PLANTprofile

Castor Bean Plant

By Kathy Jentz

Castor Bean Plant (Ricinus communis) is also known as the Castor Oil Plant. This exotic-looking member of the Spurge family is native to East Africa and is not in fact a bean at all. This annual plant is grown for its tropical looks and drama in the garden. It can reach heights of 10 feet or more in a single growing season. The plant then dies when temperatures dip below freezing. It prefers full sun and rich, moist, but well-drained soil. It blooms in late summer and then forms spiky seed pods. To plant Castor Bean Plants, direct-sow the seeds in warm soil—about two weeks after the last frost in spring. Give it plenty of water and fertilizer. If you want to limit its size, it can be pruned back. Warning! The seeds are extremely poisonous! The plant can self-sow, but the seedlings are easy to identify and pull if you do not want them, or you could cut off the seed pods before they disperse. Wear gloves when handling any part of this plant, because the foliage can cause skin irritation. Note that all parts of the plant are toxic if ingested. The plant is cultivated for medicinal uses and is prized by beekeepers. In addition to the bountiful pollen the flowers produce, there are extra nectaries along the stems and leaf stalks. Popular cultivars include the dark-leaved ‘New Zealand Purple’; ‘Carmencita Rose’ with blue-green foliage and peachy seed pods; and ‘Red Spire’, which has red stems and seed pods with bronze leaves. o

Kathy Jentz is the editor and founder of Washington Gardener.