The Jojoba Plant
The Use of Jojoba Oil by Native Tribes and Use Today
The jojoba plant (Simmondsia sinensis (Link) C K Schneider) is a member of the Buxaceae plant family; it is native to the deserts of Arizona, north-west Mexico and southern California. Consequently, it was used by many native tribes of these regions, who used the jojoba plant in some of the same ways which people do today.
Jojoba, a Desert Plant
The jojoba plant is a perennial shrub which does not require a lot of moisture or water to survive; it has a deep root system and thick leaves which absorb minimum sunlight due to the angle at which it grows. The waxy leaves of the jojoba plant are typical of a desert plant which primarily aims to cut water loss in order to survive in the desert heat.
Characteristics of the Jojoba Plant
The jojoba plant can grow up to 6 feet in height and lives for a long time; however, it grows slowly and is slow to reach maturity. The jojoba plant has the ability to be of either sex, male or female; it is only the female jojoba plant which is capable of producing seeds and this does not happen until the fifth year of growth. The seeds of the jojoba plant resemble coffee beans.
Native Use of Jojoba
Native tribes of the south-western United States and north-west Mexico were familiar with the jojoba plant and used it in several ways; jojoba seeds produced an oil which was used in skin and hair care to protect against the desert sun. The oil from the jojoba seeds was also used to treat general aches and pains, skin irritations and burns; the jojoba seeds were chewed as a dietary supplement too.
Other uses of the jojoba plant may have included use as a medicine and the making of a coffee-like drink; it was also used to treat colds, sore throats and indigestion. Like many native plants of the American Southwest and Northern Mexico, jojoba was a useful and versatile plant to native people.
Jojoba Oil
The jojoba plant produces a substance which is more reminiscent of wax than oil, although it is commonly referred to as jojoba oil; the seeds of the jojoba plant are crushed to obtain jojoba oil. Jojoba oil is commonly used as a carrier oil in aromatherapy for essential oils, although it does possess therapeutic properties of its own; it maintains a long shelf life and its chemical make-up changes little even in extreme temperatures of hot or cold.
Modern Day Use of Jojoba Oil
Today, jojoba oil extracted from the jojoba plant is popular in hair and skin care, particularly in the USA. Therapeutically speaking, jojoba oil is useful in the treatment of psoriasis, eczema, sun burn, skin care and in arthritis and rheumatism (due to the anti-inflammatory action of myristic acid in its make-up).
The Future of Jojoba
Jojoba is now produced commercially by many plantations throughout the world, in addition to growing wild in its native regions; Australia, Argentina, Egypt and Peru are a few of the countries which now produce jojoba commercially, in addition to the USA and Mexico. Jojoba is used extensively in the cosmetic industry and demand for jojoba continues to grow; it seems the natural properties of jojoba as used by native tribes is in great demand in the modern world too.
References and for Further Reading:
Price, Len 1999 Carrier Oils For Aromatherapy and Massage UK: Riverhead
International Jojoba Export Council
The Jojoba Plant
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