Rain Protection
If you are ever caught in the rain in Central America just look for a "Poor Man's Umbrella" plant to get protection. A close relative of the Giant Rhubarb, it is native to this area and grows quite prolifically here in the mountainous tropic and subtopic weather. It definitely prefers environments with cloudy, shaded light.
The Poor Man's Umbrella (or Parasol) grows to 4-6 feet across, hence its name. The seeds are poisonous and all parts of the plant cause skin irritations so if you want to plant one at home, pick a shaded moist area, don't feed anybody the seeds or ask them to rub up against it. I guess that makes gloves mandatory when using it for an umbrella!!
The Poor Man's Umbrella (or Parasol) grows to 4-6 feet across, hence its name. The seeds are poisonous and all parts of the plant cause skin irritations so if you want to plant one at home, pick a shaded moist area, don't feed anybody the seeds or ask them to rub up against it. I guess that makes gloves mandatory when using it for an umbrella!!
I used Rob to show the scale of the size of these plants
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