Jatropha gossypiifolia | The Purple Crown
€21,20
🔍 Morphology
A shrub in the Euphorbiaceae family, prized for the colorful young shoots, which combine purple, burgundy, and bronze tones. Its alternate, palmate leaves, generally divided into 3–5 lobes, have toothed margins and may feature glandular hairs. The flowers, small and deep red to purple, are clustered in terminal inflorescences. The fruit is a three-lobed capsule.
📍 Distribution and habitat
Native to Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and large regions of tropical America. It grows in warm, seasonally dry areas, open scrublands, and disturbed soils. It has become naturalized in other tropical regions, where it can behave as an invasive species. Family: Euphorbiaceae.
🌡️ Temperature
USDA zone 10b–12. Tolerates minimum temperatures close to 4–5°C if the substrate remains dry, but not frost. It is recommended to protect it from cold weather.
☀️ Lighting
Needs plenty of light to grow compactly and retain the intensity of its purple tones. It appreciates direct sunlight after gradual acclimatization. For reference, it can be grown with an approximate PAR DLI of 15–25 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹, adjusting the exposure to the temperature and avoiding extreme heat stress.
🌸 Flowering
In warm conditions, it can flower for much of the year. Its small reddish or purple flowers appear in terminal inflorescences and can produce three-lobed capsules.
💧 Growth cycle and watering
Opportunistic. Grows when warm temperatures, good lighting, and water availability coincide. Water thoroughly and allow the substrate to dry partially before watering again. Reduce watering when temperatures drop or it loses its leaves, and always avoid waterlogging.
🚀 Nutrition
During active growth, Desert CHOICE® Succulents NPK (Ca-Mg) 3-1-5 (4-1) is recommended, with high levels of bioavailable calcium. Calcium contributes to tissue firmness and the maintenance of turgidity, while potassium promotes water balance.
⚠️ Caution
Contains toxic substances, especially in the seeds, and its sap can be irritating. Handle with gloves and keep the plant out of reach of children and animals.
This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a high-tech square pot with a substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi.
Gourmet black pot measuring 10 × 10 cm.
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