Planting and growing castor beans is quite simple. Typically, castor beans are planted in open ground.

In Russia, castor bean appeared only in the 19th century. It was brought from India, where there is always a warm climate. Habitat of this plant– these are tropical latitudes, under the sun of which it grows up to 10 meters. Castor bean planting and care can easily be carried out in Russian latitudes, although its height will not be so large - about 2.5 meters. The plant has erect stems different colors with large leaves, the length of which exceeds 50 cm.

If the conditions for planting castor beans are in open ground, you need to know that the plant is monoecious.

In other words, women's and male flowers located on the same plant. The fruits ripen in the space between the leaves and are a round, spiny capsule. It is thanks to the unusual fruits that castor bean planting and care is quite popular among Russian gardeners. Castor bean seeds have an oval shape and a smooth surface. It is worth noting that it is precisely because of the similarity of the seeds to the mite that the plant got its name. Castor bean seeds are needed to obtain castor oil. At the same time, she is extremely poisonous plants Therefore, cultivation and care must be done with great care. The plant contains an extremely toxic substance, ricin. You should know that eating its fruits can be fatal.

How to plant castor beans

The plant is planted in open ground at the beginning of summer and is guided by standard technology for growing ornamental crops.

Castor beans are planted on level land plot, which is well lit from all sides and has a thick fertile layer.

There should be no stagnation of water in the soil. If the site does not have the necessary fertile layer, before planting the soil must be dug well and humus added to it. In order for castor bean to grow well in an unusual climate, the soil for it must have good water and air permeability.

When the plant is planted in open ground, it should be compacted with earth near the trunk and watered with a large amount of pre-settled water.

In open ground you need to make holes five centimeters deep. You need to sow three seeds at a time. To protect them as much as possible from possible frosts, cut plastic bottles should be installed above them in the open ground.

Another important nuance: castor bean is a spreading crop, so the distance between holes should be at least a meter.

The culture grows very quickly, and can reach two meters in a year.

Castor bean care

Despite its unpretentiousness, the culture still needs care. The plant will feel comfortable only if the soil near its trunk is always loose and moist.

The plant needs to be fed before the inflorescences form.

Typically, nutritional complexes containing nitrogen are used for this purpose. Castor bean: planting and care is, first of all, protecting it from weeds. To do this, you need to carry out intensive weeding in the spring and at the very beginning of summer. The culture loves moisture very much, so it needs to be watered generously weekly. In order for moisture to be absorbed into the roots of the plant, it is necessary to water either early in the morning or in the evening, when the sun has already disappeared below the horizon.

Caring for castor beans is not only weeding, loosening and watering, but also protecting it from pests. It should be noted that the plant rarely gets sick, but preventive measures will help protect it from possible infections and pests. This can be done with the help of specially developed means, and with the help of folk recipes. How can castor beans be affected?

Alternaria blight appears in the form of spots on the leaf part, which then affect the buds and flowers.

You can protect the crop from this fungus using Cartocide.

Verticillium wilt appears as yellow spots. This disease causes leaf loss. You can cope with it using seed protectants. Castor beans are characterized by infection with black or gray rot. The appearance of plaque leads to wilting of the plant. Using Topaz treatment, you can defeat both types of rot. Defence from powdery mildew produced using preparations containing sulfur. A disease such as white leg is very dangerous. It can destroy the plant, so castor beans in open ground need to be treated with “Kartotsid”.

If the crop becomes infected, it is necessary to destroy the affected shoots. Crop rotation is also important in growing castor beans. Re-planting in the same place is possible only after eight years.

Castor bean planting and care: how to choose a variety

There are few castor bean varieties for open ground, however, they are all excellent for growing in temperate climates. This garden crop is quite unpretentious, but, being brought from warm latitudes, it requires shelter for the winter.

It is necessary to note the five most common varieties. Castor bean "Zanzibar" reaches two meters, but no more. It has bright red leaves and the stems are purple in color. This is an excellent tapeworm plant, in other words, it is best grown separately from others. It is in such an environment that this variety exhibits its decorative properties.

Gibson's castor bean grows up to one and a half meters in length. Its leaves are also bright red.

This variety can even be grown on the balcony, but most often it is planted in garden beds.

The “Indian” variety is distinguished by a black trunk and dark green leaves. This variety of crop is combined with other varieties of castor beans.

“Borbon tree” castor bean is a powerful plant up to three meters in length, which is distinguished by fairly large leaves and has a powerful red stem. It is planted in open ground both as a tapeworm and as an addition to the overall landscape ensemble. One of the most notable varieties is "Kazachka", which has very beautiful bright red leaves with a purple tint and red flowers.

How to plant castor beans in open ground?

The variety grows up to two meters in length.

Castor bean seeds

Castor bean planting and care is associated with the cultivation of seeds through which its reproduction occurs. They are planted in open ground conditions in early May, if the ground reaches a temperature of +14 degrees. When planting, it is important to know that the seeds do not tolerate frost, so in cold climates you should be especially careful.

To obtain seedlings, castor bean seeds are sown at the very end of March or beginning of April. If you want to get an early variety of the crop, the seeds should first be immersed in hot and then cold water, which will soften their shell.

To scarify, you can also rub the seed coat with sandpaper right before sowing, after which they need to be soaked in a growth stimulator overnight. You should know that not all seeds germinate. The germination percentage is about 60-70%.

Therefore, scarification is really necessary and useful for obtaining the required number of seeds ready for seedlings.

Each seed is planted in a container with a fertile layer of soil.

When the sprouts have appeared, they need to be peeled, as it can cause rotting. At the first shoots, the containers are transferred to a well-lit but cool place. In order for the lateral roots to begin their formation, soil must be added to the container during the growth of the seedlings. If all planting rules are followed, seedlings will appear within a week.

Application of castor beans

As already mentioned, this culture is perfect for decorating a garden landscape.

Bright leaves, flowers and trunks effectively distinguish it from other plants and accentuate the necessary garden areas.

Therefore, most often castor beans are planted separately from other trees and shrubs. However, it will look good in open ground in an ensemble with its other varieties.

It is popular to plant castor beans along fences and fences.

Besides decorative properties The plant also has healing qualities. Castor oil is a well-known product for treating hair and restoring the beauty of eyelashes and eyebrows. The oil is also used internally to improve intestinal motility. However, it is very difficult to make it at home. Firstly, you will need a press to squeeze oil out of the seeds, and secondly, subsequent processing hot temperature to destroy the toxic substance ricin.

But castor oil is not the only healing product, which can be obtained from castor beans. A decoction of the leaves is popular. It is used to induce labor, treat endometritis, and also to treat burns and constipation.

To prepare the infusion, you will need two teaspoons of pre-crushed leaves. They need to be poured with a glass of boiling water and kept in a water bath for about 15 minutes. As a treatment, use a tablespoon at least three times a day.

For colds, steamed castor bean leaves should be applied to the throat. Castor bean planting and care are fairly simple activities that will decorate the landscape and add a touch of exoticism to it.

Castor bean planting and care in open ground, transplantation, propagation

Castor bean. Growing and care

Do you like palm trees? Do you want to grow their likeness? Plant castor bean (Ricinus commúnis L.), popularly called castor oil, paradise tree, Turkish hemp.

In our country, this plant is grown as an annual plant, despite the fact that it grows up to 3 m or more. In the subtropics and tropics it grows as an evergreen perennial, reaching 10 m.

Castor bean is a genus of plants belonging to the Euphorbiaceae family and includes only one species. The stems are straight, hollow inside, relatively branched, with a bluish, waxy coating. The leaves are few, huge (up to 0.8 m), long-petiolate, deeply cut, with pointed parts. Their color can be green or purple.

Castor bean flowers are small, inconspicuous, dioecious, collected in inflorescences formed at the ends of the shoots and in the axils of the leaves. The petals are light in color (white or yellowish), numerous stamens form bunches. Pistils with bright stigmas (yellow or crimson). Male flowers are located at the bottom of the racemes, and female flowers at the top.

The fruit is a large capsule (up to 3 cm) spherical in shape, in some varieties with spines or thorns. Its color can be scarlet, green or purple. The seeds are oval with a longitudinal seam, several pieces are produced in a box. Their color is spotted, the tone depends on the variety (brown, pink, gray, etc.). The shape and color of the seed is associated with a mite, hence the name of the plant.

Growing from seeds

Castor beans reproduce by seeds. Their germination rate is low. Preferred seedling method cultivation with sowing in April. In this case, the seeds have time to ripen. Before sowing, scarification (mechanical disruption of the integrity of the shell), which accelerates germination, is desirable. This can be done by rubbing the seeds on sandpaper. After this, the seeds need to be soaked for 12 hours in a solution of a growth stimulator, for example, Epin-Extra or Zircon.

It is better to sow the seeds in separate containers (at least 0.4 l) in disinfected soil to a depth of 1.5 cm. Seedlings are possible already on the 2nd day, but without the described preparation they have to wait a very long time. Sometimes, during germination, a peel remains on the cotyledon leaves; it must be carefully removed after preliminary wetting.

When the first true leaf appears, young specimens should be moved to a cool, bright room to avoid stretching too much. You can plant it in a permanent place only if you are sure that the period of possible frosts has ended. The earthen ball must be preserved; there is no need to bury it.

Care

The common castor bean develops well and grows only in sunny places with cultivated, nutritious, breathable soil. Regular watering is necessary, especially during flowering and fruit formation. Fertilizer application, given the rapid growth, is necessary.

Use in landscape design

Castor bean is good as a tapeworm. On large area you can plant three plants in a triangle against the background of the lawn, forming a “tropical island”. If the area under the plants is covered with decorative mulch, then general form it will be much more interesting. Can be used in mixborders.

In order not to install supports that spoil appearance castor bean, it can be planted near a net with climbing plants, letting shoots pass through the cells. Large pointed leaves of castor bean, and later fruits along the trunk against the background of flowering kobes, clematis, sweet pea and so on. - a very winning combination.

Warning

All parts of the castor bean are poisonous; you must wear gloves when working. If there are small children in the family, then it is better to contemplate this beauty in pictures.

Growing castor beans from seeds

Castor bean is a tall, powerful decorative and medicinal plant with large palmate-lobed leaves, resembling an exotic palm tree in appearance.
If you want to bring the flavor of the subtropics to your garden, I recommend planting castor beans. Two or three copies of it will be enough to create spectacular “palm” compositions in different parts of the garden.

The Russian name for this plant, “castor bean,” comes from the Latin word “ricinus” (“mite”). It is associated with the shape of castor bean seeds, which resembles the oriental tick. Other popular names for this plant are “castor oil”, “heaven tree”, “Turkish hemp”.

Castor bean(Ricinus communis) is the only representative of this genus, which has many garden varieties.
On sale you can find seeds of green and red-leaved castor bean varieties, whose capsules are green or very bright (scarlet, red-purple).

The castor bean is native to Africa, where it grows perennial. Castor bean seeds were found by archaeologists in the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs. This indicates that this plant has been used by humans since ancient times.

In particular favorable conditions The growth height of the stem of perennial castor oil reaches 10 m. And in our latitudes, castor oil is grown as a heat-loving annual; here it grows much lower.

I will share my experience with the readers of Gardenia.ru successful cultivation castor beans in a garden near Moscow with obtaining their own seeds.

Caring for castor beans in the garden

Castor bean is considered quite unpretentious. Despite this, let's not forget about the preferences of this majestic and interesting plant, providing suitable conditions in the garden.
Castor beans grow better and look more decorative in sunny places. This heat-loving plant does not tolerate frosts or prolonged cold spells.

Castor bean prefers areas with deeply cultivated, loose, nutritious soil (chernozems) with sufficient moisture. In the absence of rain, especially during drought, an actively developing plant needs regular provision of moisture. It is also desirable to water castor beans during the critical period from flowering to seed formation.

Features of sowing castor bean seeds and seedling development

Castor beans reproduce by seeds, which ripen in several pieces in fruits - spherical boxes covered with thorns.

In the photo: castor bean fruits; castor bean seeds

I sow castor bean seeds in early April.

My many years of experience showed that seedlings sown at this time develop quickly and do not outgrow.
When sown in April, castor seedlings transferred to the garden after the threat of return frosts not only have time to develop into a powerful plant that decorates the garden, but also form full-fledged seeds for subsequent reproduction.

Gardeners often complain that castor bean seeds take a long time to germinate or do not germinate at all...
I agree that the germination rate of castor bean seeds is not one hundred percent. Out of ten seeds (not purchased, but collected from my castor bean), 4-5 usually germinate...

To speed up the germination of large, slow-germinating castor bean seeds, scarification is usually used. In order for the seed sprout to begin to develop faster and be able to open the hard shell, you need to lightly rub the seed with sandpaper before preparing for sowing. Then, after the shell of the castor bean seed is broken when they are soaked, water will be able to flow inside.
At night I soak the seeds treated in this way in a solution of a growth stimulator (Epin, NV-101...)

It is better to sow castor bean seeds individually. I immediately sow them in separate plastic or peat cups to a depth of 1-2 cm.
At good conditions maintenance of crops, seedlings may appear on the 2-3rd day.

In the photo: germination of castor bean seed; castor seedling; young castor bean in the garden

When seeds germinate, pay attention Special attention on the cotyledon leaves of castor seedlings. They are usually covered with a sticky, oily peel, which must be removed to prevent the sprouts from rotting.
I do this very carefully, trying not to damage the delicate leaves - to do this, I moisten the peel (you can spray it) and carefully remove it.

Maintenance of castor seedlings and planting seedlings in the garden

The development of castor seedlings is very fast. Even before the first true leaf appears, the stems of the seedlings begin to stretch. Therefore, as soon as the first true leaf appears on castor seedlings, it is better to move the seedlings to a cool, bright place.

There are recommendations to carry out several transfers of developing castor seedlings, but I never do this. It’s just that when I plant seeds, I fill each cup halfway with the substrate. And then, when the seedling’s stem begins to grow rapidly, I add soil almost to the edge of the cup.

I plant castor seedlings in a permanent place after the end of spring frosts.
To prevent the earthen ball from falling apart when transferring castor bean seedlings from plastic cups into the garden, and the roots are not injured, I water the seedlings abundantly before planting.

Peat cups are convenient because they can be buried in the ground, and in this case, transshipment is not required.

Castor bean in the garden landscape

Where is the best place to place castor beans in the garden?
It depends on your taste and capabilities.

Castor bean looks beautiful as a tapeworm against the background of a lawn. If the area is large enough, you can group 2-3 plants together.

I do not agree with the opinion I heard that castor oil loses its effectiveness in compositions with other plants, when adjacent to flowers. In my garden, castor beans go well with both low-growing and tall plants: daylilies, monarda, phlox, mallow...

Castor beans look great planted near the edge " green screen", formed by clematis on a support grid.
The powerful castor bean has a stem that reaches a height of two meters or more, with a wide spread of leaves to the sides. It is sometimes difficult for such a large plant to stay upright.
I don't want to spoil the majestic appearance of this plant by installing support stakes.
Here's the solution I came up with: I carefully pass the young leaves of the developing castor bean into the cells of a nearby plastic mesh— as a result, I do without sticks and garters.

In the photo: castor bean near the net; castor beans and clematis; castor beans and mallows;

Flowering and fruiting of castor beans

Castor beans are wind pollinated, and they bloom very interestingly! Along the entire length of the vertical racemose inflorescence, the flowers are arranged in groups: in the upper part - female, and in the lower part - male.

Castor beans grown from seedlings are not only very powerful and beautiful, but also provide seeds.
When my castor bean flowers fade, they are replaced by decorative fruits - prickly “hedgehog balls” of bright red color, inside which many seeds ripen.
If the summer is not too rainy and cold, then the castor bean blooms tirelessly until frost, and the fruits have time to form full-fledged seeds.
When summer is rainy, moisture that does not dry out for a long time and low temperatures cause rotting of castor bean fruits. Then you can hardly count on your own seeds, unfortunately...

In the photo: castor bean blooms; castor bean inflorescence; male castor bean flowers

Flowering and fruiting castor beans look very beautiful.
To obtain high-quality castor bean seeds, you should leave 2-3 of the strongest upper inflorescences, and it is better to remove the rest.

I extract castor bean seeds from ripe “hedgehog balls”. First, I dry them a little, and then carefully destroy the prickly shell of the fruit. I extract the seeds from them and dry them for 2-3 weeks.

About the toxicity of castor beans

Castor beans, like all other representatives of the euphorbia family, are POISONOUS!
All parts of the plant, and especially castor bean seeds (they contain the protein ricin and the alkaloid ricinin) are very poisonous, fatal to humans and animals!
Always remember this when dealing with castor beans - carry out all work on planting, caring for and collecting castor bean seeds with gloves. After finishing any work with castor beans, wash your hands thoroughly with soap!

Healing castor oil used in official medicine, obtained from castor bean seeds in pharmacological factories by pressing.

Castor bean planting and plant care

At the same time, during the process of squeezing the raw material, the toxic substance ricin remains in the cake - it does not turn into oil.
Then castor oil undergoes special additional processing, during which the remaining poison in it is destroyed. After this, you can use castor oil in medical purposes.
Remember that it is possible to get rid of the toxic substances contained in castor bean seeds only through special industrial processing. Therefore, never try to obtain castor oil at home - because its subsequent use can lead to death!

Store castor bean seeds in a safe place, especially if you have small children: castor bean seeds should never fall into their hands! Better yet, refrain from planting castor beans until the child stops trying everything unfamiliar and interesting...

If you take the necessary precautions when growing castor beans, there is nothing to fear. Grow exotic castor beans in your garden and admire this giant ornamental plant with beautiful fruits all season long!

Lyudmila Rezhnova (Dubna, Moscow region)
Gardenia.ru "Floriculture: Pleasure and Benefit"

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This plant gives a strange feeling to those who see it for the first time. Resembles an exotic palm tree in structure. The leaves are elegant, palmate-lobed, similar in shape to the leaves of a giant maple. The bush is tall, impressive, up to four meters. The colors of the leaves are unusual. Castor bean, despite the dissonant name, gives the garden a spectacular subtropical flavor and oriental charm.

Pictured is castor bean

Castor bean grows as an annual in our latitudes. The plant belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family. It has many varietal species that are used as decorative in modern gardening. Homeland - subtropics. Africa. In the wild it grows up to ten meters and grows for many years.

As a subtropical inhabitant, it loves humidity, light and warmth. Prefers loose, highly nutritious soil. Not suitable for pot growing. It is a poisonous plant.

In Russian, castor bean is (translated from the Latin “ricinus”), which means tick. The seeds of the plant look similar to a tropical mite. These “pincer-shaped” seeds were found by archaeologists during excavations of the tombs of the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt.

Castor bean varieties

Variety	Peculiarities
Zanzibar	Short (no taller than two meters). The leaves are bright blood purple.
	Up to four meters high. The leaf color is metallic red.
Cambodian	Tall, up to six meters. It has dark leaves and an almost black trunk.
Northern palm	The most cold-resistant variety. The leaves are rich dark green.
	Medium-sized variety. Bright red leaves with a hint of bronze.
	Medium-sized variety with dark green leaves on dark red stems.

How to grow beautiful castor beans

In our country, castor beans are grown during the spring-autumn season, since they do not tolerate even the slightest cold. This heat-loving annual is quite unpretentious and simple in agricultural technology.

1. Loves the sun. It needs to be grown in areas exposed to sunlight, otherwise you won’t get the varietal color of the leaves.
2. It does not tolerate not only frosts, but even ordinary cold snaps if it lasts more than a few days. Therefore, it is better to sow in open ground late than early. Or better yet, prefer seedling method growing.
3. As for soil, it prefers nutritious black soil. The soil should be cultivated, highly friable, and not heavy.
4. Humidity is constantly needed to be increased. When there is drought, the leaves wither and lose their decorative properties.

Sowing seeds for seedlings

Due to the fact that the threat of cold weather can destroy the plant, in order to make the growing season safe, castor beans are grown as seedlings.

The plant reproduces only by seeds, which are found in spherical seed pods covered with sharp thorns, several in each.

During ripening, these boxes crack and castor bean seeds spill out of them.

Castor bean seeds

The time to sow seeds is already in March, but you can do this throughout April and even May. Optimally - mid-spring. The seeds sown at this time produce friendly healthy shoots, rapidly gain growth, do not outgrow or stretch out. During the season, seedlings have time to develop into a full-fledged powerful plant with all varietal characteristics. On a plant that is fully matured by the end of the growing season, seeds suitable for subsequent sowing are formed.

Castor bean seeds take a long time to germinate. Germination rate is also not one hundred percent - out of ten, at best, 2/3 hatch. Seeds need to be prepared for sowing. All methods are suitable - soaking, germination. But the most important preparatory step, without which it will be difficult for castor bean seeds to sprout, is scarification.

To scarify, the seed must be rubbed with sandpaper to reduce its stiffness.

Castor bean planting and care in open ground

This will break the shell and give the sprout a better chance of being born sooner. After scarification, you must soak the seed. First, for a day in a clean place warm water, and then another night - in a growth stimulator. Any stimulant can be used. It is most effective in in this case heteroauxin.

Heteroauxin

You only need to sow castor beans individually in separate plastic containers, quite large and deep. More than half the containers are filled with earth. The seeds are dropped into holes two centimeters deep. They fall asleep. Crops are sent to a warm place. They can be covered with film, or not covered.

The first castor bean sprouts

After complete treatment, the seeds germinate quickly - sprouts appear within 5-7 days. It can be difficult for them to shed the oily coating. To prevent it from causing rot in the pot, the shell is removed manually, being careful not to damage the sprout.

Castor seedlings

Cotyledon leaves also form quickly. It is important at this time to maintain humidity and heat at +20°С…+22°С.

But as soon as the first true leaves appear on the seedlings, they need to be moved to a cool place - about +16°C.

Important! Seedlings need bright and long-lasting light at all stages, starting with sprouting.

Castor beans grow quite intensively and it may happen that the feeding area of ​​the pot is not enough for it. First, you can simply add nutrient soil to the top of the pot. Then transplant the plant into a larger container.

Intensive growth of castor seedlings

Planting castor beans in the garden

It makes no sense to plant before the onset of summer - any cold will destroy the seemingly powerful and large plant. When June begins, the seedlings, having previously been hardened, can be sent to the garden.

Before planting, you need to water the plants in pots well several times so that the entire lump of earth gets wet. It’s hard to believe, but castor beans are afraid of transplantation - the roots are easily damaged and then take a very long time and are poorly restored.

The soaked soil along with the roots must be removed from the pot, without breaking the coma, and moved to the prepared garden hole.

Planting a sprout in the soil

Sowing in the ground

If you don’t want to grow seedlings at home, but want to have exotic plants on your plot, you can sow the seeds in the ground. But this is done not earlier than May, closer to the middle. Since seedlings and young seedlings will not withstand even short and mild return frosts. For sowing in unprotected soil, the same seed preparation methods are used as for growing seedlings.

Holes are made in the soil. 2-3 seeds are sown in each hole. If all three or two sprout, weak shoots can be subsequently removed.

Sowing seeds in the ground

Crops must be covered with film at least at the first stage at night.

Film-covered bed

Castor bean care

An adult plant is so unpretentious that it practically does not need care. Occasionally loosen the soil at the roots and weed out the weeds. And if you mulch it with bark or pebbles to maintain moisture, then there is no need to loosen and weed.

The only condition is regular watering. It is worth monitoring this so as not to destroy the plant. Throughout the season, and especially in hot weather, castor beans are watered generously with plenty of water, at least twice a week. One plant consumes up to 10 liters of water.

The castor plant will not be offended if it is not fed anything other than water. But for nitrogen-containing fertilizers, which allow the leaves to acquire maximum size And highly decorative, responds with gratitude. The plant especially needs nitrogen during the formation of inflorescences, so that the seeds can then ripen.

Castor beans are unpretentious and require only watering

Important! Castor beans are poisonous. And not only the seeds, which contain enough poison that consuming 5-6 would lead to fatal poisoning in a child. For adults, the dose is three times more.

But it’s not just the seeds that are deadly to consume. The castor bean plant also has a poisonous stem. Despite the fact that plant cake is used as a fertilizer, it is also used to control pests living in the soil.

A beautiful but poisonous castor bean plant

Valuable castor oil is obtained from castor beans and used as a component in Vishnevsky’s ointment, but only with appropriate processing, which can only be carried out at the enterprise.

For a long time, castor beans were not in demand as decorative element landscape design. Today the plant is increasingly used for gardens in Oriental and African styles. It can be used to decorate walls, plant along a fence, or use it in solitaire plantings.

Castor bean - garden decoration

Castor beans, which are easy to grow from seeds, are liked by many gardeners because of their exotic and decorative appearance. This plant can decorate almost any area.

If you create optimal conditions for the growth of castor beans, then over time it will turn into a palm-shaped plant, which will differ from the rest in height and originality. How to grow castor beans?

Description of castor bean

Thanks to castor beans, you can create something like subtropics on a small piece of land. This plant is quite powerful in appearance and can withstand even the most difficult conditions. Caring for castor beans does not cause any particular difficulties.

Plant name - castor bean. However, it unites many varieties and varieties of this plant, which have certain differences. First of all, this concerns color and shape.

Such an abundance of varieties indicates that this plant has been grown for a long time in different countries with completely different climatic conditions. Currently this plant considered the most popular and is grown in many countries. Its homeland is Africa.

Type of castor bean plant

At home, this plant is grown as a perennial. In other countries, castor beans are used only to create original landscape designs. Here it is annual plant, which can grow up to 5 meters in height.

Externally, this plant has enough powerful stem and large leaves , which resemble maple foliage. To get an original garden plot, it is not necessary to plant a plantation. Just a few plants are enough. It is worth considering that castor oil grows quickly and strongly.

How to choose a landing site

This plant is propagated by planting seeds. Growing it is not special labor.

The main thing is to grow and care for the seedlings properly. First of all, you should choose appropriate place for a plant on your site.

In this case, you should adhere to the following rules:

1. Choose an area with loose and nutritious soil that is well moistened and cultivated. It is best to use black soil. There must be good drainage.
2. The site should be located on the sunny side. The plant requires a large number of Sveta.
3. The site must be protected from the wind on all sides. Castor bean feels uncomfortable in a draft. This is reflected in her growth.

When to plant seeds

Castor bean seeds are far from uncommon. It won't be difficult to purchase them. Planting material should be planted according to the following scheme: to obtain seedlings - from March to April, in open ground - around May.

The most popular method is growing seedlings. After receiving quality planting material, you can start planting in open ground. The advantage of this method is that young plants can be planted on the site immediately after the frost has passed.

Before planting seeds, keep in mind that castor beans grow very quickly. To avoid further injury to the roots, the seeds should be plant in small containers separately.

To ensure that the planting material rises well, experts recommend that before planting place seeds in water for a day. They should only be soaked in warm water. In this case, the fluid must be constantly changed. Water should always be fresh.

In order for the root system of plants to be well established in the soil, seeds should be placed in containers at a depth of 2-6 centimeters. Caring for the plant is quite simple.

Containers after planting castor bean seeds should be cover with dark cellophane. After this, the pots with future seedlings should be placed on a windowsill that is well lit. There is no need to water the soil regularly. This can ruin the seedlings. You should not do this either before or after landing. When the first shoots appear, you can moisten the soil.

You can replant sprouted plants as soon as the nights become warmer. You should not plant castor beans before the spring frosts have passed. The plants will simply die.

Do not forget that castor seedlings are very tender. Repotting can greatly affect the condition of the plants. Therefore, you need to work carefully.

Planting seeds in open ground

This is another equally popular planting method. It is worth noting that this method has its own characteristics. They should be taken into account. Otherwise, the plants will die.

First of all, you need to wait until frosts will pass completely. The air temperature at night should not fall below 12 °C. Planting in open ground is carried out according to the following scheme:

• Seed preparation. The oily film that covers castor bean seeds is quite dense. Therefore, each seed should be processed. To do this, you need to walk over the surface of the planting material with sandpaper. This will allow the sprouts to germinate much faster. This period will be up to 3 weeks.
• Planting seeds. Castor beans should be planted in well-warmed soil. The depth of the holes should be 2−10 centimeters. It is recommended to place several seeds in one hole.

Rules of care

No one takes care of the castor bean, which grows in its homeland - Africa, but our lands and climate are alien to this beautiful foreigner.

Therefore, if you decide to grow such “palm trees” on your site, make sure that the plants receive everything they need for development and growth.

High quality and complete care- the key to beautiful and healthy plant. The main thing is to follow a few basic rules:

• good watering;
• draft protection;
• sufficient amount of light;
• high-quality fertilizers and timely fertilizing;
• compliance with temperature conditions.

Castor beans grow very quickly from seeds. Main, follow the watering rules. It must be timely. Experts recommend watering castor beans once every five days. Up to 10 liters of water should be poured under each bush.

After such watering, all weeds can be removed. Young shoots will only be grateful for this. It is worth noting that good watering is very important for these plants during the period of seed ripening, as well as when flower stalks appear. Castor beans grow throughout the summer season.

For castor beans to be strong, it is necessary feed her in a timely manner. In this case, the characteristics of the plant should be taken into account. Here are some rules:

1. Nitrogen fertilizers should be applied before castor beans begin to bloom.
2. Potassium-phosphorus additives should be added to the soil when the plant begins to lay clusters of flowers.

Pests and diseases dangerous to castor beans

Castor bean is a strong plant that can withstand attacks from many pests. However, there are situations when the plant begins to get sick.

As for insects, castor beans are often attacked by sand lances, meadow moths, fall armyworm caterpillars, pseudowireworms and wireworms.

They can harm young shoots. The plant should be protected from these insects in cases where the seeds are planted in the ground. Often, castor bean boxes are attacked by meadow bugs during the flowering period.

Caterpillars are not difficult to deal with. If there are few insects, they can be collected by hand. If there are a lot of them, then it is necessary additionally treat plants. For this you can use an infusion of wormwood.

To prepare, grind the herb and add water to it. You need to fill a third of the bucket with raw materials. Water must be poured to the very edges. This remedy needs to be infused for several days.

You can protect castor beans from pests in another way. It is enough to place it near it landing from herbs , for example, with parsley, mint, dill, coriander, garlic and onion.

To protect seedlings from wireworms, you should treat the holes during planting potassium permanganate solution.

Castor bean is a non-capricious plant that is easy to care for. However, it is worth monitoring the condition of the plant. Castor beans are susceptible to infection by diseases such as:

• Fungal diseases.
• Powdery mildew.
• Late blight.
• Phyllosticosis.
• Cercosporiosis, bacteriosis, black, gray and pink rot.

To protect the plantings, you should treat them with Bordovsky mixture. In addition, other drugs can be used, but with a similar mechanism of action.

Few plants that naturally live in the tropics can adapt to the conditions of the middle zone. Such unpretentious ornamental crops include castor beans, planting and caring for them in open ground will not be difficult for even the most inexperienced summer resident.

Having seen castor bean at least once, it is difficult to confuse it with any other large plant, with palmate leaves up to 80 cm in diameter and clusters of seed pods covered with thorns. The culture has an unassuming disposition and an enviable growth rate. Even in middle lane The height of castor beans can reach 3 meters. In more common climates, the castor bean is a perennial with seeds rich in castor oil. On summer cottages the seed pods do not ripen, and the plant, called "castor bean" or "Christ palm", is cultivated as an annual.

Planting castor beans for open ground and caring for seedlings

Castor beans are grown using large convex seeds with a painted surface. During the spring months after sowing, they will have time to germinate, grow stronger and produce their first true leaves. Planting castor seedlings for open ground and caring for seedlings is carried out in early spring.

To speed up the appearance of sprouts, seeds with a dense shell are soaked for 24 hours in warm water. Then they are planted in separate cups or peat pots, deepened by 1–2 cm.

The seedlings are quite large; large containers are used for planting. In the future, when the time comes for planting in open ground, this will help preserve root system castor beans from damage.

The cups with seeds are covered with film and placed closer to the window, where the temperature will be between 15–17 °C. When 7 days have passed, the containers are brought out into the light. The first shoots can be noticed no earlier than after 18–20 days. Until this moment and after, until the time comes for planting and caring for castor beans in the open ground, the seedlings are provided with:

• , maintaining moderate substrate humidity;
• bright, but not direct sunlight, necessary for the formation of a healthy, non-stretched crown;
• room temperature;
• no draft.

When to plant castor beans in open ground? The best time is May, when there is no danger of cold weather returning and the soil has warmed up sufficiently. A week earlier, they begin to harden the crops, taking them out into the fresh air.

Planting castor beans in open ground with seeds

The seedling method is suitable for planting and caring for castor beans in open ground in Siberia and other areas where spring can be long and summer not as long as we would like. IN southern regions It is not necessary to grow seedlings. It is enough to properly prepare the seeds and sow them immediately permanent place residence of plants.

Treating the surface of the castor seed, especially the side groove, with sandpaper will help speed up germination. The germination rate of castor beans does not exceed 50%; processing and increasing the number of seeds will help to grow the required number of bushes.

The seeds are planted in dug up and loosened soil, pre-mixed:

• with humus;
• if necessary, with sand;

Fast growing, powerful castor beans need a lot of food and light. Its root system requires a loose, well-drained substrate, but an area often visited by winds is not very suitable due to the risk of shoot breakage.

Sowing is carried out to a depth of 6–8 cm in May, and castor beans are planted in the ground in the Urals and in the North-West a little later, when the soil has warmed up and the seedlings have not frozen. To get a voluminous bush, you can put not one, but 2-3 seeds in a hole. Shoots appear after three weeks. From the sprouts that appear above the soil, carefully remove the hard seed shells that inhibit the growth of leaves.

Planting castor beans in open ground

The last week of May and the first half of June is the time to plant castor beans in open ground, and then care for an unusual, but very impressive plant.

During the warm season, castor beans actively develop, spending a lot of nutrition and moisture. Therefore, a couple of weeks before transferring the seedlings to the flowerbed, holes up to half a meter deep are dug under them, which are filled with a mixture of garden soil, manure or humus. The substrate is watered and covered with a thick film until planting.

When will you get to such a place? young plant, it will quickly acclimatize and begin to form a lush crown. The seedlings are planted in or with an intact earthen ball at the same level at which the castor bean grew before.

Simultaneously with planting, a strong support for a large ornamental plant is dug into the ground. The place where castor beans are planted in open ground is slightly compacted and watered so as to wet the ground to a depth of 15–20 cm.

Caring for castor beans after planting in open ground

Castor bean is one of the most unpretentious and undemanding ornamental plants. The main task of a summer resident who decides to decorate his plot with such large vegetation is to organize and carry out:

• regular watering;
• complex feeding designed to provide plants with nutrition and compensate for what the castor bean took;
• loosening the soil under the bushes;
• weeding until the plants grow and can independently suppress the weeds.

Before the buds appear, the plants are fed with complex formulations with a predominance of. It will help castor beans grow stems and foliage. In the second half of summer, a large annual plant can be supported with any fertilizer containing microelements, potassium and phosphorus, and also do not forget about abundant watering.

Once every five days, at least a bucket of water is poured under each castor bean bush. During dry periods, the soil is moistened 2–3 times more often.

The plant does not overwinter in the middle zone. First it dies aboveground part, then it’s time for the root system. When planting castor beans in open ground for the winter, all greenery is removed in advance, the soil is cleared of plant residues, dug up, adding organic fertilizers. To prevent the soil from becoming depleted, you should not plant castor beans in this place with the onset of spring.

Caring for castor beans is carried out with gloves, preferably in cloudy weather, in the evening or early in the morning, before the sun appears, the plants are poisonous. The ricin it contains is toxic if ingested through the mouth or respiratory system.

How to plant castor seedlings in the ground - video

Castor bean is an annual ornamental deciduous spreading plant up to 10 m high. The name is associated with the shape of the seeds, which resemble an insect that has drunk blood. Due to the decorative value of the huge palmately divided wide leaves on long petioles, the crop is widely used in landscape design. For industrial purposes, the crop is grown for its seeds.

Danger and harm of castor bean

Human, knowledgeable of this plant, treats it with caution, because all its parts are poisonous, mainly the seeds. One piece is enough for a child to receive a lethal dose, for an adult 7-8. Signs of poisoning:

• headache;
• nausea, vomiting;
• burning sensation and pain in the esophagus and intestines;
• loose stools with blood;
• convulsions.

First aid measures include gastric lavage with a 2% solution table salt, mixed with a suspension of activated carbon. After the procedure, you need to drink a lot of water and take enveloping agents.

The plant contains two toxic substances that can cause great harm to the body:

• ricinin (in flowers, seeds, cake and leaves);
• ricin (in seed coat).

Despite the danger, castor beans have found application, becoming widespread in medicine and more.

About the benefits of castor beans

The second name of this palm plant is castor tree, which contains healing oil and is one of the most poisonous plants in the world. Castor (ricin) oil is characterized by high reactivity, increased density and viscosity, dissolves in alcohol, does not freeze and does not dry out. When in contact with air it thickens, but does not oxidize.

Thanks to its antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and cleansing properties, Castor oil is successfully used in medicine to treat:

• inflammatory bowel diseases;
• constipation;
• hemorrhoids;
• skin damage;
• rheumatic and chronic pain, muscle spasms;
• colds;
• pathologies of the circulatory system;
• gynecological ailments;
• eye inflammation.

Castor bean oil is obtained by first hot pressing. In order to destroy the poison contained in the beans, the finished castor oil is treated with hot steam.

The product is successful not only in medicinal purposes. Lubricants are produced from the cake, nitrogen fertilizers and glue, used in paint and varnish production.

How to plant castor beans (video)

Varieties of castor bean

Africa is considered the birthplace of the castor tree. In tropical and subtropical countries it is a perennial. In cold climates, it is planted in open ground for the summer. In the fall, the roots have to be uprooted.

Depending on the variety, the crop differs in the size and shade of the leaves, from green to purple. The height of the plant reaches 3 - 5 m, and in countries with hot climates, the evergreen shrub can grow up to 10 m.

An ornamental variety bred by domestic breeders, reaching 1.5 - 2 m. It is distinguished by powerful stems, bright flowers and red-brown shiny branches. Juveniles have reddish-purple foliage covered with white dots. Then it darkens, acquiring a purple tint. The seed pods retain their rich color until fully ripe.

The moisture-loving plant prefers sunny and warm areas with fertile soil, so it is recommended to grow this type from the south side. The crop is propagated by seeds. Shoots appear after 10 - 12 days.

A large herbaceous plant, more than 2 m high, with a straight, branched stem. Seedlings are planted in groups or singly. Dark green leaves and large purple clusters of inflorescences perfectly decorate the walls. Seeds are germinated in mid-spring. Seedlings are planted in open ground after the onset of above-zero temperatures. environment. It is advisable to choose fertile soil and an open sunny place. It is recommended that the distance between seedlings be at least 50 - 70 cm.

An annual plant reaching a height of just over a meter. Large leaves look beautiful against the background of a dark trunk. Experts recommend planting in a group with other forms of culture.

A special feature of the variety is the varied color of the leaves, which have a steel tint. Among garden crops There is a blood-red dwarf form, which can be planted both in group variants and solo on a light background of a fence or green lawn. Prefers sandy loam soils. Tolerates the hot summer sun very well.

A powerful, fast-growing ornamental herbaceous plant of gigantic size. Grows up to 2.5 m. Palmate - large, separate green leaves located on branched stems. Dense racemose inflorescences consist of bright red flowers.

The palm tree is very heat-loving, light-loving and drought-resistant. For favorable growth, it is recommended to plant in well-cultivated areas. Seedlings planted at intervals of one meter from each other are used in the design of the territory.

Castor bean tree bourbon

It is one of the most commonly used types and forms of castor beans. A powerful tree with a red trunk and shiny large leaves grows up to 3 m.

An exotic crop that is undemanding in care, which has dioecious flowers collected in paniculate inflorescences, decorative leaves and unusual fruits, brings originality to the landscape.

Gardeners use heat-loving culture, resembling a palm tree, both in group and single plantings. Decorative culture looks extraordinary in combination with other plants. The advantage is fast growth and striking color palette number of varieties. The palm tree can be used as a single decoration, placed in a pot or in open ground at the entrance to the house, gazebo or other structures.

Due to the tree’s ability to grow to significant sizes in a relatively short period of time, it is easy to create a southern, subtropical atmosphere using just one or two plants. Carved leaves, for example, harmoniously decorate a lattice fence, allowing shoots to pass through the mesh holes.

Specially planting them along the border of the territory. This form of fencing zones a personal plot, dividing it into the required areas. The advantage of a hedge is the shade it creates, which attracts birds and helps provide shelter from the scorching rays of the sun. Thanks to the rapid growth of a peculiar star personal plot, it will take a short period of time after planting until a full-fledged hedge appears. Unlike a fence built from metal or other material, living fencing creates a soft and cozy atmosphere.

Methods of growing castor beans (video)

To create a piece of paradise in your garden, just plant seedlings in flower beds. With this planting option, it is recommended to dilute castor beans with representatives of low-growing crops. In open ground, a plant similar to a spreading palm tree looks great with dwarf needles, bright petunias, lilac hollyhocks and flowering shrubs.

The color of the leaves is directly related to the amount of sunlight falling on the palm tree. The more sun there is, the redder the color will be. In this case, the bush will reach large dimensions. In the shade the branches will have green color, and the tree itself will grow to medium size. Fast-growing shrubs can give garden plot a certain stylistic look, to disguise imperfections or to draw attention to a certain decorative object.

Many gardeners, forming landscape design, apply Japanese theme. This style is characterized by placing the tree on a hilly terrain illuminated by the sun. Then the castor plant is framed by an artificial pond of appropriate size, solid wood furniture and landscape interior elements.

Growing castor beans from seeds and planting them in open ground

The exotic bush reproduces by seeds that ripen in spherical, thorn-covered fruits. To ensure that the seedlings do not outgrow, they should be sown in early April.

Castor bean seeds have a hard shell, so scarification is used to speed up germination. Before sowing, carefully rub the seed coating with sandpaper. This will allow water to penetrate inside faster when soaking.

A day after soaking, it is necessary to sow the seeds in peat or plastic cups, preferably by the piece. Sowing depth in loose nutrient soil 2 - 3 cm. Seedlings must be kept in a well-lit place and tied to a support as they grow. To create a fluffy bush shape, after the seventh leaf appears, the top of the main stem can be pinched.

Seedlings should be moved outdoors only when the threat of frost has passed.. Castor bean shoots and roots are very delicate, so they require careful handling for reliable growth in a new location. As a result of injury to the root system, the seedling may even die. Before planting, it is necessary to water the soil abundantly, which will allow it to crumble. To remove the seedlings along with a lump of soil, the pot can be cut. After planting, the hole should be carefully filled with soil and lightly compacted.

In warm regions with no late low temperatures, pots will not be needed as the seeds can be sown in the garden soil. In order to identify and retain the strongest seedling, nest sowing is used.

Caring for garden castor beans

The exotic palm tree does not require serious care. Most important point in the process of caring for the plant - constant moistening of the soil. Powerful bushes are constantly growing and developing, so twice a week you should arm yourself with a hose and water the plant.

On initial stage development, seedlings grow slowly, so it is equally important to regularly loosen the soil, removing weeds that can choke the young seedlings, slowing their growth. It is advisable to feed the plant mineral fertilizers with nitrogen content. The exotic crop assimilates best in an aqueous solution. It is recommended to wear gloves when working and wash your hands after completing the procedures. This feeding needs to be done several times a season.

Important! Decorating your site ornamental plant, it is important to note that it is deadly poisonous, so it is recommended to choose a place inaccessible to children. A good option protection can be a fence that protects free access to the palm tree.

Why castor beans are poisonous (video)

When the first frost occurs, the castor bean dies. It must be cut to the very root, dried, collected and burned. Some gardeners prefer to move the dug up root to the basement for storage for the winter, but a plant grown the next year from the roots does not have any special advantages.