Simmondsia chinensis

January 01, 2019 00:04:57
Simmondsia chinensis
Growing Native with Petey Mesquitey
Simmondsia chinensis

Jan 01 2019 | 00:04:57

/

Show Notes

 

Jojoba is also called goat-nut and pig-nut, deer-nut or to plant geeks like myself, Simmondsia chinensis. The foliage and stems are browsed by wildlife and domestic critters. The nuts are eaten as well, as the common names indicate, and the nuts are edible for humans too, but just a few at a time as too many will act as a laxative. That’s not hard to understand considering the liquid wax found in the seed. Jojoba is an important commercial plant because of that liquid wax, but don’t forget it is also a beautiful wild evergreen shrub. Even Arizona Flora says “it is a rather handsome shrub”. Yeah, it is. And by the way, jojoba is now in its own family, Simmondsiaceae, and not in the boxwood family, Buxaceae.  I do love the story of how jojoba’s Latinized name came about and I’m glad I finally got to tell it.

The photos are mine and taken in the Dos Cabezas Mountains. Jojoba is dioecious, so male and female flowers are found on separate plants and I thought you’d like to see the male and female flowers.

Other Episodes

Episode 0

February 09, 2021 00:04:57
Episode Cover

Eumorpha typhon

Eumorpha typhon or the typhon sphinx moth is out and about gathering nectar and sharing pollen from June to August in the borderlands. I...

Listen

Episode 0

August 24, 2021 00:04:59
Episode Cover

Mud Daubers in the Barn

Chalybion californicum is the name of the metallic blue black wasp. Both male and female feed on nectar and they are easily spotted on...

Listen

Episode

October 16, 2017 5:05
Episode Cover

The Jaguar is Back in Town

The scientific name for jaguar is Panthera onca and these large wild felines range from Sonora, Mexico down to portions of central and South...

Listen