Castor bean plant - beautiful but dangerous

Most people have no idea that the castor bean plant contains a very strong toxin. And on the surface, you can't say that a rather ornamental plant can be so dangerous.

In the subtropics and tropics, castor bean plants can grow up to 10 meters in height! In our middle lane, this does not happen. In our latitudes, castor bean is an annual plant, it can reach a maximum of three meters in height.

The castor bean plant is decorative thanks to its large leaves. They can range in size from 30 to 80 cm and range in color from dark green to reddish.

The highest concentration of the toxin is found in the seeds of the plant. This poison is equally dangerous for animals and for humans. And so far, scientists have not been able to invent any antidote from the toxin contained in castor oil plant.

If, despite all of the above, you want to grow castor oil plant for decorative purposes, then you need to dwell on the features of caring for it.

In general, the castor bean plant is not demanding on any special growing conditions, but there are still preferences for better growth.

For example, it would be better to plant castor oil plants in a sunny place, since the plant is sensitive to hypothermia and frost. As for the soil, it is better to provide the plants with fertile (black soil) soil, loose, well-moistened.

If the season is dry, then watering the castor oil plant needs regular watering. This is especially true for young plants that bloom and form seeds.

They have a beneficial effect on castor oil and fertilizing with fertilizers. In the period before the formation of inflorescences, it is recommended to apply nitrogen fertilizing with watering.