Yanjin Castor

Yanjin Castor

　　Castor is an annual tall herbaceous or perennial evergreen shrub of the Euphorbiaceae family. It was planted in this region in the 1950s. Along riverbanks, valleys, wastelands, and roadsides in counties such as Yiliang, Daguan, and Yanjin, it generally grows well. The average oil content of castor seeds is between 35% and 40%. Castor has significant economic value. Castor oil remains stable at high temperatures up to 500°C and does not solidify at low temperatures as low as -15°C. Plastic products made from castor oil are highly wear-resistant, have strong tensile strength, excellent insulation properties, and are resistant to acid and alkali corrosion, insect damage, and microbial erosion. Castor oil is known as the "treasure of industry." It has a wide range of uses in aerospace, chemical, dyeing, and textile industries. Castor oil cake is also an excellent organic fertilizer, rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, and also has insecticidal properties. The leaves can be used to feed silkworms. (Zhaotong)