"Dynamite tree— is a plant that is better to admire from afar

There are many dangerous plants in the world. Among them there are prickly, poisonous, capable of causing injury with their fruits. And there is a "dynamite tree" that has all these unpleasant features. A plant from the Euphorbiaceae family Hura exploding (Hura crepitans) has a bad reputation for good reason. Although it can't kill a person, but it can create a lot of all kinds of problems.

With its leaves, the "dynamite tree" resembles lilac. They are the same size and also have the shape of a heart. But this is where the similarities end, as the hura grows up to 25 meters in height and up to 2 meters in girth. This tree grows in several tropical regions of the planet, but most often it can be found in South America and India.

Hura is a relative of the common milkweed, which many grow at home in flowerpots, although it is unlike it. This tree begins to bloom only after reaching a height of 5 meters. This is one of the few plants whose flowering is tied to neither age nor season, namely height. From afar, the "dynamite tree" looks majestic and picturesque. It has a spreading crown and foliage of a rich green color.

It is best to admire the exploding hole from the side and the further, the better. Upon closer examination, it becomes clear that the trunk and large branches of the plant are densely covered with sharp thorns. Another unpleasant feature, because of which it is better to stay away from hura, is its fruits. They resemble small pumpkins and are not dangerous because they can fall on their heads like a coconut. The fruits hold on to their legs very firmly, but have the property of exploding.

Having reached ripeness, the fruit of the hura dries up, and then, at one fine moment, it bursts with a loud crack. At the same time, the seeds fly away at a speed of 70 m/ s! Of course, the fruit of hura cannot injure a person, but it can easily frighten. Seeds need this speed in order to sow offspring as far as possible. Hura is a sprawling tree and the further the seeds fly away, the more chances they have to grow into a full-fledged plant.

Well, as a "cherry on the cake", it remains to add that the "dynamite tree" has a poisonous juice. You can't call it deadly, like, for example, hemlock juice, but when ingested, it does not bode well. Poisoning with khura juice is accompanied by a strong heartbeat, weakness, vomiting, deafness and visual impairment.

Symptoms of intoxication completely incapacitate a person for a long time, which was previously used by local tribes. Both in Brazil and in Western India, where the khurs are the most, it was used to lubricate arrowheads and poison drinking springs.