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Jatropha (Jatropha curcas) was once promoted as the new wunderkind plant for biofuel. What is a tree? The tree or bush grows in any type 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 approximately 50 years and might grow almost 20 feet (6 m.) high. It has a deep, thick taproot which makes it versatile 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 become a tri-compartment fruit with big black seeds. These large black seeds are the reason for all the hullaballoo, due to the fact that they are high in burnable oil. A fascinating piece of jatropha curcas 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 sturdy the plant is even when presented to a new area. Jatropha curcas growing can produce oil that is a great replacement for current biofuels. Its effectiveness has actually been challenged, however it is real the plant can produce seeds with an oil content of 37%. Unfortunately, it is still a part of the food vs. fuel argument, as it needs land that might go into food production. Scientists are trying to develop a "extremely jatropha curcas" with larger seeds and, therefore, bigger oil yields.

Jatropha Curcas Cultivation

Jatropha usages are rather limited. Most parts of the plant are harmful to consume due to the latex sap, but it is used as a medicinal. It works in dealing with snakebite, paralysis, dropsy, and obviously some cancers. The plant may have come from in Central to South America, however it has actually been presented around the world and flourishes wild in places like India, Africa, and Asia. Chief amongst jatropha curcas utilizes is its possible as a tidy burning fuel to replace fossil fuels. Plantation cultivation in particular locations has been tried, however overall Jatropha curcas growing has actually been a miserable failure. This is since the production mass of oil can not equate to the land use by cropping Jatropha.

Jatropha Plant Care and Growth

The plant is simple to grow from cuttings or seed. Cuttings result in faster maturity and quicker seed production. It prefers warm environments, but it can make it through a light frost. The deep taproot makes it drought-tolerant, although the best development will be attained with extra watering occasionally. It does not have any major illness or bug issues in its natural areas. It might be pruned, but flowers and fruit type on terminal growth, so it is best to wait till after blooming. No other Jatropha plant care is needed. This plant is useful as a hedge or living fence, or simply 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 a passion for edible landscaping.