Jatropha is an interesting variety of plants with representatives from Southern Africa and North America. Of the species attractive to cactus and succulent collectors, there are a couple of different shapes that are prominent. One shape tends to stay short and develop a ball shaped base with short or no branches. Other predominent shape grows as a small to medium sized shrub or tree. The table below summerizes a few of the most popular Jatrophas in circulation.

A well weathered Jatropha podigrica

Japtropha berlandieri is a very cool plant that is small but gets a very large caudex. It is a summer grower and looses its foliage during the winter. The deeply segmented leaves along with abundant stalks of red cover tha caudex in the summer.