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jatropha curcas (Jatropha curcas) was as soon as touted as the 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 fit for diesel engines. Read on for more Jatropha tree details 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 up to 50 years and might grow nearly 20 feet (6 m.) tall. It has a deep, thick taproot that makes it adaptable 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 reason for all the hullaballoo, since they are high in burnable oil. An interesting 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 shows how adaptable and hardy the plant is even when introduced to a new region. Jatropha curcas growing can produce oil that is a great alternative to present biofuels. Its usefulness has actually 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 argument, as it requires land that could go into food production. Scientists are trying to establish a "very jatropha curcas" with larger seeds and, therefore, bigger oil yields.

Jatropha Curcas Cultivation

Jatropha uses are rather restricted. Most parts of the plant are hazardous to eat due to the latex sap, but it is utilized as a medical. It works in treating snakebite, paralysis, dropsy, and obviously some cancers. The plant might have originated in Central to South America, but it has been introduced around the world and flourishes wild in locations like India, Africa, and Asia. Chief amongst jatropha curcas uses is its possible as a tidy burning fuel to change nonrenewable fuel sources. Plantation growing in specific locations has been attempted, however overall Jatropha curcas cultivation has actually been a dismal failure. This is due to the fact that the production mass of oil can not equate to the land usage by cropping Jatropha.

jatropha curcas 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 climates, but it can endure a light frost. The deep taproot makes it drought-tolerant, although the finest development will be attained with additional watering occasionally. It doesn't have any significant or bug problems in its natural regions. It might be pruned, but flowers and fruit type on terminal development, so it is best to wait up until after flowering. No other jatropha curcas plant care is required. This plant is helpful as a hedge or living fence, or simply as a decorative stand-alone specimen.

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