The person who gave me them is not much of a talker and getting info from him is like pulling teeth! Thanks!

I've seen the plants on TV, and they are gorgeous. At one point, my husband I talked about planting a "death garden". All black or purple, some poisonouse plants (nightshade, digitalis, wormword, etc.) I'm afraid of the liability of keeping them though.

Regards,
Elizabeth

I just love these plants, and find them super useful for providing quick growth and shade.

I started with two sun beaten lots with literally nothing on them. I use the castor bean to provide a good shade for other plants, also the shade keeps the soil from drying out so bad... Then later, after the other plants are going well I just remove the castor beans.

I too was nervous about growing them at first, but here they grow wild, you see them everywhere... Now I've just gotten use to them, still careful when handling and generally try to deadhead before they can produce seeds... Provide sun and water--the soil hardly matters, these suckers GROW FAST!!!

I once left a seed pod in a bowl in the sun one day on my coffee table one day, came home to find the sun had dried it and the seeds had exploded and flown in every direction imaginable. Both dogs seemed a bit traumatized from the shootin' beans but neither had appeared to eat any... Still find one of those darn things now and then around the house...

Those exploding seed capsules are really something! I harvested an entire seed head and left it drying in my living room. I was sitting and reading one evening when one of them exploded--it really made me jump!

CASTOR BEAN

The plants grow extremely fast. The largest plants develop from
seed started early inside,
so you might wish to begin early in the year in your house.
Castor bean likes a deep, rich soil, sheltered from winds. The
seeds are both attractive and poisonous so
should be kept away from children. Soak the seeds overnight for
the best germination results.
The seed can be started outside in the garden. Push the
seeds into the soil with the nubby end going in first.
Do not pack the soil over the seed. They will germinate in seven
to fourteen days
but I have had them come up in less than one week with bottom heat
germination mats,
which are available at your local hardware store most of the time.
Be patient. You might want to assist the seedling by removing the
seed carefully as it emerges. Sometimes the seed clings tightly
and causes the
foliage not to be able to come out.
As they grow, you may notice a "shell" on the leaf.
A white, sometimes pink veined filmy thick tissue.
This shell is sometimes too heavy for the plant to bear, thus it
will droop nd may snap the plant's neck. I remove this shell after
it has
loosened. Try not to rip it off the poor plant.
Also, the leaves are very large for such a tiny stem when they
first come up, so you may need to assist it in getting it's head
out of the
ground by scratching the soil around it in order that it may lift
it's head up easily when
ready. They like water and full sun, but grow in the shade.
They won't grow much in the shade, however.
As they grow, watch the seed pods develop.
Try to check on your plants often, as the seed pods will be
green one day, and cracking open the next. If you harvest the
seeds in the summertime when it is hot, they will actually crack
and pop open like popcorn. It is fun to remove the shells when
they pop!
If you have any other questions about your castor beans, please do
not hesitate to email me.

Castor bean plant good for barrier use

WASHINGTON -- For people with a need for a fast-growing barrier
plant, the castor bean plant is hard to beat.

It is valuable for a number of uses: to fill garden space; as a
handsome live barrier to wall off a neighbor's property, a busy
street or an unsightly garage; or to separate a patio from a lawn.
The seeds germinate reliably enough, but for those who missed
sowing them in May, seedlings grown in plastic pots are available
in some nurseries.

It is amazing to watch the seed grow in just one season into an
exotic, well-proportioned shrub 8 feet tall or even taller and
about as wide or sometimes wider. Glistening in the sun, shiny new
leaves seem to form and spread out every day. The plant, known
botanically as Ricinus communis, is native to Africa. By late
September, the cultivar Zanzibariens has been known to reach a
height of 15 feet.

The stems are sturdy and self-branching, and the attractive
leaves, which form a dense canopy, can be green, bronze-red or
red, as wide as 3 feet in diameter. They look like magnified maple
leaves that have grown additional lobes all around.

The castor bean plant has spread like a weed in milder parts of
California. But outside the tropics, the plant is an annual. A
sunny site is a critical requirement for full size and spectacular
beauty. Free of pests and diseases, the castor bean plant has a
reputation for repelling moles and gophers.

The seeds are as attractive as beads -- and sometimes are used as
beads, but they are poisonous. They yield an oil that has been put
to use in parts of Asia as a facial oil and against warts. Today,
the oil also is added as an ingredient in paints and varnishes.

It is a one-of-a-kind plant, with only one species -- an oddity in
the plant kingdom.

But there is another garden giant well worth cultivating. The
angelica is smaller than the castor bean plant and not as
dramatic, though it is unquestionably attractive. Up to 6 feet
tall and a little less wide, Angelica archangelica develops large
clumps of sturdy stems. The leaves are glossy pale green and
quickly form a dense fortress. They are topped by dozens of airy,
greenish-white flower heads that resemble domes.

A member of the carrot family, this well-loved, old-world plant
often is listed as an herb. Every part of it has been put to good
use. Its dried roots have been used for centuries as a tonic to
fortify the blood and to beautify the skin. James Duke's book on
herbal medicine, The Green Pharmacy notes that angelica has chemical compounds that strengthen the
heart and the stomach and helping to clear the skin. In Europe,
the confectionery trade appreciates the taste and the perfume of
the flowers.

Angelica will thrive in locations with only half-a-day sun or even
more shade. But the soil must be rich, porous and, most important,
not allowed to dry out. Many gardeners have lost stout specimens
of angelica seedlings because of insufficient moisture, though the
plant shouldn't be overwatered either.

The flowering stem soon withers after blooms fade, and the entire
plant will die back if too many stems set seeds. Those seeds that
do form and fall to the ground are likely to germinate and sprout
by the dozen the next year.

Castor bean plant and angelica are annuals that live short but
happy lives. They have immense energy but invest none in growing
root systems that can survive winter and allow them to return the
next season. They live for lavish foliage, and those who love
flamboyant plants during summer are lucky beneficiaries.

Name: Ricinus communis Common name: Castor bean, castor-oil plant.
Family: Euphorbiaceae. Description: Tropical-looking tender shrub;
purplish, red or green fan-shaped leaves and burgundy stems.
Hardiness: Generally regarded as an annual, except in USDA
Hardiness Zones 9 and 10. Landscape uses: Provides tall screen or

leafy background in a hurry for temporary hedges, backs of beds
and poolsides.
Precaution: Seeds are extremely toxic.

Ricinus communis
Castor bean adds tropical flair to landscapes

In India and China, castor bean is an important crop for
industrial and pharmaceutical uses. Here in North America, we
prefer to use it as a super-fast ornamental plant with bold and
striking foliage. Ricinus communis is easy to produce, reaches a
large size in a short time and makes an excellent temporary screen
or background planting. Plants can reach 12 feet tall and up, and
6 feet wide in a season, smaller in cooler climates.

Castor bean should be regarded as an annual in all zones except
USDA Hardiness Zones 9 and 10. In the tropical South, it will over
winter and become quite woody and treelike. Purple, red or green
leaves and burgundy-colored stalks and stems add a novel hue to
patios, poolsides and beds. Individual leaves can be up to 3 feet
across! Orange or white flowers are without petals and are
clustered in long panicles; the attractive fruit is covered with
soft, orange-brown spines. Seeds (or beans) are toxic, so keep
plants out of reach of children and do not plant castor bean where
children play. To prevent seed formation, pinch off the burrlike
capsules while they are small if you do not wish for seeds.

Several selections are commercially available: 'Dwarf Red Spire'
is a lower-growing plant (6 feet) with red leaves and seedpods;
'Sanguineus' has blood-red foliage and stems; 'Zanzibarensis' has
very large green leaves.

Growing castor bean

Propagation is by seeds, sown indoors at 70F-85F. Seed germinates
in three to four weeks. Soaking seeds in water overnight before
planting may enhance germination. Plant six-week-old seedlings in
quart or gallon containers using a standard, well-draining potting
mix. In the landscape, castor bean likes deep, rich soil,
sheltered from winds. It prefers full sun and regular irrigation.
Unfortunately, castor bean is susceptible to a number of fungal
and bacterial diseases. Fungi can attack irrigated plantings at
any stage of growth, though most damage is on young plants. After
germination, seedlings are susceptible to a number of root and
stem rots, which become more prevalent in wet soils. The most
common diseases are Fusarium, Rhizoctonia and Sclerotium, all
capable of decimating young plants. Use a fungicide seed treatment
where the incidence of soil-borne pathogens is known to be high
and for irrigated plantings. --

Name: Ricinus communis
Common name: Castor bean, castor-oil plant.
Family: Euphorbiaceae.
Description: Tropical-looking tender shrub; purplish, red or green
fan-shaped leaves and burgundy stems.
Hardiness: Generally regarded as an annual, except in USDA
Hardiness Zones 9 and 10.
Landscape uses: Provides tall screen or leafy background in a
hurry for temporary hedges, backs of beds and poolsides.
Precaution: Seeds are extremely toxic.

Complete Castor Bean Growing Guide

Below is a Growing guide I created myself, using the all the
information available on Internet. I have tried to make it
accurate and as general as possible so it would pertain to most
regions. I have also included some of my own observations as I
have grown castor beans for some years now. Let me know what ya
all think.

Growing Castor Beans (Ricinus Communis)

Description of the Plant : It is thought to be a native to the
Ethiopian region of tropical Africa. The Castor Bean (Ricinis
Communis) is a plant of massive proportions and produces large
tropical palmately-lobed leaves. The leaves are glossy and often
red or bronze tinted when young. White, insignificant flowers
appear in clusters at the end of the main stem in late summer. The
fruit capsules consist of an oblong spiny pods which contains
three chambers each occupied by one seed. The plant is
not a legume (from the bean family) as the name would imply, but
is a member of the Euphorbia family.

Growth Habits : The Castor Bean, a fast growing plant, makes a
dramatic focal point in the garden. It can
form a giant plant with huge fleshy leaves that grows to a height
of 6 to 15 feet and 3 to 6 feet wide in a
single growing season. In colder regions it is grown as an annual.
In the south and southwest the castor
bean can be grown as a perennial. Grows best where temperatures
are rather high with adequate moisture.
Requires a growing season of 140 to 180 days to produce mature
seeds. They tend to do best planted in
full sun even in the hottest parts of the southwest, but may fail
to set seed if temperatures exceed 100
degrees for an extended period.

Sowing Date : Castor Beans tend to do best when planted directly
in the ground and may be directly sown
outside after the soil has become warm and frost danger is past.
They are generally planted at the same
time corn or tomatoes are planted. Germination can be slow,
usually taking 10 to 21 days after planting.

Seed Preparation : Soaking the seeds in water, overnight, before
planting may enhance germination.
Additionally, scarifying or scratching the seed coat with a file
or sharp knife, can also help the seeds to
absorb water and begin germination.

Soil : The Castor will tolerate a wide range of soil types, but
grows best in a soil of medium texture. Does
well in either alkaline or acid soils, as long as there is good
drainage. One of the more important factors
for seed production is the supply of nitrogen in the soil.
Insufficient nitrogen results in reduced castor bean
yields. Excessive nitrogen produces heavy vegetative growth with
little or no increase in seed yield.

Planting Depth and Spacing : Seeds should be planted at a depth of
approximately 1 to 1 1/2 inches and
plant should be spaced approximately 4 feet apart.

Harvesting/Seed Capsules : The spiny seed pod or capsule is
composed of three sections which turn
brown when mature. Each section contains a single large seed and
as it dries and splits open, the seed is often ejected. Harvesting
usually takes place in late summer to fall. The shiny seeds of
castor plants are a little larger than pinto beans, with very
beautiful and intricate designs on the surface. Like human faces,
fingerprints or the spots on a leopard, no two seeds have exactly
the same pattern. The seeds resemble the bodies of ticks,
particularly ticks engorged with blood. Seeds retain viability for
2-3 years.

Additional Information
The seeds are both attractive and poisonous so should be kept away
from children.

The entire plant and seeds of the Castor Bean are toxic and hands
should be washed after handling the
plant and seeds.

Additionally, some allergy-prone people may experience contact
dermatitis from
touching the plant, so caution is recommended.

I planted three kinds of castor bean plants from seed (one kind is 'Sanguineus'). They're transplanted in the ground three weeks ago when they're about three inches tall. Most of my yard gets at least 10 hr of sun everyday now. Now that they're all about one foot high with small palm size leaves, they're all blooming on the tip of the main trunk. Shouldn't they do this when they're bigger?

I confess that it's very dry here and I'm only watering them once in a day or two.

Susan

http://www.greenbeam.com/features/plant090400.stm

I have a question about seed pod development. I have had great success with castor beans in the past, having them grow 10 feet tall in a decent-sized pot on my balcony. This year, I have one in a nice big (20") pot on my sunny deck, and it seems to be starting seed pods at only 2 feet tall! Does this mean the plant is at the end of its growing stint for the season? I didn't have seed pods on my previous plants until they were much taller. Should I be pinching them off to encourage further growth?

Thanks for any help you can offer.

I planted several castor beans here last spring and they are now about three feet tall. The leaves are large, bronze-purple and about five or six-pointed.

I enjoy them, but they are making my neighbors nervous. So that detracts from the enjoyment. We are mainly middle-aged adults around here so I intend to hang onto them for awhile. Roz- comet97@msn.com

If I take the beans and blend them together like in a blender is that toxic?

Is the bean itself toxic or is there a toxin inside in a liquid form of some sort which can not be used?

Why do the seeds pop and can that be dangerous.

This plant beauty is breath taking but i am afraid to do anything until I find out more. Can someone please help me?

Cannas

Also...can I harvest the pods before they burst so I don't have to look for them all over the place? If so when do I know its time before they burst? I would like to put them in a plastic bag so they will burst in there.

Lastly....how long can I keep the seeds? I still have many seeds left from last year and would like to save them.

Thanks

Terri

http://www.wuvie.net/castorbeans.htm

After that I had plenty from the pods for future years.

Terri

Mine have only grown no more than 4 feet high because of the cold summer I have had, but still look pretty..