Any research being done on using goldenrod for tires?

Question

I remember that Edison discovered that goldenrod could be used as a substitute for petroleum in rubber. With the oil shortages in the '70s scientists began looking into this again. Does anyone know if this is the case today?

Answer 1

This publication ( 1979 ) says:

"Experimentally, on laboratory and pilot-plant scales, rubber has been solvent extracted from leaves of Leavenworth Goldenrod (Solidago leavenworthii), Rubbervine (Cryptostegia grandiflora), and a few other species"

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4136131...

And Wikipedia ( last update of this site 29th. of June, 2008 )

mentions:

"Goldenrod rubber never went beyond the experimental stage"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldenrod

It seems, that scientists still keep it in mind but for the moment they don`t see a need to conduct research.

The actual species which produce rubber ( IRRDB ):

http://www.irrdb.com/irrdb/NaturalRubber...

Answer 2

I do not know about goldenrod, but milkweed is a latex producer.