When you acquire through links on our site, we may make an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Jatropha (Jatropha curcas) was once touted as the brand-new wunderkind plant for biofuel. What is a Jatropha curcas tree? The tree or bush grows in any type of soil at a rapid rate, is toxic, and produces fuel suitable for diesel engines. Keep reading for more jatropha curcas tree details and see how you rate this plant.

What is a Jatropha Curcas Tree?

Jatropha is a perennial shrub or tree. It is drought-resistant and simple to grow in tropical to semi-tropical locations. The plant lives for approximately 50 years and may grow nearly 20 feet (6 m.) tall. It has a deep, thick taproot that makes it versatile to poor, dry soil. The leaves are oval, lobed, and deciduous. Overall, the plant is not particularly aesthetically enticing, but it does get appealing green cymes of flowerets which develop into a tri-compartment fruit with big black seeds. These big black seeds are the reason for all the hullaballoo, because they are high in burnable oil. A fascinating piece of jatropha curcas tree information is that it is listed as a weed in Brazil, Fiji, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Panama, Puerto Rico, and Salvador. This proves how adaptable and hardy the plant is even when presented to a new region. Jatropha curcas growing can produce oil that is a good substitute for . Its usefulness has been challenged, but it holds true the plant can produce seeds with an oil content of 37%. Unfortunately, it is still a part of the food vs. fuel dispute, as it requires land that might go into food production. Scientists are trying to establish a “incredibly jatropha curcas” with bigger seeds and, therefore, bigger oil yields.

Jatropha Curcas Cultivation

jatropha curcas usages are rather limited. Most parts of the plant are hazardous to eat due to the latex sap, but it is used as a medicinal. It works in dealing with snakebite, paralysis, dropsy, and obviously some cancers. The plant might have come from Central to South America, however it has been introduced around the world and flourishes wild in places like India, Africa, and Asia. Chief among Jatropha utilizes is its possible as a tidy burning fuel to replace fossil fuels. Plantation growing in particular areas has been tried, however general Jatropha curcas cultivation has been a miserable failure. This is due to the fact that the production mass of oil can not equate to the land usage by cropping jatropha curcas.

Jatropha Plant Care and Growth

The plant is simple to grow from cuttings or seed. Cuttings lead to quicker maturity and quicker seed production. It chooses warm climates, however it can survive a light frost. The deep taproot makes it drought-tolerant, although the finest growth will be attained with extra watering sometimes. It doesn’t have any significant illness or pest concerns in its natural regions. It may be pruned, however flowers and fruit type on terminal growth, so it is best to wait till after flowering. No other jatropha curcas plant care is needed. This plant works as a hedge or living fence, or simply as a decorative stand-alone specimen.

Gardening pointers, videos, information and more delivered right to your inbox!

Register for the Gardening Know How newsletter today and get a complimentary download of our DIY eBook “Bring Your Garden Indoors: 13 DIY Projects For Fall And Winter”.

Bonnie Grant is an expert landscaper with a Certification in Urban Gardening. She has actually been gardening and writing for 15 years. A former professional chef, she has a passion for edible landscaping.