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Jatropha (Jatropha curcas) was once promoted as the 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 tree information and see how you rate this plant.

What is a Jatropha Curcas Tree?

Jatropha is a seasonal shrub or tree. It is drought-resistant and simple to grow in tropical to semi-tropical areas. The plant lives for as much as 50 years and may grow almost 20 feet (6 m.) high. It has a deep, thick taproot which makes it adaptable to poor, dry soil. The leaves are oval, lobed, and deciduous. Overall, the plant is not particularly visually appealing, however it does get appealing green cymes of flowerets which turn into a tri-compartment fruit with big black seeds. These big black seeds are the reason for all the hullaballoo, due to the fact that they are high in burnable oil. An interesting piece of Jatropha tree details is that it is listed as a weed in Brazil, Fiji, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Panama, Puerto Rico, and Salvador. This shows how versatile and durable the plant is even when presented to a new area. Jatropha curcas growing can produce oil that is a good replacement for current biofuels. Its effectiveness has actually been challenged, however it is real the plant can produce seeds with an oil material of 37%. Unfortunately, it is still a part of the food vs. fuel debate, as it requires land that could enter into food production. Scientists are attempting to establish a "extremely Jatropha" with larger seeds and, therefore, larger oil yields.

Jatropha Curcas Cultivation

Jatropha uses are rather restricted. Most parts of the plant are toxic to eat due to the latex sap, but it is used as a medicinal. It is useful in dealing with snakebite, paralysis, dropsy, and apparently 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 prospective as a tidy burning fuel to change fossil fuels. Plantation growing in specific areas has actually been attempted, but general Jatropha curcas growing has actually been a miserable failure. This is since the mass of oil can not equal 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 prefers warm environments, but it can survive a light frost. The deep taproot makes it drought-tolerant, although the finest growth will be accomplished with supplemental watering occasionally. It doesn't have any major illness or bug concerns in its natural areas. It may be pruned, however flowers and fruit form on terminal growth, so it is best to wait till after flowering. No other Jatropha plant care is needed. This plant works as a hedge or living fence, or simply as an ornamental stand-alone specimen.

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