The castor bean in the photo will not leave anyone indifferent

castor bean

The castor bean plant looks very impressive in the photo, and is often even mistaken for a palm tree! Although, of course, it is not a palm tree.

Castor bean or otherwise Castor plant belongs to the perennials of the Euphorbiaceae family, originating from tropical and subtropical regions. Castor bean leaves can reach a size of up to 1 meter or more, and the entire plant can be up to 2-3 meters in height. Castor bean flower stalks are very beautiful and give it an even more unique look.

On the Internet castor bean in the photo sometimes green, sometimes red. It may seem that its foliage turns red in the fall, as happens with deciduous trees. But no, these are just 2 different types of castor beans - with green and red foliage.

Castor beans are grown by obtaining seedlings, which are then planted in open ground, since they come from warm countries. Seeds are sown in late February - early March. You can buy them or it is better to use seeds from your plants collected in the fall. Castor bean seeds can be stored for up to 4 years without losing their properties, and their germination rate is excellent.

You need to know that castor bean belongs to poisonous plants! Therefore, store the seeds where children and pets cannot reach, and also separately from food products.

The seeds germinate quickly, and almost immediately a powerful sprout 5 cm high appears. When the first true leaves form, the seedlings are transplanted into fairly large pots or cut 3-5 liter water cans.

Seedlings are planted in open ground when there is a guarantee that frost will not hit. Castor beans do not require special care - they grow by leaps and bounds! Unless it likes abundant watering and will be happy to feed it with a solution of bird droppings.