known locally as the Cordon di San Francisco, to
name a few. The condition of our island and the con-
stant search for a profitable industry for its inhabitants
were the main reasons for these kinds of ventures. The take over the surrounding vegetation. Its seeds germinate after the first rains
introduction of rubber was exactly the reason to intro- In different parts of the world, it is con- and are dispersed by the winds. ac-
duce this plant: to extract its commercially qualified sidered a very invasive weed that has celerating its growth a few days later.
sap for the rubber industry. to be eradicated. If enough water is available, rubber
vines can grow extremely fast, up to
Its latex contains commercial-grade rubber, hence its “Cordon di San Francisco,” a.k.a. “rub- five meters in a month. While the pri-
English name, “rubber vine.” The latex obtained from ber vine,” is highly poisonous; it is ex- mary dispersion is a few meters from
the stems can be used to make rubber. It is equal in tremely unpalatable, and thus, graz- the mother plant, Aruba’s wind plays a
quality to the latex obtained from the rubber tree. ing animals in places where this plant predominant role in the dispersion of its
This plant has abundant milky juice, which, when ex- grows usually avoids it. It contains seeds. Studies have proven that winds
posed for a short time to the sun, is converted into glucosides that interfere directly with can extend their dispersion up to ten
pure caoutchouc. A fiber is obtained from the stems. heart function. Different studies indi- kilometers.
It is said to be a fine, strong fiber, resembling flax that cate it is used as a poison for vermin. Normally, the San Francisco cordon(
may be spun into the finest yarn. This invasive plant has adapted per- cordon in Papiamento lenguage

fectly throughout the Caribbean. Af- means rope) can grow up to 2 meters
“Cordon di San Francisco” (Cryptostegia grandiflora) ter the rainy season, if you’re going (6 ft 7 in) tall as a shrub, but when sup-
is a perennial woody vine with very showy flowers. It to walk through the island, you will be ported by other vegetation such as a
climbs trees and bushes and everything that gets in surprised by the attractiveness of its vine, it can reach up to 30 meters or
its path: electricity poles, walls, fences, and roofs. Of- beautiful flowers. 100 feet long.
ten, the plants are completely suffocated since they
Although it prefers areas where annual
rainfall is more abundant than what
usually falls on our island, you will be
surprised to see how invasively it ex-
pands over all types of shrubs, trees,
and cacti with great lightness just after
a few raindrops.

If your itinerary includes knowing all
about Aruba, Etnia Nativa is your only
choice—a unique native gem where
Anthony, our main cultural columnist,
will guide and lecture you on the most
interesting and revealing stories of the
island. Get ready for a learning ad-
venture and enjoy Aruba beyond the
beaches. His magnificent museum-
home dwelling integrates reused ma-
terials with nature, bursting with culture
and island heritage. Commendatory!
Whats App +297 592 2702 etnianati-
va03@gmail.comq