Jojoba is a plant that provides forage for the wild animals in arid regions. The plant is a shrub with oval shaped leathery leaves and small yellow flowers. It is very water efficient and can store energy for dry periods. The jojoba wax is its way of storing lipids which is then used for energy.
Animals like to eat the leaves, twigs and bark of the scruffy, scraggly looking plant. The seeds are more difficult to digest and have a poor taste, also acts as a laxative. However the jojoba seeds are edible.
It is used commercially for the wax produced and stored in its seeds. The wax, known as jojoba oil, is used in cosmetics to industrial lubricants. It is similar to sperm whale oil in composition, which is very difficult to obtain. The wax is odorless and clear. It is used in moisturizers and cosmetic products, and as a carrier oil for fragrances. Jojoba oil is less apt to go rancid in storage, making it an appealing substance for massage oils and body creams. It is also used as a makeup remover and in cold creams. It is popular in the industrial arena for all of the above qualities as a lubricant, source for alternative fuel, and as a potential fungicide. It can be refined into other products as esters and alcohols as well.
Jojoba is cultivated in many arid regions of the world, United States, Mexico, the Middle East. It has a rising commercial value, being a very hardy and reliable crop. Where the soil is poor and very dry, Jojoba thrives. Due to its high demand, it has become a profitable crop for those who desire to manage it well.
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