Common Name: |
Jojoba |
Other Names: |
Goat Nut |
Botanical Name: |
Simmonsia chinensis syn. S. californica |
Genus: |
Simmondsia |
Family: |
Simmondsiaceae |
Native Location: |
Native to the Sonoran Desert (southwestern USA, NW Mexico). |
Cultivation: |
Deep, well-drained to dry, sandy or gravelly, slightly acid soil in full sun. Tolerates drought. |
Propagation: |
By seed sown in spring; by nodal cuttings in spring; by heel cuttings in autumn. |
Harvest: |
Seeds are collected when ripe and crushed to extract oil. |
Height: |
2m (6ft) |
Width: |
1-2m (3-6ft) |
Hardiness: |
Z9-10 |
Parts Used: |
Oil (from seeds) |
Properties: |
An odorless, soothing herb with exceptional skin-softening effects. |
Medicinal Uses: |
Externally for dry skin and hair, psoriasis, acne, and sunburn. |
Economic Uses: |
Oil is added to shampoos, conditioners, moisturizers, soaps, massage oils, sunscreens, pharmaceutical creams; in coatings for candy, food, and tablets. Jojoba oil has numerous industrial applications as a lubricant, surfuctant, stabilizer, emulsifier, and solubilizer. |
Bibliography: |
Encyclopedia of Herbs by Deni Brown Copyright © 1995, 2001 Dorling Kindersley Limited Pg 369 |