Jatropha podagrica

Buddha Belly

A "fat plant" with a swollen caudex that also happens to have a nice coral red flower pretty often, and also leaves at times, so you see it isn't really so wierd. Or so you can tell yourself. Typically used as a houseplant or a specimen in warm climates, it grows to around 20" eventually, with spined branches and grey swollen trunk. It is sometimes called 'Gout Plant', Tartogo', and 'Bottle Plant' and sometimes incorrectly called "Australian Bottle Plant", by those who don't know it's from central America and the West Indies. Needs a sunny spot indoors or a non-freezing climate.