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Jatropha (Jatropha curcas) was when promoted 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 quick rate, is toxic, and produces fuel fit for diesel motor. Keep reading for more Jatropha tree details 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 simple to grow in tropical to semi-tropical areas. The plant lives for up to 50 years and may grow nearly 20 feet (6 m.) tall. It has a deep, thick taproot which makes it adaptable to bad, dry soil. The leaves are oval, lobed, and deciduous. Overall, the plant is not particularly visually enticing, however 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, 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 sturdy 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 been challenged, but 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 could enter into food production. Scientists are trying 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 toxic to consume due to the latex sap, but it is utilized as a medicinal. It works in dealing with snakebite, paralysis, dropsy, and obviously some cancers. The plant may have stemmed in Central to South America, however it has been presented all over the world and flourishes wild in places like India, Africa, and Asia. Chief amongst Jatropha uses is its prospective as a tidy burning fuel to replace nonrenewable fuel sources. Plantation cultivation in certain areas has been attempted, however overall Jatropha curcas cultivation has actually been a depressing failure. This is due to the fact that the mass of oil can not equate to the land use by cropping Jatropha.

Jatropha Plant Care and Growth

The plant is easy to grow from cuttings or seed. Cuttings result in much faster maturity and quicker seed production. It chooses warm climates, however it can endure a light frost. The deep taproot makes it drought-tolerant, although the best development will be attained with additional watering occasionally. It does not have any major disease or pest issues in its natural areas. It might be pruned, but flowers and fruit type on terminal development, so it is best to wait till after flowering. No other Jatropha plant care is needed. This plant is helpful as a hedge or living fence, or just as a decorative 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 writing for 15 years. A previous professional chef, she has a passion for edible landscaping.