A jatropha tree with its colorful red blossoms. The trees are popular yard/garden additions across Southwest Florida. PHOTO PROVIDED

Moving from the northeast six years ago, I wanted a garden full of flowers. I started researching small flowering trees in Southwest Florida and to my surprise one stood out. It is called the dwarf jatropha tree. It has showy tiny clusters of vivid red flowers that bloom all year. I was in love with it and ended up planting four in my new garden. They were easy to trim and they became denser and more prolific with those beautiful red flowers.

The dwarf jatropha tree (Jatropha integerrima ‘Compacta’) is the one most commonly sold at nurseries. It is a perfect accent tree for my sunny areas of the garden, which is most of my garden! It has deep green leaves which accentuate the versatile red blooms.

I learned that this red flowering evergreen tree is actually a jatropha shrub trained to a single trunk…or you can grow it as a bush, and, as it matures, keep the base cleaned up for a multi-trunk tree look.

One of Southwest Florida’s most consistent butterfly attracting plants / trees, jatropha is also a favorite with hummingbirds. It has slender stems. These trees or plants can reach about 15 feet tall with equal spread if untrimmed. Like many trees and plants in Florida, all parts of jatropha are poisonous. There are two types of species that grow very well in Southwest Florida, Jatropha integerrima and Jatropha mulfifidi. I’ve had both, however, Jatropha integerrima is by far my favorite, which is why I am focusing on the former.

According to my research, Jatropha integerrima is native to the West Indies and Cuba and sometimes called peregrina or spicy jatropha. The flowers are generally red although a pink-flowered variety does exist. Love seeing monarchs, swallowtails and zebra longwing butterflies on my trees.

Jatropha tree blossoms. PHOTO PROVIDED

The best part of the Jatropha integerrima is that it is LOW maintenance and drought tolerant. Our well-drained soil in Southwest Florida is perfect for this plant or tree. Jatropha grows well in Zones 10 and 11. They handle full sun to partial shade, however they are not salt tolerant. It can work well in a large container on a porch or patio. Jatropha is a prolific bloomer 365 days a year and can withstand humidity and high heat!

Pruning is easy if you want to keep it a certain size and you can prune any time of year. When pruning, make sure to wear gloves as it has a milky sap which can irritate sensitive skin.

Plant your dwarf jatropha in a well-drained spot in your yard adding composted cow manure. Water every day for a month. You will enjoy this tree every day of the year! I am hoping you will love this jewel of a tree as much as I do.

I would like to leave you with this from David Hobson…

“I grow plants for many reasons: to please my soul, to challenge the elements or to challenge my patience, for novelty, or for nostalgia, but mostly for the joy of seeing them grow.”

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Ann Block is Past President of the Garden Club of Cape Coral.