Jojoba
Jojoba is a drought-tolerant evergreen shrub native to the Sonoran Desert, prized for its valuable seeds that produce a liquid wax ester used in cosmetics, skincare products, and industrial applications. This attractive plant reaches 6-10 feet tall with dense, leathery gray-green foliage that creates year-round structure in xeriscape and water-wise landscapes. Jojoba is dioecious, requiring both male and female plants for seed production, with females bearing clusters of acorn-like seeds that contain the prized oil chemically similar to human sebum.
The oil is cold-pressed from mature seeds and used in premium skincare products, hair treatments, and as a sustainable alternative to whale oil in various applications. Beyond its commercial value, jojoba makes an excellent ornamental for desert gardens, providing wildlife habitat, erosion control, and fire-resistant screening with minimal water requirements once established.
The shrub thrives in full sun with excellent drainage and tolerates extreme heat, poor soils, and extended drought, making it ideal for challenging sites. Hardy to approximately 15°F, jojoba suits USDA Zones 9-11 and is perfect for Mediterranean climates, desert landscapes, and sustainable gardens seeking both beauty and productive harvests of valuable natural products.
Jojoba
Jojoba is a drought-tolerant evergreen shrub native to the Sonoran Desert, prized for its valuable seeds that produce a liquid wax ester used in cosmetics, skincare products, and industrial applications. This attractive plant reaches 6-10 feet tall with dense, leathery gray-green foliage that creates year-round structure in xeriscape and water-wise landscapes. Jojoba is dioecious, requiring both male and female plants for seed production, with females bearing clusters of acorn-like seeds that contain the prized oil chemically similar to human sebum.
The oil is cold-pressed from mature seeds and used in premium skincare products, hair treatments, and as a sustainable alternative to whale oil in various applications. Beyond its commercial value, jojoba makes an excellent ornamental for desert gardens, providing wildlife habitat, erosion control, and fire-resistant screening with minimal water requirements once established.
The shrub thrives in full sun with excellent drainage and tolerates extreme heat, poor soils, and extended drought, making it ideal for challenging sites. Hardy to approximately 15°F, jojoba suits USDA Zones 9-11 and is perfect for Mediterranean climates, desert landscapes, and sustainable gardens seeking both beauty and productive harvests of valuable natural products.
