Jojoba (Simmodsia chinensis (Link) Schneider) is a perennial
woody shrub native to the semiarid regions of southern Arizona,
southern California and northwestern Mexico. Jojoba (pronounced
ho-HO-ba) is being cultivated to provide a renewable source of a
unique high-quality oil. Native Americans extracted the oil from
jojoba seeds to treat sores and wounds centuries ago. Collection
and processing of seed from naturally occurring stands in the
early 1970s marked the beginning of jojoba domestication. In
addition, the ban on the importation of sperm whale products in
1971 led to the discovery that jojoba oil is in many regards
superior to sperm oil for applications in the cosmetics and
other industries. Today, 40,000 acres of jojoba are under
cultivation in the southwestern U.S. Much of the interest in
jojoba worldwide is the result of the plant's ability to survive
in a harsh desert environment. The utilization of marginal land
that will not support more conventional agricultural crops could
become a major asse