Harvesting Jojoba “Nuts”
0~ Jojoba, Goat Nut ~
Summer is harvest time for one of our prized desert plants, Jojoba or Goat Nut (Simmondsia chinensis). As well as being valued for its drought tolerance and fire resistance in southwest yards, this durable, attractive evergreen shrub produces seeds from which the popular “jojoba oil” is extracted for use worldwide in cosmetics and body-care products. Its seeds can also be eaten if roasted, or made into a beverage. We’ll share with you how to prepare these treats below.
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Part of my appreciation of our native desert plants comes from the indispensable gifts that these plants have provided for millennia to humans, wildlife, birds, insects, soils, and the whole ecosystem. Indigenous peoples have long valued and used native desert plants for food, medicine, healing, shelter, clothing, utensils, and ceremony. I would like to share some of these uses that we can incorporate into our lives today, but this comes with a responsibility to reciprocate thoughtful care and stewardship for these tenacious but fragile desert dwellers. I always encourage respectful harvesting and mindful use of our native plants (join one of our workshops to find out how! We prepare these native plants for you to taste, drink, smell, touch, and experience).
I also strongly encourage the purchase and planting of native plants in our own yards, especially if we want to harvest their gifts regularly (see our section, Native Plant Nurseries, for southwest nurseries that sell California native plants). By incorporating plants into our yards that are native to our own region, we also help sustain native butterflies, native bees, birds, wildlife, and migration corridors for all of them, as well as reducing our dependence on added water, fertilizers, and pesticides in our yards. Growing plants that thrive in our climate also reduces our time and cost to maintain our yard). It is truly a win-win scenario.
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Jojoba (pronounced ho-HO-ba) ~ Summer brings ripe seeds to harvest for planting, roasting to munch on as a calorie-free treat, or grinding up after roasting to make a beverage that tastes like a hazelnut tea. Jojoba’s seeds are not actually filled with oil, but with a liquid wax ester that has amazing properties. It has a very long shelf-life, and will not turn rancid or oxidize easily as other vegetable oils do (which are true oils, not liquid waxes).
Jojoba replaces sperm whale oil ~ Jojoba “oil” replaced the use of sperm whale oil when the import of whale oils into the United States was outlawed in 1971. Jojoba oil performed as well as whale oils as a lubricant in fine machinery that does not break down at high temperatures. It also makes an excellent cosmetic ingredient, since it is reported to have a 97-percent chemical match with human sebum, or the oil our skin naturally produces. Jojoba seeds are pressed to extract their valuable liquid wax, which is sold as an “oil.”
Roasted jojoba seeds ~ Make a fun snack…that has no calories! You can munch on roasted jojoba seeds, and since they are filled with a liquid wax, they pass through your body without being digested or absorbed, so they don’t contribute any calories on their journey. Eat in small quantities, though, because the seeds can act like a laxative due to their high liquid-wax content. For more flavor, toss the roasted seeds in vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt…but then you will be adding calories!
A beverage from roasted, ground jojoba seeds is said to have been used as a coffee substitute in times past ~ To roast jojoba seeds either for munching or to make a coffee-like beverage, bake on a shallow baking tray in 250 degree F oven for one hour. Allow the seeds to cool for 15 minutes, then grind in a coffee grinder or food processor and steep the ground seeds as you would coffee.
Ground jojoba seeds for healing ~ Native Americans ground jojoba seeds into a buttery paste to apply as a poultice to treat sores and wounds and to condition their hair and skin.
Jojoba thrives in hot, dry desert areas, and grows without irrigation after becoming established. Occasional deep watering will encourage it to grow faster and produce more abundant and larger fruit. Because it is fire-retardant and extremely drought-tolerant, it is a great landscape choice for your southwest yard. Jojoba is useful as an evergreen screen or informal hedge, although patience is needed for this slow-growing plant. Quail love to take cover inside its dense foliage. We encourage you to invite this valuable native plant into your own yard. Clockwise photos from upper left:
- Jojoba plant
- Male jojoba flowers
- Female flower maturing into seed
- Ripe seeds being collected
- Harvested mature seeds
- Roasted seeds ground to make beverage
Jojoba plant parts traditionally used:
- Seeds – Mature seeds roasted and ground to steep in hot water for a beverage
- Seeds – Mature seeds pressed to collect a liquid wax called an oil for cosmetic and lubricant purposes
- Seeds – Mature seeds ground into a buttery paste to heal skin sores and wounds
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