Life Span
Perennial
  
Perennial
  
Type
Tree
  
Shrubs, Spurge
  
Origin
Caribbean, South America
  
Caribbean, Central America, South America, Madagascar, South Africa
  
Types
Not Available
  
Jatropha bullockii, Jatropha cinerea, Jatropha excisa
  
Number of Varieties
Not Available
  
Habitat
Primary Rainforest, Riverbanks, subtropical regions, Tropical regions
  
Pastures, Roadsides, Warmer regions
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-15
  
Not Available
  
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
  
Not Available
  
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
  
Not Available
  
Habit
Upright/Erect
  
Upright/Erect
  
Plant Size
  
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
Light Yellow, Light Green, Ivory
  
White, Yellow, Red, Purple, Pink
  
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
  
Not Available
  
Fruit Color
Ivory
  
Light Green, Lime Green, Yellow, Green, Ivory
  
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
  
Green, Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
  
Green, Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
  
Green, Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
  
Green, Dark Green
  
Shape
  
  
Leaf Shape
Circular and deeply palmately-lobed
  
Palmately Lobed
  
Thorns
No
  
No
  
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
All year
  
Growing Conditions
  
  
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Bright direct sunlight, Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Growth Rate
Very Fast
  
Medium
  
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
  
Dry, Sand
  
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
  
Slightly Alkaline
  
Soil Drainage
Well drained
  
Well drained
  
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
  
All year
  
Repeat Bloomer
Yes
  
Yes
  
Tolerances
Not Available
  
Drought
  
Where to Plant?
Ground
  
Ground
  
How to Plant?
Seedlings
  
Seedlings, Transplanting
  
Plant Maintenance
Medium
  
Low
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
  
Needs less watering, Water occasionally
  
In Summer
Lots of watering
  
Drought Tolerant, Average Water
  
In Spring
Moderate
  
Less Watering
  
In Winter
Average Water
  
Less Watering
  
Soil
  
  
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
  
Neutral
  
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
  
Loam, Sand
  
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
  
Well drained
  
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Bright direct sunlight, Full Sun
  
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
  
Prune for shortening long shoots, Prune if you want to improve plant shape
  
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
  
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No fertilizers needed
  
Pests and Diseases
Not Available
  
Anthracnose, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Rust
  
Plant Tolerance
Drought
  
Drought, Drought and Salt, Heat Tolerance
  
Flowers
Insignificant
  
Showy
  
Flower Petal Number
Not Available
  
Single
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
Yes
  
Yes
  
Edible Fruit
Yes
  
No
  
Fragrance
  
  
Fragrant Flower
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Fruit
Yes
  
No
  
Fragrant Leaf
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
  
No
  
Showy Foliage
Yes
  
Yes
  
Showy Bark
No
  
No
  
Foliage Texture
Bold
  
Bold
  
Foliage Sheen
Matte
  
Not Available
  
Evergreen
No
  
No
  
Invasive
Sometimes
  
Sometimes
  
Self-Sowing
Yes
  
Yes
  
Attracts
Birds, Fruit Bats
  
Bees, Flying insects, Hoverflies
  
Allergy
Antibacterial, Anti-inflammatory
  
allergic conjunctivitis, Eye irritation
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
Not Used For Aesthetic Purpose
  
Not Available, Not Used For Aesthetic Purpose
  
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
  
Good for skin and hair, Removes pimples, Skin inflammation, Skin irritation
  
Edible Uses
Yes
  
Sometimes
  
Environmental Uses
Air purification
  
Air purification, Insect Repellent, No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Suppresses or replaces native plants, Versatility
  
Plant Benefits
  
  
Medicinal Uses
Antidiabetic, Asthma
  
anti-allergy, epilepsy, Fever, Skin irritation, Skin Redness
  
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Fruits, Latex, Leaves
  
Leaves, Sap, Seeds, Stem
  
Other Uses
Used in making tea, Used in pies, cakes
  
Oil is used as fuel, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Used in biomass
  
Used As Indoor Plant
No
  
No
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Garden Design
Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Mixed Border, Shade Trees, Tropical
  
Container, Feature Plant, Hedges, Screening, Wind Break, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
  
Botanical Name
CECROPIA palmata
  
JATROPHA
  
Common Name
Snakewood Tree
  
Barbados nut, purging nut, physic nut, or JCL
  
In Hindi
Snakewood Tree
  
रतनजोत
  
In German
Schlangenholz -Baum
  
Purgiernuß
  
In French
Amourette Arbre
  
purghère
  
In Spanish
Árbol de madera de serpiente
  
frailejón
  
In Greek
Snakewood Tree
  
jatropha
  
In Portuguese
Snakewood Tree
  
galamaluco
  
In Polish
Snakewood Tree
  
jatrofa
  
In Latin
Snakewood Tree
  
Jatropha
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Angiosperms
  
Magnoliophyta
  
Class
Eudicotyledoneae
  
Magnoliopsida
  
Order
Rosales
  
Euphorbiales
  
Family
Urticaceae
  
Euphorbiaceae
  
Genus
Cecropia
  
Jatropha
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
  
Dicotyledonous
  
Tribe
Not Available
  
Jatropheae
  
Subfamily
Not Available
  
Crotonoideae