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![Jatropha gossypifolia Flowers Red-maroon Jatropha gossypifolia flowers with a yellow center and stamens](/images/jatropha-gossypifolia-flowers.jpg)
![jatropha gossypifolia jatropha gossypifolia](/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/engage-the-exotic-small-logo.png)
A medicinal shrub originating from Mexico, South America, and the Caribbean islands. It's designated as a noxious weed in Puerto Rico and it has naturalized in northern Australia. Its young leaves are purple and sticky, maturing to a bright green color. The small red flowers, which possess yellow centers, bloom in clusters and are followed by cherry-sized seed pods. Once cultivated, it has the propensity to escape into wilder, central, and southern parts of Florida, spreading considerably due to its three-lobed capsular fruit that explosively releases seeds. In some regions, it's recognized as invasive. Photographed in the department of Bolivar, Colombia.
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![Jatropha gossypifolia Green Fruit Red Jatropha gossypifolia flowers and green fruit](/images/jatropha-gossypifolia-seeds.jpg)
![](/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/contact_r4_c1.png)