Jatropha, the 'bioenergy tree,' may one day fuel your car with biodiesel

By Yvonne Swanson, Special to the Times In print: Saturday, August 2, 2008
St. Petersburg Times (Florida)

When the Beijing Olympic Games begin Friday, China will have planted more than 2-million trees in urban parks, including the new Olympic Forest Park. The primary goal isn't to create beautiful parks or provide shade for visitors. In this year of the "Green Olympics" initiative, Chinese officials hope the trees will reduce high levels of air pollution in the capital city. • But while the world focuses on Beijing this month, something much bigger is taking root in millions of acres of farmland in Southwest China that could reduce pollution on an Olympic scale. Jatropha (Jatropha curcas), known to environmental groups as the "bioenergy tree," is being planted in massive fields by farmers who have received subsidies and seedlings from the Chinese government. • Jatropha curcas is one of many species of jatropha, which are planted as a flowering landscape specimen throughout the Tampa Bay area. Jatropha is a hardy, Florida-friendly evergreen that produces pretty red flowers. But that's not this Cuban native's real claim to fame.

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