Life Span
Perennial
  
Perennial
  
Type
Grass
  
Shrubs, Spurge
  
Origin
Africa, Middle Africa, Southern Africa, Madagascar
  
Caribbean, Central America, South America, Madagascar, South Africa
  
Types
Not Available
  
Jatropha bullockii, Jatropha cinerea, Jatropha excisa
  
Number of Varieties
Not Available
  
Habitat
Grassland, Sandy areas
  
Pastures, Roadsides, Warmer regions
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-11
  
Not Available
  
AHS Heat Zone
12 - 8
  
Not Available
  
Sunset Zone
H1, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
  
Not Available
  
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
  
Upright/Erect
  
Plant Size
  
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
Burgundy, Pink, Rose
  
White, Yellow, Red, Purple, Pink
  
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
  
Not Available
  
Fruit Color
Light Pink, Tan, White
  
Light Green, Lime Green, Yellow, Green, Ivory
  
Leaf Color in Spring
Blue Green, Gray Green
  
Green, Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
  
Green, Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Fall
Blue Green, Gray Green
  
Green, Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
  
Green, Dark Green
  
Shape
  
  
Leaf Shape
Grass like
  
Palmately Lobed
  
Thorns
No
  
No
  
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
  
All year
  
Growing Conditions
  
  
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Bright direct sunlight, Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Growth Rate
Fast
  
Medium
  
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
  
Dry, Sand
  
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
  
Slightly Alkaline
  
Soil Drainage
Well drained
  
Well drained
  
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
  
All year
  
Repeat Bloomer
No
  
Yes
  
Tolerances
Drought
  
Drought
  
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
  
Ground
  
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Rooted stem cutting
  
Seedlings, Transplanting
  
Plant Maintenance
Medium
  
Low
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
Needs less watering
  
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
  
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
No need to prune, 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, Apply N-P-K
  
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No fertilizers needed
  
Pests and Diseases
Disease free, Red blotch
  
Anthracnose, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Rust
  
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Shade areas
  
Drought, Drought and Salt, Heat Tolerance
  
Flowers
Showy
  
Showy
  
Flower Petal Number
Single
  
Single
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
Yes
  
Yes
  
Edible Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrance
  
  
Fragrant Flower
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Leaf
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
  
No
  
Showy Foliage
No
  
Yes
  
Showy Bark
No
  
No
  
Foliage Texture
Fine
  
Bold
  
Foliage Sheen
Matte
  
Not Available
  
Evergreen
No
  
No
  
Invasive
No
  
Sometimes
  
Self-Sowing
Yes
  
Yes
  
Attracts
Not Available
  
Bees, Flying insects, Hoverflies
  
Allergy
Not Available
  
allergic conjunctivitis, Eye irritation
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
Bog Garden, Ground Cover
  
Not Available, Not Used For Aesthetic Purpose
  
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
  
Good for skin and hair, Removes pimples, Skin inflammation, Skin irritation
  
Edible Uses
No
  
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
Not Available
  
anti-allergy, epilepsy, Fever, Skin irritation, Skin Redness
  
Part of Plant Used
Not Available
  
Leaves, Sap, Seeds, Stem
  
Other Uses
Not Available
  
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
Dried Flower / Everlasting, Bedding Plant, Cutflower, Edging, Mixed Border, Tropical
  
Container, Feature Plant, Hedges, Screening, Wind Break, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
  
Botanical Name
MELINIS nerviglumis
  
JATROPHA
  
Common Name
Ruby Grass, Zizka
  
Barbados nut, purging nut, physic nut, or JCL
  
In Hindi
Zizka
  
रतनजोत
  
In German
Zizka
  
Purgiernuß
  
In French
Zizka
  
purghère
  
In Spanish
Zizka
  
frailejón
  
In Greek
Zizka
  
jatropha
  
In Portuguese
Zizka
  
galamaluco
  
In Polish
Zizka
  
jatrofa
  
In Latin
Žižka
  
Jatropha
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Tracheophyta
  
Magnoliophyta
  
Class
Magnoliopsida
  
Magnoliopsida
  
Order
Poales
  
Euphorbiales
  
Family
Poaceae
  
Euphorbiaceae
  
Genus
Melinis
  
Jatropha
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
  
Dicotyledonous
  
Tribe
Paniceae
  
Jatropheae
  
Subfamily
Panicoideae
  
Crotonoideae