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Jatropha (Jatropha curcas) was when touted as the brand-new wunderkind plant for biofuel. What is a Jatropha curcas tree? The tree or bush grows in any kind of soil at a fast rate, is toxic, and produces fuel fit for diesel motor. Keep reading for more Jatropha tree info 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 easy to grow in tropical to semi-tropical areas. The plant lives for approximately 50 years and might grow nearly 20 feet (6 m.) high. It has a deep, thick which makes it adaptable to poor, dry soil. The leaves are oval, lobed, and deciduous. Overall, the plant is not especially visually appealing, but it does get attractive green cymes of flowerets which turn into a tri-compartment fruit with large black seeds. These big black seeds are the reason for all the hullaballoo, because they are high in burnable oil. An intriguing 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 proves how adaptable and sturdy the plant is even when introduced to a brand-new area. Jatropha curcas cultivation can produce oil that is a great substitute for present biofuels. Its effectiveness has been challenged, but it holds true the plant can produce seeds with an oil material of 37%. Unfortunately, it is still a part of the food vs. fuel dispute, as it requires land that could go into food production. Scientists are attempting to establish a “incredibly Jatropha” with bigger seeds and, therefore, bigger oil yields.

Jatropha Curcas Cultivation

Jatropha uses are rather restricted. Most parts of the plant are poisonous to eat due to the latex sap, but it is utilized as a medical. It works in dealing with snakebite, paralysis, dropsy, and apparently some cancers. The plant may have come from Central to South America, but it has been presented all over the world and flourishes wild in places like India, Africa, and Asia. Chief among Jatropha uses is its prospective as a tidy burning fuel to replace fossil fuels. Plantation cultivation in particular locations has been attempted, however total Jatropha curcas growing has been a dismal failure. This is due to the fact that the production mass of oil can not equal the land usage by cropping Jatropha.

Jatropha Plant Care and Growth

The plant is easy to grow from cuttings or seed. Cuttings lead to faster maturity and quicker seed production. It prefers warm climates, but it can make it through a light frost. The deep taproot makes it drought-tolerant, although the best growth will be accomplished with additional watering occasionally. It doesn’t have any significant disease or bug concerns in its natural regions. It might be pruned, but flowers and fruit kind on terminal growth, so it is best to wait up until after flowering. No other Jatropha plant care is essential. This plant is useful as a hedge or living fence, or just as an ornamental stand-alone specimen.

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