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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 kind of soil at a fast rate, is poisonous, 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 places. The plant lives for up to 50 years and may 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 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. An interesting piece of Jatropha tree information 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 presented to a new region. Jatropha curcas growing can produce oil that is a good replacement for present biofuels. Its usefulness has actually been challenged, but it is true 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 needs land that could enter into food production. Scientists are trying to develop a "incredibly Jatropha" with larger seeds and, for that reason, larger oil yields.

Jatropha Curcas Cultivation

Jatropha uses are rather limited. Most parts of the plant are poisonous 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 may have come from in 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 utilizes is its potential as a clean burning fuel to change nonrenewable fuel sources. Plantation growing in certain locations has been tried, but overall Jatropha curcas cultivation has actually been a depressing failure. This is because the production mass of oil can not equate to the land use by .

jatropha curcas 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 prefers warm environments, but it can survive a light frost. The deep taproot makes it drought-tolerant, although the very best development will be achieved with extra watering sometimes. It doesn't have any significant disease or bug problems in its natural areas. It may be pruned, however flowers and fruit form on terminal growth, so it is best to wait till after blooming. No other jatropha curcas plant care is essential. This plant works 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 a Certification in Urban Gardening. She has actually been gardening and composing for 15 years. A previous professional chef, she has an enthusiasm for edible landscaping.