Barbados Nut Plant

//Barbados Nut Plant

This appears to be Jatropha curcas and is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, that is native to the American tropics, most likely Mexico and Central America. it produces coral-red flowers during the warm season. Give it full sun or part shade (more light makes more flowers) and well-drained soil. Can be grown as a dramatic, longlived houseplant where it is not hardy. Provide a brightly lit location and water when the top of the soil feels just dry. Fertilize monthly and repot annually until it is as large as you want. Then root prune every 3 years and repot into the same container with fresh soil. It is in the Euphorbia family which is composed with species of varying toxicity. Although there are some sources that recommend this plant for medicinal properties we cannot recommend this plant be ingested or used in any medicinal way. Some people are more sensitive than others to the the white milky sap. Can cause severe rash and may injure eyes. Always seek professional medical advice before attempting to use plants for therapeutic value.

By | 2016-01-05T16:33:51-08:00 January 5th, 2016|Shrubs|0 Comments

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