Bellyache Bush
Jatropha gossypiifolia
Light Requirements
Light: Full sun to light shade.
Watering Protocols
Water: Drought-tolerant once established; highly resistant to dry seasonal conditions.
Growing Medium / Substrate
Growing Medium / Substrate: Adapts to well-drained, nutrient-poor, sandy or disturbed soils.
Temperature & Cold Hardiness
Tropical shrub sensitive to severe frost; suitable outdoors in warm, frost-free environments or indoor container culture.
Safety Guidance
Do not eat any part of this plant. Ingestion can cause digestive illness; sap may irritate skin and eyes.
Additional Plant Information
Jatropha gossypiifolia is accepted by Kew in Euphorbiaceae.
Native range: Mexico through tropical America.
Lobed foliage can be green, red, purple or bronze; flowers are red to purple.
UF/IFAS assigns high invasion risk in North, Central and South Florida and does not recommend planting (2017 assessment).
Sources & References
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew — Jatropha gossypiifolia | Plants of the World Online
- NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development — Bellyache bush
- Queensland Poisons Information Centre — Bellyache bush (Jatropha gossypiifolia)
- UF/IFAS Extension Nassau County — Q: Can you tell me what this plant is?
- UF/IFAS — Jatropha gossypiifolia assessment
- CABI Digital Library — Jatropha gossypiifolia (bellyache bush)