Jojoba - The Superhero of Plant Oils

Out in the desert of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico there grows a humble, unassuming shrub called Jojoba. Drought tolerant, heat-resistant, it grows slowly, patiently awaiting the day it can shed its plain existence and shine as the true golden hero it keeps hidden inside-“Jojoba Oil”!

OK, this may be stretching things a bit. But there is no denying jojoba oil, the liquid wax ester extracted from the seed of the jojoba shrub, is one of the most unique and versatile substances produced by a plant. It possesses great potential for multiple applications across a wide variety of industries, helped fight the slaughter of the endangered sperm whale in the 1970's, and makes a darn good moisturizer to boot.

Jojoba as Healer

Jojoba gained its reputation for healing early on with natives of the North American Sonora Desert region who heated the seeds to soften them and then crushed them into a buttery salve to apply to cuts, scrapes, burns, and other skin irritations. Other uses for the seeds included roasting to make a coffee-like beverage, chewing them as a diet supplement and appetite suppressant, and making them into a medicine for cancer treatment and kidney disorders.

Saving the Whales

In the 1930's scientists discovered the unique properties of jojoba seed oil. At the time, the only other natural source of liquid wax esters was sperm whale oil. But it wasn't until the early 1970's that jojoba would be considered to replace the whale oil as the popular base for products in the growing cosmetics industry. In 1971 the United States enacted a ban on the import of sperm whale oil. Without their star source, cosmetics manufacturers were forced to look elsewhere for a suitable substitute and jojoba emerged once again to save the day.

From Saving Plants...

Today, among other things, jojoba oil is registered (licensed for sale) as a botanical pesticide. It is effective against white flies on all crops and powdery mildew on grapes and ornamentals and apparently works by forming a physical barrier between the insect pest and the leaf surface. According to a U.S. EPA fact sheet covering use of jojoba oil as a biopesticide, “... jojoba oil does not pose a risk to non-target organisms or the environment when used as directed.” So, Super Jojoba scores again... sorry bugs!

To Saving the Earth

As if this isn't enough to put jojoba right up there with some of the greatest discoveries of all time, probably most remarkable is a discovery by a team of Indian scientists reported in New Scientist in 2003. The team made an alternative to regular diesel fuel by mixing methanol and a catalyst with raw jojoba oil. They then successfully ran an engine on the fuel and found not only did it match the efficiency of diesel; it produced lower carbon emissions and was completely free of sulfur emissions. That means less pollution thrown into the atmosphere to fuel global warming and acid rain. For those keeping score, that's another one... make that two for the environment.

So what's keeping this amazing plant from saving the universe? Well, not much. Scientists and growers are working on improving farming practices and developing plant varieties that produce higher yields and are more tolerant of temperature extremes and resistant to pests and disease. Commercial plantations are taking root (pardon the pun) all around the world in areas with conditions similar to the plant's native home. But like all good superheroes, jojoba will remain disguised as a mild-mannered shrub producing its humble oil for the cosmetics industry and quietly finding ways to help those in need until the day we humans wake up and realize its true potential. It will take commitment of resources, among them land and financial support, to meet demand. But if a simple plant can hold so much promise, maybe there's hope for us yet.