Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Share

Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Enter a Plant Name:
Or you can choose a plant family:
Jatropha dioica var. graminea (Leatherstem)
Loughmiller, Campbell and Lynn

Jatropha dioica var. graminea

Jatropha dioica Cerv. var. graminea McVaugh

Leatherstem, Bloodroot, Sangre De Drago

Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: JADIG

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

The leaves, when present, are 1-1 1/4 inches long, in clusters on short, lateral branches. The plant is 18-24 inches tall, with reddish-brown stems that are extremely flexible, almost impossible to break. The small, cream-colored flowers, 1/4 inch across, supported by red sepals, grow in clusters at the end of the stems. Flowers are urn-shaped, flaring out into 5 tiny lobes. The staminate and pistillate flowers are on separate plants. It is said that if the plant is pulled up, it exudes a reddish liquid, causing it to be known as "bloodroot".

 

From the Image Gallery

3 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 24 inches tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Red , Pink
Bloom Time: May , Jun

Distribution

USA: TX

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry

Benefit

Interesting Foliage: yes

Bibliography

Bibref 995 - Native Landscaping from El Paso to L.A. (2000) Wasowski, S. and A. Wasowski
Bibref 248 - Texas Wildflowers: A Field Guide (1984) Loughmiller, C. & L. Loughmiller

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Jatropha dioica var. graminea in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Jatropha dioica var. graminea in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Jatropha dioica var. graminea

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-01-10
Research By: TWC Staff

Go back