Unless you’re a pharmacist, names like gout plant, physic nut and bellyache bush are unlikely to evoke much interest.

But these and additional species of Jatropha – other than the popular peregrina – are attractive plants that draw butterflies and deserve more use in our gardens.

Take Jatropha multiflora, for example. A shrub or small tree up to 20 feet tall, this handsome, nearly everblooming plant is known as physic nut or coral plant and thrives on well-drained sites in sun or light shade. Native from Mexico to Brazil, physic nut is a surprisingly cold-hardy and maintenance-free species with an upright growth habit and marvelous, deeply incised foliage. Indeed, the plant’s exotic-looking leaves – held on lengthy, supple stalks – are its best feature.

Vastly different – and of considerable interest to collectors of the unusual – is gout plant (Jatropha podagrica). This semi-deciduous, desert-dwelling species is native to Central America, where it grows up to eight feet tall. Plants typically develop corky trunks with swollen, water-storing bases and sparse crowns of large tri-lobed leaves. Scarlet flowers appear much of the year, displayed well above the foliage.

A chill-sensitive species that’s often categorized as a succulent, gout plant thrives indoors if positioned near a bright window. I’ve had a specimen in a six-inch clay pot for many years, and it’s rarely out of bloom. This plant can also be cultivated outdoors in sunny, sheltered, well-drained locations. Its modest stature allows gardeners to cover it when freezes are predicted.

One and doneMany plants flower a single time and then die

The bellyache bush – so-called because of its medicinal applications – is an extremely attractive plant that flourishes in Central Florida. This species (Jatropha gossypliifolia) is a dense shrub that features deep-bronze new growth and clusters of small, bright-red, yellow-centered blossoms irresistible to pollinators.

Now for the bad news: Not only has this handsome plant become an invasive pest in Australia and other places; the University of South Florida and IFAS predict bellyache bush could become highly invasive across our state. At this point, however, it’s legal for gardeners to include this plant in their landscapes – though I would not. Nevertheless, plants and seeds are available online.

Regarding bellyache bush’s medical uses, research indicates the leaves, stems and roots have anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties, while the seeds are used to treat a range of maladies – including bellyaches. But caution is strongly advised: I’ve always considered Jatropha species toxic, and I handle them with considerable care.

Plant to ponder: Rain lily

Also called fairy lily, rain lily is a collective name for species of Zephyranthes and Habranthus (and possibly other genera).

The common name comes from their habit of blooming following warm-season rain. The grasslike foliage of these evergreen perennials is usually 6 to 12 inches tall, with blossoms held above. Provide sun and well-drained sites. Propagate by division.