Bottle Plant (Jatropha podagrica) - Buy 5 Seeds?

This unusual succulent forms a thick, belly-shaped stem and striking red and yellow flowers. In the wild, the flowers are pollinated by butterflies, after which small, green fruits are formed that forcefully burst open when ripe. This 'explosion' can cause the seeds to land up to 4 metres from the plant. Relatively large, umbrella-shaped leaves grow on the thickened stem. In the rainforests of Central America, the plant can reach a height of up to 2 metres, but as a houseplant, it remains a lot smaller.

Provide a light spot without direct sunlight and well-drained soil. As the plant stores water in its stem, it is quite resistant to drought. However, it is advisable to water the plant as soon as the soil is dry. In a dry period, the plant may lose its leaves, after which they will grow back one day.

Note that all parts of the plant are poisonous. They contain a white milky sap, as with many species in the family Euphorbiaceae.

Sowing description: Soak seeds in water for 24 hours, then sow in a mixture of sowing soil and sand (1:1). Keep soil constantly slightly moist and cover with foil or glass for this purpose. Germination within a few weeks at 20-25grC, but can sometimes take longer.