Jatropha curcas

🌿 Botanical Overview

• Scientific Name: Jatropha curcas
• Common Names: Physic Nut, Purging Nut, Jatropha
• Family: Euphorbiaceae (Spurge family)
• Native Range: Central America; widely naturalized in tropical and subtropical regions

🌼 Description

• Size: Shrub or small tree, typically 2–6 meters (6–20 ft) tall
• Leaves: Broad, lobed leaves with 3–5 pointed segments; deciduous in dry seasons
• Flowers: Small, yellowish-green to reddish; both male and female flowers on the same plant
• Fruit: Oval, green capsules that turn yellow and split open when mature, exposing toxic black seeds

🌍 Habitat and Growth

• Climate: Thrives in arid to semi-arid tropical climates
• Soil: Tolerates poor, sandy, and rocky soils; well-drained preferred
• Light: Requires full sun
• Growth Rate: Fast-growing
• Hardiness: Highly drought-tolerant; not frost-hardy