The form and\ncolor of its leaves are its most striking characteristics. While there is\nconsiderable variation in the leaf color, the most common variety begins with\ndark green and develops into a dark and glossy reddish-purple. This color can\nprovide a dramatic ornamental value to the landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The leaves\nare palmate, i.e., shaped like a maple leaf, but with five to twelve deep lobes\nwith coarsely toothed segments. From August to November, it produces both male\nand female greenish-yellow flowers that lack petals. The female flowers have\nred stigmas, producing a showy appearance. The flowers are followed by an\nabundance of reddish-brown seed capsules. <\/p>\n\n\n\n All parts of\nthe plant are poisonous, and the seeds are strongly poisonous. They contain the\nhighly toxic substance, ricin, which has become notorious in connection with\ninternational terrorist actions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Castor oil\ncan be extracted from the seeds, and with proper care can be made poison-free.\nThe oil has several medicinal applications, including as an unpleasant\npurgative, which was more popular in my youth than it is today. The oil also\nhas commercial applications, e.g., in hydraulic brake fluids, laundry\ndetergents, and paints and varnishes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the\ngarden, this poisonous plant must be managed with care, particularly if young\npersons are present on occasion. While children are unlikely to nibble the\nleaves, twigs, or flowers of any plant, they might find the seeds of the castor\nbean to be appealing. One seed could kill a small child! Certainly, children\nshould be educated to enjoy but not eat plants in the garden, unless specifically\ninvited. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Gardeners\nlikely to have children roaming about in the garden unattended might well decide\nthat plants other than the castor bean could provide an interesting feature in\nthe landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Another\ncharacteristic of this plant is its vigorous growth habit. It has created more\nrapidly growing seedlings than any other plant in my garden. It would not take\nlong to have many castor beans in one\u2019s landscape. In fact, it is considered an invasive plant\nanywhere in California. Its invasiveness is based more on its enthusiastic\nspread than a capability to out-compete other plants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Recently, when\nI pruned back some branches that were encroaching on a walkway, the work caused\nseveral seeds to drop, and they soon sprouted to create a carpet of seedlings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I have found the castor bean plant to be fairly manageable, because the seedlings, although many in number, are readily recognizable and easily pulled. The seedlings are probably easy to transplant, but I have not potted up any to share at the local garden exchange because of their combination of prolific propagation and poisonousness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Many garden\nplants are well behaved and uniquely attractive, but others stand out in one\nway or another. The castor bean is an exceptional performer through its gorgeous\nleaf color, vigorous self-propagation, and the deserved reputation as the\nworld\u2019s most poisonous plant. If you can handle it, you too might enjoy having\nthis plant in your garden. (Let me know if you’d like a seedling!) <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Of the many plants in my garden, one that I particularly appreciate is the Castor Bean, because of its several interesting characteristics. This plant, known botanically as Ricinus communis, is a member of the very large Spurge family (Euphorbiaceae). It … Continue reading ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/ongardening.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Castor-Bean-leaves-seeds.jpg?fit=584%2C702\")
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/ongardening.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Ricinus-communis-seedlings.jpg?fit=584%2C438\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n