[3] Corchorus olitorius is an erect herbaceous plant, fairly branched and grows about 1.5 metres (5 ft) high.

The taproot leads to a sturdy and hairless stem, which is green with a faint red-brownish hue and sometimes turns a little woody on ground level.

The flowers sit on the end of a short stem, count 5 sepals, 5 petals and 10 free and yellow stamina.

Others point out that there is a greater genetic variation in Africa and a larger number of wild species in the genus Corchorus.

Wherever it originated, it has been under cultivation for a very long time in both continents and probably grows, wild or as a crop, in every country in tropical Africa.

[8] The yield of the crop responds more to water availability and soil organic matter than to high mineral nutrient status.

If it is dry, eight to ten weeks after planting, yield losses can occur due to leaf bugs and spider mites attacks resulting in terminal shoot wilt.

Seedling damp-off occurs but can be reduced by good drainage and cultivation in humus-rich soils with adequate water holding capacity.

[13] Anthracnose spots caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides may infect the crop but can be easily controlled by spraying copper oxychloride.

The shoot regeneration highly depends on variety, soil fertility, adequate water supply and control of weeds and pests.

There are 17 active nutrients compounds in Jute leaves including protein, fat, carbohydrate, fiber, ash, calcium, potassium, iron, sodium, phosphorus, beta-carotene, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and ascorbic acid.

C. olitorius could be grown in a floating system with nutrient solution and could produce baby leaves, which would be interesting for the fresh cut leafy vegetable industry in Europe.

[19] The plant stalk is cut and then processed by pulling up, rippling, partial retting, breaking, spinning and combing to obtain fine fibres that are well separated from unwanted woody material.

[20] In Africa and the Middle East, a different type is grown with the leaves and shoots being used for food while the fibre is considered of little importance.

[6] C. olitorius is cultivated in Syria, Lebanon, Tunisia and Egypt as a potherb and its culinary use goes back at least as far as the Ancient Egyptians.

[21] It is an important leafy vegetable in Côte d'Ivoire, Benin, Liberia, Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

A traditional Syrian, Lebanese, Tunisian, Turkish Cypriot, Jordanian, Palestinian and Egyptian dish made of C. olitorius leaves is mulukhiyah.