Spicy Jatropha Plant ~ Jatropha Integerrima Shrub (Peregrina)

Jatropha integerrima (Peregrina) Галасуйце за орган - Jatropha integerrima or peregrina or spicy jatropha plant with red flowers

Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia. Jatropha integerrima Jacq. hort. "Compacta". Euphorbiaceae. CN: [Malay and regional vernacular names - Jarak ros], Jatropha Integerrima (peregrina), Spicy jatropha, Peregrina Fire Hedge, Compact spicy jatropha, Peregrina. Native to Caribbean - Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti; elsewhere cultivated as ornamental. Leaf shape variable ranging from entire, elliptic, palmate to lobed. Plant contains a milky sap that can irritate sensitive skin. All parts of the plant are reported to be poisonous if ingested.

integerrima is an evergreen shrub or small tree with a rounded form. It has green leaves that vary from being oval, elliptic or tri-lobed. It has scarlet flowers throughout most of the year. Jatropha Bush Tropical shrub as hardy as a perennial bright green foliage highlights the bright red flowers almost all year long. Growing habit is 2-4 ft. tall x 2-4 ft. Wide Butterflies are drawn to the Jatropha as you can see in this photo. I have at least 4 in my own yard. Holds up very well in direct sun and can take part shade.I like to grow the Jatropha Bush as a topiary by keeping the stalk cleaned of any small branches and letting top grow up. While there are many “tried and true” flowering shrubs for our area, there is one that stands out as an almost “foolproof” selection. The shrub/small tree known as Jatropha integerrima, or just plain Jatropha for short, is a plant selection that will not disappoint you. You still need to follow the Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Principle #1. which is “Right Plant. Right Place”, but this beautiful flowering shrub is readily available and puts on a nice show!

There are a number of plants in the genus Jatropha that can be found growing in our landscapes, but the Jatropha, aka: peregrina, spicy jatropha, or fire-cracker, is a gardener’s favorite. Native to Cuba, Jatropha is a large shrub or small tree upwards to fifteen feet tall. It is not a shade tree by any regards, but it can be pruned and trained to one central trunk to assume a tree-like appearance. Otherwise, it will develop multiple trunks and form a nice rounded shrub of equal height and width. It is an broadleaf evergreen which has an interesting assortment of different-shaped six-inch long leaves – oval, fiddle-shaped and lobed – all on one plant. The one-inch wide scarlet-red flowers can technically appear year round and are favored by hummingbirds and butterflies including monarchs, swallowtails, and zebra longwings. Flowers can be followed by seed capsules filled with seeds. Jatropha is a toxic plant, so keep this in mind regarding its proximity to children and pets – the speckled seeds are especially attractive.

Plant Jatropha in a full-sun site with well-drained soil. It is considered to be drought tolerant once established. Most gardeners use the Jatropha as a specimen plant, but they can also be made into a privacy screen or hedge when planted three-feet apart and pruned to keep its growth in-bounds. March is a good month for pruning as needed. Using a large planter, Jatropha can be containerized making it an attractive asset for a deck or patio.

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Now can the Jatropha get any better? Yes it can! A variegated cultivar adds a new dimension with white and creamy splashes of variegation which really make the red flowers pop. If space is a concern, there is even a compact cultivar called ‘Compacta’. And, if you want another flower color, try the pink-flowering cultivar which is less common and may take some hunting to locate locally, or on-line.

Propagation is as easy as taking a tip cutting. I obtained my specimen from a tip cutting which rooted relatively quickly in sterile potting medium.