Jatropha plants need well-drained soil, and while they can handle partial shade to full sun, they will flower best in areas with full sun. This plant is not salt tolerant. Jatropha grows best in zones 10 to 11. They are marginal in zone 9B; frosts and freezes will damage them, but they usually recover quickly.
Consequently, when should I prune my Jatropha?
You can trim for shape anytime. Prune heavily in spring (late March and early April) and it will fill out quickly to become lush and full. Keep the trunk free of baby shoots to maintain the tree look.
Hereof, how do you shape a Jatropha tree?
You can prune jatropha at any time. If you would like yours to grow in a tree shape, simply cut out all but one stem coming out of the ground to force it to have a trunk. Then remove lower branches from your jatropha as it grows. Fertilize jatropha, if necessary, in the spring and summer months.
How do you prune a Jatropha tree?
Pinch off branch tips in early spring with a pruning clipper once the Jatropha reaches a height of 2 feet to promote new, lush branch growth. Pinch off the tips in each subsequent year until the plant reaches a height of 6 feet.
How big does a Jatropha tree get?
10 to 15 feet
Is Jatropha a biofuel?
The characteristics of Jatropha seed oil match with characteristics of diesel [9–11], thus it is called a biodiesel plant [12]. Jatropha grows on diverse wasteland without any agricultural impute (irrigation and fertilization) and has 40–60% oil content [12, 13].
