Peregrina (Jatropha integerrima)

Peregrina or Spicy Jatropha (Jatropha integerrima) is native to Cuba and Hispaniola. It is a  member of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae.

From full sun to partial shade, this Jatropha species does extremely well in any well drained soil. Growing up to about 15 feet in height, Peregrina usually grows as a collection of thin trunks but it can be pruned back to keep it as a small shrub or can even be tree formed. 

Jatropha is not cold tolerant and will be damaged by frost. Most recommended in Zones 10 and 11, gardeners in Zones 9A and 9B may lost a substantial portion of their shrub in very cold weather. Here at MOSI Outside we lost all of our Jatropha to the ground in a particularly cold winter about three years ago. However, the plants rallied in the spring and sent up lots of new growth. We pruned back all of the dead wood and several of our plants have now reached about 10 foot in height again. 

Jatropha flowers are a butterfly magnet both outside in our gardens and inside the BioWorks Butterfly Garden Flight Enclosure exhibit. It is not uncommon to see a collection of butterflies on each bloom cluster of this plant.

Toxins: Jatropha is a milk sap plant that contains a great deal of latex. This sap can be highly irritant to people with sensitive skin and all parts of the plant should be considered toxic to eat.

What's in a Name: 

• The genus name Jatropha is derived from the Greek words ἰατρός (iatros), meaning "physician," and
  τροφή (trophe), meaning "nutrition," hence the common name physic nut.
• The specific epithet integerrima derives from the Latin words 'integer' meaning "entire", "unbroken" or "untoothed" and 'rimus', a suffix meaning "mostly so" describing the few lobed or toothed leaves of this species.

Fun Facts

• The species was first described in 1760 by Nikolaus Joseph Freiherr von Jacquin (1727 – 1817). Nickolaus traveled to the West Indies and Central America from 1755 to 1759 collecting animal and plant specimens. 
• Peregrina is Spanish for Pilgrim or Wanderer. This plant shares its name with a rather exceptional teardrop pearl named 'La Peregrina'. The pearl was discovered by a slave in the Pearl Islands in the mid-16th century and spend hundreds of years circulating through the royalty of Europe.