Jatropha curcas

Common Name: nutmeg plant

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Common Synonyms: Manihot curcas

USDA Hardiness Zone: 9a - 11

Growth Habit: Shrub or small tree

Origin: Tropical America

FISC Category: -

FDACS Listed Noxious Weed: No

Introduction Date: specimen vouchered in 1951

IFAS Assessment:

• North: HIGH INVASION RISK
• Central: HIGH INVASION RISK
• South: HIGH INVASION RISK

Description

Deciduous small tree or shrub to 5m tall with watery latex. Leaves variable, pale green, 3-5 lobed, papery. Inflorescences in leaf axils, male and female flowers on same plant, flowers small, white to pale yellow. Fruit an ellipsoid capsule yellow with black seeds.

Habitat

Disturbed upland sites

Comments

Vouchered from Broward and Brevard. Oil from seed is used to make biodiesel. Interest in cultivating this species for its oil in Lee County.

Control Methods

• Manual: NA
• Chemical: NA
• Biological: NA

Control Notes

NA

References

Dave's Garden. 2013. PlantFiles: Physic nut, Barbadosnut, Purging nut, Jatropha, Jatropha curcas. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/54497/. Accessed on December 10, 2013.

eFloras. 2013. Flora of China. http://www.efloras.org. Accessed on December 13, 2013. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.