the leaves only on the back of the Jatropha tree have fallen off. the front looks ok. it continues to bloom.

Question

I’m not seeing any indication of disease. The entire tree gets the same fertilizer and water via a sprinkler system. Will the leaves grow back this spring or do I need to replace the tree? It’s about 6ft tall. Help!!

Answer 1

It's hard to diagnose plant problems remotely without photos and detailed description of growing conditions.

I would guess shading and inadequate sunlight to that side of the plant, root rot or fungal vascular disease. Jatropha is susceptible to verticillium wilt.