Characteristics
| Hardiness zone | 9b |
|---|---|
| Flower color | red |
| Foliage type | evergreen |
| Plant form | round |
| Mature height | 6 feet |
| Spread | 5 feet |
| Light requirements | full sun to partial shade |
| Moisture requirements | average to moist |
| Plant origin | import |
Compact Peregrina
Botanical name: Jatropha integerrima ‘Compacta’
A compact variety that is great for containers; stunning clusters of red flowers are long blooming from spring to fall, over dark green foliage; a great compact hedge or border accent in frost free areas; seeds are toxic.
Other names: Compact Spicy Jatropha
Ornamental Features
Compact Peregrina features showy clusters of red star-shaped flowers at the ends of the branches from late spring to mid fall. It has dark green foliage which emerges coppery-bronze in spring. The narrow pinnately compound leaves remain dark green throughout the winter. The fruit is not ornamentally significant.
Landscape Attributes
Compact Peregrina is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a more or less rounded form. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.
This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies to your yard. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;
Self-Seeding
Compact Peregrina is recommended for the following landscape applications;
Mass Planting, Hedges/Screening, General Garden Use, Container Planting
Planting and Growing
Compact Peregrina will grow to be about 6 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 5 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.
This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets.
Compact Peregrina makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
