Jatropha

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Jatropha (lat. Jatropha) - the genus of amazing plants of the Euphorbia family is distinguished by the presence of an unusual stem, called by botanists "caudex" and which is one of its decorative elements. Like many relatives in the family, milky sap flows through the vessels of plants, from which people have learned to extract diesel fuel.

What's in your name

The Latin name of the genus is based on two Greek words: "doctor" and "food". How this is related to nutrition is not very clear, because all parts of the plants of the genus are poisonous, but the traditional use of Jatropha for medicinal purposes explains the presence of the word "doctor".

Description

One of the decorative elements of Jatropha is an amazing creation of nature, which botanists gave the name "caudex". It is a cross between a rhizome and a stem. Caudex can be completely hidden in the soil, or partially rise above the ground, decorating the plant.

Caudex differs from the usual stems of plants in its thickness and shapes, which can take the form of a pot-bellied bottle or a fabulous jug.

Caudex differs from plant rhizomes in the process of its development. While the rhizome grows due to the upper layers, gradually approaching the surface of the earth, and leaving its lower layers to die off, the caudex in its lower part passes into the taproot, which serves the plant for many years.

The leaves of different species of Jatropha can take on a wide variety of forms, being whole or dissected. The flowers are usually small but bright.

The fruit is a tricuspid capsule similar to olives, inside of which are rather large black seeds with a light tip. The seeds contain up to 30% oil. The oil is inedible for humans, but it is suitable for the production of biodiesel and biogas.

Varieties

* Jatropha whole-edged (lat. Jatropha integerrima) - the species is represented in nature by an evergreen shrub that grows to almost a meter in height. Three-lobed leaves. Five-petalled red flowers.

* Jatropha gouty (Latin Jatropha podagrica) is a half-meter high succulent shrub with large dissected leaves growing from caudex. The most demanded representative of the genus for growing as a houseplant. Bright red flowers form inflorescences, crowning branched peduncles.

* Jatropha guitar-leaved (lat. Jatropha pandurifolia) - an evergreen shrub, the leaves of which nature gave the shape of a guitar. Or, a man made a guitar, looking at the leaves of this species of Jatropha. The "guitars" are accompanied by decoration in the form of red inflorescences.

Growing

In a climate favorable for Jatropha, green living barriers are arranged from it, protecting from the invasion of livestock. In addition, plantations from Jatropha are planted for the sake of harvesting its oily seeds, from which they produce fuel for domestic needs. In our area, Jatropha is grown in flower pots, wishing to add a touch of exoticism to the interior of the home.

Jatropha is highly drought tolerant, but when grown for seed collection, the plant requires watering. Watering is also needed for Jatrof, growing in a pot.

A place for the plant is chosen well-lit, but without access to direct sunlight.

The soil is required fertile, additionally fertilized, loose, permeable, not creating stagnant water. Caudex should not be completely covered with soil, since this is not a rhizome, but a plant stem. Moreover, it performs one of the decorative roles of Jatropha, making the plant original, different from the usual Russian indoor plants.

When working with the plant, personal protective equipment should be used, since the milky juice of Jatropha is toxic.

Jatropha is propagated by sowing its oily seeds, which have excellent germination, if they are provided with a comfortable temperature equal to plus 20 degrees. Can be propagated by cuttings harvested from side shoots.