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Jatropha podagrica

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15 centimetres across caudex.


Female flower and male buds.

 
Some male flowers. The females are in the centre, and flower first.


A 150 centimetre high plant.


The seedpods dry out and pops.
The seeds can be found five meters away.


The seeds. Grit 5mm.


Seedling from a Nicaraguan seed.


- and after 3 months. Caudex like a finger, getting the first adult leaf. Flowers the first year.

Author:  William Jackson Hooker, 1848
Family:  EUPHORBIACEAE
Origin:  El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua
Soil:  Rich - Grit
Water:  Medium
Sun:  Medium - Maximum
Thickness:  20 Centimetres
Height:  40-200 Centimetres
Flower:  Red
Propagate:  Seeds/(Cuttings)
Names:  Purging Nut
Synonyms:  -

This member of the Euphorbiaceae family was first described by William Jackson Hooker in 1848. It's found in central America. It preferring good rich soil, but can grow in grit. It need some water and some to lots of sun. The caudex will grow up to 20 centimetres in diameter, the stems to two meters - or even higher in culture. The flowers are red, the female flower starts, but it can self-pollinate. Apparently, it's not possible to make cuttings forming a caudex.

 First, the centred female flowers will open, then the many surrounding male flowers. It can self fertilize. The seedpods will pop when ripen, throwing the two to six seeds several metres away. Can be sown right away, and within a week, 100% will grow - for me.

The genera name from the Greek words ἰατρός; iatros, meaning 'physician', and τροφή; trophe meaning 'nutrition', as to medicinal uses. The species name means 'suffering from podagra (gout)' as the stem is swollen.

This collumn is wild plants, found in Guatemala.