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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 rapid rate, is toxic, and produces fuel suitable for diesel engines. 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 easy to grow in tropical to semi-tropical locations. 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 adaptable to bad, dry soil. The leaves are oval, lobed, and deciduous. Overall, the plant is not particularly visually appealing, but it does get appealing green cymes of flowerets which develop into a tri-compartment fruit with big black seeds. These large black seeds are the factor for all the hullaballoo, since 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 brand-new region. Jatropha curcas cultivation can produce oil that is a good alternative for current biofuels. Its usefulness has actually been challenged, but 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 attempting to a "very Jatropha" with bigger seeds and, therefore, larger oil yields.

Jatropha Curcas Cultivation

Jatropha usages are rather restricted. Most parts of the plant are toxic to eat due to the latex sap, however it is utilized as a medical. It works in dealing with snakebite, paralysis, dropsy, and obviously some cancers. The plant may have come from Central to South America, but it has been introduced around the world and flourishes wild in locations like India, Africa, and Asia. Chief among jatropha curcas uses is its potential as a clean burning fuel to replace nonrenewable fuel sources. Plantation cultivation in particular locations has actually been attempted, 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 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 prefers warm environments, however it can make it through a light frost. The deep taproot makes it drought-tolerant, although the finest development will be attained with extra watering occasionally. It doesn't have any significant disease or insect issues in its natural areas. It may be pruned, however flowers and fruit kind on terminal growth, so it is best to wait up until after blooming. No other Jatropha plant care is needed. This plant works 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 actually been gardening and composing for 15 years. A previous expert chef, she has a passion for edible landscaping.