Tossa jute

Jute field in Pabna, Bangladeh

Tossa jute (Corchorus olitorius) is a tropical annual plant that is cultivated as a fiber crop or as a leaf vegetable.

The related White jute (Corchorus capsularis) is also a fiber crop.

Names

Scientific
   Corchorus olitorius
English
   Jute
   Mallow-leaves
   Tossa jute
Dutch
   Jute
   Melokhia
Spanish
   Molokhiya
   Yute
   Yute Tossa
French
   Corète potagère
   Jute rouge
   Jute tossa
German
   Langkapselige Jute
Italian
   Corcoro
   Iuta
   Juta

Taxonomy

Genus
   Corchorus
Family
   Malvaceae
Order
   Malvales

Basic information and facts

Origin:

Distribution:

Jute grows in most tropical and subtropical regions of the world.

Annual, biennial, or perennial:

Jute is an annual plant.

Flowers:

Small yellow flowers with five petals (diameter 2 to 3 cm).

Leaves:

Leaves have at the base a small “moustache”.

Fruits:

A capsule with many seeds.

Climate and weather:

Tropical and subtropical regions.

Height:

Jute plants can be 2 to 4 meters tall, but jute varieties grown as leaf vegetable are shorter.

Spacing:

Propagation:

Grown from seed.

Uses:

Jute is grown as a fiber crop. the fibers are used to make ropes, sacks and other rough textiles.
Some jute varieties are leaf vegetables. Leaves are cooked just like spinach.