Simmondsiaceae FAMILY

Simmondsia chinensis

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Simmondsia chinensis is a multi-stemmed, profusely-branching, evergreen shrub, occasionally more tree-like, especially in more humid areas; it usually grows up to 2.5 metres tall but specimens up to 6 metres have been recorded[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ]. The oil obtained from Jojoba is very similar in composition to sperm-whale oil and, since that product is no longer used in most countries, there is an excellent potential market for Jojoba. The plant is grown commercially as an oil crop in arid regions of the tropics and subtropics, and the oil is traded internationally. The plant also has a range of traditional uses, as a food and medicine, and is commonly harvested from the wild for local use. Jojoba is grown in parks and gardens as an ornamental[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate; tropical

Native RangeSouthwestern N. America - California, Arizona, northwest Mexico (Baja Norte, Baja Sur, Sonora)

HabitatDesert scrub, coastal sage scrub, alluvial fans, arroyo margins, rocky, gravelly, or sandy slopes; at elevations up to 1,500 metres[ 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. ]. Well drained desert soils - sandy alluviums, coarse gravel and clay mixes and loams[ 200 Title The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. Publication Author Huxley. A. Publisher MacMillan Press Year 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 Description Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed. ].