ABSTRACT
Jojoba is native to the Sonoran desert, and has been collected at altitudes ranging from sea level to 1200 m (4000 feet). It is adapted to hot, dry desert conditions and full sun. Jojoba occurs naturally on well-drained soils that are near-neutral in pH. Jojoba is a perennial, evergreen shrub with leathery leaves. It grows to a height of 0.5-1 m (1.6-3.2 feet) in the wild, occasionally becoming a small tree as tall as 6 m (20 feet). There are separate male and female plants and, for both, small flowers are developed in the axils of leaves. Female flowers are small, pale green, and commonly solitary or in clusters. Native Americans used jojoba seed and oil for cooking, hair care, and for treatments of many medical problems such as poison ivy, sores, wounds, colds, cancer, and kidney difficulties. Jojoba oil is light gold, odorless, and resembles sperm whale oil both in composition and properties.
