Simmondsia chinensis, commonly called jojoba, is a perennial dioecious shrub belonging to the jojoba family, Simmondsiaceae. S. chinensis is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico where it grows in dry arid areas. The shrub grows up to 3 to 7 feet tall and 6 to 9 feet wide with a dense thicket of thin reddish gray stems. The leaves are simple ovate and oppositely arranged with a glaucous gray-green epidermis. The small flowers bloom from March to May and are greenish yellow with 5 to 6 sepals and no petals. Later, these flowers form ½ inch ovate fruit that have hard oval seeds that contain the well known oil. S. chinensis is used year round as fodder for mammals, a salve to moisturize skin and hair and also aid burns, and to soften animal hides. This species is drought tolerant and prefers well draining soil with full sun exposure although it can tolerate light shade. Water the shrub adequately, allowing the soil to dry out in between waterings. USDA plant hardiness zone 9 through 11.
Simmondsia chinensis seeds should be pretreated with a light scarification with sandpaper or a file which significantly reduces germination time as the seed coat is hard. This can be achieved by lightly scratching the surface of the seed being careful to not damage the embryo inside. After scarification, soak the seeds in warm water for 1 day prior to planting. Plant the seeds ½ inch deep in a well draining potting mix. Cover sown pots in plastic or place them in a larger container to retain moisture and humidity. Place sown pots in indirect yet bright sunlight (or grow lights) with a temperature ranging between 70°F to 75°F. Germination typically takes 1 to 3 months to occur. Even with optimal conditions, germination may be slow and sporadic
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