Simmondsiaceae

Jojoba Family

Jojoba

FAMILY: Jojoba family (Simmondsiaceae) – Simmondsia genus. This family was formerly placed in the box family (Buxaceae).

SPECIES: Jojoba, coffeenut, goatnut, deernut, pignut, or boxnut (Simmondsia chinensis (Link) C. K. Schneid. = Simmondsia californica Nutt.).

TO UTILIZE AS FOOD: Jojoba nuts are edible, but they contain waxes that cannot be digested. Tannins and cyanogenic glycosides (simmondsin) are also present, so cooking is strongly advised. Native Americans of the Southwest considered the nuts to be a supplement rather than a staple. Raw jojoba nuts taste similar to Brazil nuts with a coffee-like accent and some bitterness, but consuming these nuts raw is not advised because they are known to cause vomiting. Plus, the waxes have a laxative effect. The texture is comparable to the firmness of almonds. Jojoba nuts are contained within shells that split open at maturity. The shells are thin, hard, and wrinkled. Acquiring the nuts is easy since the shells are already cracked. Jojoba shrubs are “dioecious,” so nuts will only be found on female shrubs. Male shrubs are far more numerous and produce a lot of pollen. Both genders flower in late winter or spring. Nuts are produced in early or mid summer. A few nuts may persist into autumn, or even winter, but the majority of nuts fall to the ground by autumn. Dry-roasted jojoba nuts can be brewed into a fantastic coffee-like beverage that’s arguably superior to real coffee. The name coffeenut originated from this usage. To prepare jojoba coffee: grind the nuts into a coarse meal, dry roast the pieces for 10-20 minutes, brew with mountain spring water, filter through cloth to remove the pieces, and then boil for an additional 10-15 minutes to drive off any traces of hydrocyanic acid that may have formed from the breakdown of the simmondsin. Finding the right balance between nuts and water is important. If the brew is too strong it can be diluted by adding water. Dry-roasted jojoba nuts have an enticing aroma suggesting a hearty breakfast. Oily waxes in the nuts are highly resistant to charring, as well as digestion. About half the weight of jojoba nuts is wax. Overall, jojoba nuts are a questionable wild food that should only be eaten in moderation.

NOTES: “Jojoba” is a Native American name for the shrubs. A 100 gram serving of jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) seeds contains: 4-5 grams of water, 15 g protein, 50-54 g wax, 25-30 g carbohydrates, 3-4 g fiber, and 1-2 g ash. Source: Vossen (p. 159).

IDENTIFICATION: Only 1 species of the Simmondsia genus is found in the United States. Jojoba (S. chinensis) is a native shrub of the Sonoran Desert. No additional subspecies or varieties are recognized. The naturally split, wrinkled, acorn-like fruits are distinctive. Nothing else in the region has similar fruits.

Description of jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis): FORM spineless, evergreen shrub about 1-2 meters tall; LEAVES simple; opposite; blades elliptic, thick, and leathery; margins entire; surfaces hairy, hairless, or dusty; FLOWERS greenish-yellow, inconspicuous, regular, unisexual; male and female flowers on separate shrubs, both genders with 4-6 (usually 5) sepals and 0 petals; FEMALE flowers usually solitary; pistils 1, the ovary superior; styles 3; stigmas long and feathery; MALE flowers in head-like axillary clusters; stamens 8-12 (usually 10); FRUITS capsules acorn-like, 1-seeded, wrinkled, and splitting 3-ways; HABITAT deserts of southern Arizona and California; blooming February to May.

REFERENCES: Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis): seeds Couplan (p. 287), Hodgson (pp. 232-233), Moerman (p. 246), Small (2014 pp. 403-407), and Vossen (p. 159).