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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 fast rate, is poisonous, and produces fuel fit for diesel engines. Continue reading for more Jatropha tree info 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 easy to grow in tropical to semi-tropical locations. The plant lives for up to 50 years and might grow almost 20 feet (6 m.) tall. It has a deep, thick taproot that makes it versatile to bad, dry soil. The leaves are oval, lobed, and deciduous. Overall, the plant is not particularly visually appealing, but it does get attractive green cymes of flowerets which become a tri-compartment fruit with large black seeds. These large black seeds are the factor for all the hullaballoo, since they are high in burnable oil. A fascinating piece of Jatropha tree info is that it is noted 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 introduced to a new region. Jatropha curcas cultivation can produce oil that is a great replacement for current biofuels. Its usefulness has been challenged, however 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 attempting to establish a "super Jatropha" with bigger seeds and, for that reason, bigger oil yields.

Jatropha Curcas Cultivation

Jatropha uses are rather limited. Most parts of the plant are hazardous to consume due to the latex sap, but it is used as a medicinal. It works in treating snakebite, paralysis, dropsy, and obviously some cancers. The plant may have come from Central to South America, but it has been presented around the world and flourishes wild in locations like India, Africa, and Asia. Chief amongst jatropha curcas uses is its potential as a clean burning fuel to change nonrenewable fuel sources. Plantation growing in specific locations has been attempted, however total Jatropha curcas growing has been a depressing failure. This is since the production mass of oil can not equate to the land usage by cropping jatropha curcas.

Jatropha Plant Care and Growth

The plant is easy to grow from cuttings or seed. Cuttings lead to much faster maturity and quicker seed production. It chooses warm environments, however it can endure a light frost. The deep taproot makes it drought-tolerant, although the best growth will be accomplished with additional watering sometimes. It doesn't have any major illness or bug concerns in its natural areas. It may be pruned, however flowers and fruit kind on terminal development, so it is best to wait until after flowering. No other jatropha curcas plant care is essential. This plant is beneficial 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 an Accreditation in Urban Gardening. She has actually been gardening and composing for 15 years. A former professional chef, she has an enthusiasm for edible landscaping.