Common Name:
jumping bean
Family Name:
Euphorbiaceae
Botanical Name:
Pleradenophora bilocularis
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
Characteristics:
A large, upright shrub or small perennial tree growing between 1 and 8 m (3-25 ft) tall and 4 m (12 ft) wide (1, 2). Leaves are distichous, clustered at branch tips with triangular 0.8–1 × 1.5–2.5 cm, irregular stipules at the base of the 1.2–4 mm petiole which contain in the axil 0-2 orb-shaped glands that have a tuft of coarse hairs (1). Leaves are lanceolate, 2–7cm (1-3 in) long and × 0.5–1.8[–3] cm (1-1.5 in) wide, with acute base and apex, and finely toothed margins with either bristles or orbicular glands (1). In autumn, or after cold weather, the leaves turn red (2). Plants are dioecious (1). Both flowering and fruiting occur year-round (1, 2, 3). Flowers are borne on 3–6 cm (1-2 in) long inflorescences supported by a 0.2–0.6 cm long peduncle – male (staminate) flowers are yellowish green; with 0.5 mm long sepals 0.5 mm, 0.3–0.8 mm filaments and 0.2–0.3 mm anthers, supported by 0-2mm long pedicels, and housed on small cymes with numerous densely packed (usually 3–10) flowers per bract (1). Female (pistillate flowers) are yellowish green, with 1-2 mm ovate sepals, 2.5-3.5 mm styles, and connate petals running 1/3 of the corolla length and coiled throughout the free portion (1). Female flowers are also less abundant with 0–4 flowers supported by 0-2mm pedicles on each inflorescence, and with 1 flower per bract (1). Bracts are ovate, 1.5–2 mm long and subtended on each side by 5–7, 0.1–0.3 mm diameter elliptic glands (1). Fruits are subglobose, 0.5-1.0 cm (1/3-1/2 in) capsules which contain 4–5 mm, wide, silver-brown mottled, smooth seeds (1).
Compound:
Seb bil
Geographic Origin:
Desert Southwest
Ecozone Origin:
Nearctic
Biome Origin:
Natural History:
This plant is related to the famous Mexican jumping bean (Sebastiania pavoniana). While the species was formerly known as Sapium biloculare or Sebastiania bilocularis, it was reclassified in the genus Pleradenophora – a name derived from the Greek words “pleros” , meaning “very many”, “aden” meaning “gland” and “phoros” meaning “bearing”. Collectively, the Genus name alludes to the many glands on leaves and subtending floral bracts (2) . The specific epithet “bilocularis” means “divided” in reference to the two compartments of the fruit (2).
The plant is occurs naturally in the dry valleys of southwestern Arizona (its northern limit of distribution) extending south into Sonora and Baja California at elevations from sea level to 1000 m (3000 ft) along with other Sonoran desert scrub and thorn scrub (1, 2).
Cultivation Notes:
Grow in full to part sun, with low water, anywhere that temperatures don’t drop below -4°C (25° F) (2).
Ethnobotany:
This plant is commonly called arrow poison plant, hierba de la fleche and jumping bean. The species is a minor source for the novelty “Mexican jumping bean” toy – which are actually seeds of the P. bilocularis fruit containing the calleta silkmoth’s (Eupackardia calleta) larvae that first eat the endosperm of the seed for nourishment and then twitch and wriggle inside until the seed “jumps” out of hot locations (1, 2). The O’odham name for the plant refers to the pascola dance step alluding to their use of the moth’s cocoons for Yaqui-style pascola leg rattles (1, 2). Indigenous populations used the latex / sap as arrow and fish poison and as medicine for treating sores (1, 2). The seeds are a favorite food of packrats (2).
Height:
16 - 20 feet
Width:
6 - 10 feet
Growth Rate:
Grow Season:
Summer
Flower Season:
Summer
Color:
Green
Function:
Habitat
Spread:
Non-spreading
Allergen:
Non-allergenic
Invasive:
Benign
Toxicity:
Benign
Hardy:
Semi-hardy
Water Use:
Low water Use
Citations:
- Flora of North America http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=250102016 Retrieved Oct. 28, 2025.
- Spadefoot Nursery https://www.spadefootnursery.com/shrubs-op/pleradenophora-bilocularis Retrieved Oct. 28, 2025.
- Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SEBI9 Retrieved Oct. 28, 2025.
