Jatropha podagrica Plants GrowTropicals
Jatropha podagrica — 13cm
Buddha Belly Plant

Jatropha podagrica

£23.99
Hard to killSun-lover
Pot size
13cm £23.99

FREE tracked delivery on orders over £60

Complete the set up
Desert Mix | Premium Cacti & Succulent Potting Mix
The perfect soil Desert Mix | Premium Cacti & Succulent Potting Mix · 2.5L · £4.99
Description

Widely known as the Buddha belly plant, this quirky plant develops a swollen, bottle-shaped caudex at its base that gives it an unmistakable silhouette. Large, lobed leaves rise from the top of the stem, and mature plants produce striking clusters of small coral-red flowers on long stalks that hover above the foliage. 

Please note that the plant may be shipped dormant with no leaves.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

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How to care for Buddha Belly Plant

Let me bask in full sunshine and water me only when my soil is completely dry.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
Get to know me

About Buddha Belly Plant

Jatropha podagrica is an easy-care houseplant. It needs bright direct light, watering only once the compost has dried right through, average household humidity and a minimum temperature of 2°C. It is harmful to pets and small children if eaten.

Good for

Living Room Bedroom Office

Care level

EasyChallenge

Easy care

Light

ShadeFull sun

Bright, direct sun

Give this plant as much bright light as possible, but avoid harsh direct sun for long periods. A south-facing window can be too intense, especially in summer, so place the plant about 1 metre back from the glass or filter the light with a sheer curtain. Sudden or prolonged direct sun through glass can cause scorching. If natural light is limited, a grow light is a great way to keep growth compact and healthy. Read moreShow less

Give this plant as much bright light as possible, but avoid harsh direct sun for long periods. A south-facing window can be too intense, especially in summer, so place the plant about 1 metre back from the glass or filter the light with a sheer curtain. Sudden or prolonged direct sun through glass can cause scorching. If natural light is limited, a grow light is a great way to keep growth compact and healthy.

Learn more →

Watering

Evenly moistDries out fully

Let it dry out fully between waterings

Water deeply until excess runs through the drainage holes, then allow the substrate to dry out completely before watering again. This plant stores water in its tissues, so it is highly drought-tolerant and far more sensitive to overwatering than underwatering. Always check the soil rather than watering on a schedule and when in doubt, wait a bit longer. Read moreShow less

Water deeply until excess runs through the drainage holes, then allow the substrate to dry out completely before watering again. This plant stores water in its tissues, so it is highly drought-tolerant and far more sensitive to overwatering than underwatering. Always check the soil rather than watering on a schedule and when in doubt, wait a bit longer.

Learn more →

Humidity

Average homeHigh humidity

Happy at normal household humidity

Normal household humidity is perfect. Cacti and succulents are adapted to arid environments and don’t require additional humidity. In fact, extra humidity can increase the risk of rot and fungal issues. Good airflow is much more important than moisture in the air, so aim to keep the plant in a well-ventilated space rather than trying to humidify it. Read moreShow less

Normal household humidity is perfect. Cacti and succulents are adapted to arid environments and don’t require additional humidity. In fact, extra humidity can increase the risk of rot and fungal issues. Good airflow is much more important than moisture in the air, so aim to keep the plant in a well-ventilated space rather than trying to humidify it.

Temperature

Keep above 2°C · Tolerates a cool room

This plant prefers warm temperatures during the growing season, ideally between 18–30°C. They also benefit from a cooler winter rest period of around 10–15°C, which helps support healthy growth cycles and encourages flowering in many species. Read moreShow less

This plant prefers warm temperatures during the growing season, ideally between 18–30°C. They also benefit from a cooler winter rest period of around 10–15°C, which helps support healthy growth cycles and encourages flowering in many species.

Feeding

Feed monthly with a balanced fertiliser from spring to autumn, and let it rest over winter.

Soil & Substrate

Pot into our Desert Potting Mix, an airy, sharply draining blend for caudex-forming succulents.

Growth habit

Upright →

Plant type

Succulent →

Toxicity

Harmful if chewed or swallowed. Keep it out of reach of pets and small children, and wash your hands after pruning.

Origins

Jatropha podagrica is native to tropical Central America, with a natural range across Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama, where it grows in rocky, seasonally dry habitats under bright, sunny conditions.

Also known as

Jatropha podagrica

Genus

Jatropha
More on caring for houseplants How often should I water my houseplant? Your Complete Guide to Grow Lights – With Grow Gang!
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
Why Grow Tropicals

Plants delivered the way they deserve

Packaged with Care

Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

Perfect for Gifting

Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.

Sustainability at Heart

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

Verified reviews

Rated by real customers

Customers praised this rare, hard-to-source plant as "stunning" and "much bigger than expected." Most reviews highlighted fast delivery, excellent packaging, and healthy specimens. One customer reported damaged leaves and poor packaging condition. Overall, shoppers appreciated the plant's beauty and rarity, with most receiving thriving specimens.

  • Lovely and looks much bigger and prettier than in the pictures
  • Never seen this for sale anywhere else, really pleased to have it in my collection
  • Really cool plant. Much bigger than I was expecting
  • 5 stars: 7 (88%)
  • 4 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 3 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 2 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 1 star: 1 (13%)
M
Melissa S.
Lovely healthy plant

It's lovely and looks much bigger and prettier than in the pictures. Thank you very much.

L
Lindsay D.
Arrived quickly and safely despite

Arrived quickly and safely despite the really cold weather. I've never seen this for sale anywhere else so i am really pleased to have it in my collection

C
Chris
Bigger than expected.

Really cool plant. Much bigger than I was expecting. The leaves are a little misshapen due to shipping but I expect they'll sort themselves out with time. If not it's still stunning.

C
Cathy M.
Beautiful

Beautiful plant. Very well packaged and delivered the next day. Thank you very much.

A
Andy M.
Not an easy plant to

Not an easy plant to source but Grow Tropicals came up with goods and a superb specimen

D
Deborah P.
Very fast delivery. Great specimen.

Very fast delivery. Great specimen. Thank you

S
Sam S.
Plant arrived with all the

Plant arrived with all the leaves absolutely wrecked, was also soaking wet and almost sideways in the pot. Was given a 50% refund but even at half price I would not have picked this plant if I was shopping in person.

I
Ian C.
Wow rare plant thriving

Wow rare plant thriving

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Jatropha podagrica
£23.99