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Jalap

Ipomoea purga

Also called Veracruz Jalap

Jalap (Ipomoea purga) is a climbing vine from Mexico, grown for its tuberous root, which has a long history as a strong laxative. It is a tropical plant that needs warmth, humidity and a long growing season.

Family: Convolvulaceae (Morning-glory family)
Grows as: Climber, Bulb
Light: Full sun, Part shade
Water: Water regularly during the growing season and let the top of the soil dry slightly between waterings; reduce watering in the dry season.
Soil: Well-drained, fertile loam or sandy loam.
Temperature: 18–30 °C; protect below 10 °C
How easy: Moderate
Safety: Toxic: The root resin (the purgative resin) is a strong laxative and can cause severe gastrointestinal upset if ingested.. Toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA).
Native range: Mexico (Veracruz, Hidalgo, Puebla)
Climate: wet tropical

About

Ipomoea purga is a species of flowering plant in the genus Ipomoea. It is commonly referred to as jalap and is probably also the source of the John the Conqueror amulet legend.

Other Ipomoea plants

Tropical white morning-glory · Swamp morning-glory · Ginger-leaf morning-glory · Sweet potato · Mile a minute vine · Gloria de la manana · Redstar · Ipomoea corymbosa · Lady Doorly's morning-glory · Beach morning-glory · Oceanblue Morning Glory · Whitestar

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Ipomoea purga by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.

The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

Pet safety from the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists.

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Know any plant.Grow it well.