The pods will turn brown and dry up. Keep an eye on them because they will spit the seeds out. LOL I had some in an arrangement and after some time passed, I kept hearing clicking. It was seeds bouncing. Having kids and pets, I had to throw away my arrangement.
New castor bean contest.
Thanks Michele! LOL thats funny with the clicking. I can cut this off and bring it inside? Its been down right cold here at nights, and I dont want to lose the seeds.
I wish mine would do some clicking, I have had some inside for over a week, they are pretty dry. I have always managed to get my finger full of those darn stickers when I try to peel them, they have never popped open for me. I have now learned to mash them gently with the bottom of a glass, etc to break the shells off.
Someone had told me to put the pods in a paper sack, folding the top down. Sure enough, they got dry and they popped INSIDE the bag. Got every seed (smile).
FYI ; )
Azalea,I put them in shoe box,and rub them with the bottom of my sneaker.
Thanks, I sure will change my methods!! I like the shoe trick, think I'll do more than "rub" them tho.
Do the hokey pokey and shake it all about ...... lol
My beans got a real late start but still got to about 8 ft. Now I'm enjoying the blooms. Too bad I have house furbabies or I would put some in a vase . They are really pretty and such a vivid red !!
That's gorgeous, Scooter. I just love Castor Bean! I think next spring I'm going to be planting quite a few more (hehehe). The neighbors will love me, I'm sure ; )
I wish mine would stay at about six foot, but this year they are so tall they look like trees. Great color on those leaves Scoot.
Yes, which one is that! I just bought some really dark seeds on eBay, looks like the same one, except your seed pods are redder. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4325830059
Well gosh! That sure is pretty Scoot! LOL What color would mine be considered? Yucky puke green grey?
Azalea,
If that picture is for real, (and I hope it is ) wouldn't it be something for all the leaves and seed pods to be purple? Mine start green then turn purple with age.
Maybe Kyle or one of our resident experts can ID this one.
Shelly,
LOL , I hope the green ones I just sent for are not pukie.
This message was edited Sep 26, 2004 4:15 PM
They look like the ones I have been growing for several years. I got mine labelled as Carmencita Red. I think Kyle has one by a different name that sure look a lot like mine.
I planted what was labeled Carmencita this spring, but most of the leaves are green except the tops that have a reddish cast to them with red stalks and very red bean pods. Wish I had a good pic of them, I was going to take one today and got distracted. I also have the tall green ones, no name for htem either. Last year I got a truly red one at a swap, but it didn't have time to make seeds. I'll picture that one, I loved it. Wish I had more of those seeds.
Oooooh , that's pretty !
Here are my castor beans this year! Not sure how tall they are?
Very nice, Marcy!
Azalea, those dark purple ones you got on ebay look gorgeous. May I put in a bid now for seeds next summer/fall? (grin) Updating my trade list all the time :-D
~ Carole
Second one.....
And the last ones.
Thanks Cajun2.
Sure Cajun, I just hope they make it, you'll have to remind me tho. Marcy, your second pic looks like the one I ordered - do you know it's name??
No, I sure don't! I didn't even know there were different kinds of castor beans till this year!
Those are some gorgeous plants you all, and the one with the red pods is awesome.
This is the trunk of my Castor Bean "Tree"........I have another one that will probably be about the same size in the middle of the yard to. These are nice and tall very sturdy strong plants. I never relized they could grow sooo big in such a short period of time. My Castor is about 20' tall now.
:o)
Dee
And here is the "tree" itself.......my goodness this is just so tall.........
:o)
Dee
I wonder if the trunks could be saved to use as stakes next summer? Has anyone tried drying them?
Wow Willowasp...that is huge!!!! Awesome!!!
Hummm, Don't know, but when it's done I will try.
I wonder how long this thing is gonna live and how big it's gonna get. I has just put out another "Huge" bunch of seed branches. These things look like dates there are sooo many. I wish I could get up that high and get some pictures of them but I don't have a ladder that I can get up that high with.
This seed clump has hundreds of pods on it, I can see it with the binoculars real good. Some of them are ready to pick and some will be awhile so I guess this one will be "Self seeding" for next year..........LOL..
:o)
Dee
Wowser,I think you are in the lead here!!!
Shirley,they do dry to nice stiff poles,but once they get moist,they rot quick.
willow how old is that plant?
I've heard that in the warmer parts of Tx they live for years.
I planted these back in the spring. I think back in about March. I have several others around it that were planted the same time that are less than half the size. So I don't know what this one has going for it, it just got big. I have fertilized and cared for all of them the same.
I have heard that they can live a long time in our part of the country to so I guess I will see if that is true..
:o)
Dee
Thanks Bob. Sure wish they would hold for a summer.
hey willowwasp
you got to try one of my zanzabibarens castors for next year check out the seed pods,their verry large the plant seams to grow bushie instead of tall maby you can get some hight out of them in the warmer area,our season is about to end hear are the seeds going to be good if thay do'nt dry on the plant? i've had no luck with them if their not dried on the plant. their are three different type of zanzabibarens castors have you seen the sanguingus type?
i'll send seeds when season ends
Wow Polaris those are pretty cool, I would love to try some. Let me know when they are ready and I will send you a SABE. They are a pretty red too....
Thanks for the offer.
Dee
Polaris, I would also love to get on your list for the zanzabibarens, and also some of the other varieties. Please let me know and I'll send SASE LindaSC
I would like to try the others to if yall have any left, the only ones I have are the Grey Castor and the Pink Castor.
I don't have the Carmencita Red, Yellow Impalia or any of the others like that. I am sure I have something to trade. Let me know......
Thanks
Dee
hey all
i will keep you all posted when i'am ready to ship, i would like to try the gray castors,Dee. we could make trades - sure hope the frost do'nt hurt the castors
were getting some hear on saturday night. thanks
hey does anybody know what to do when the frost hits the castor plants? are the seed pods that are not dried on the plant any good ? how do you go about taking care of them? do you pick them and let them dry in a warm place? the frost hit hear kind-a early this year. any help would be great,
Only one seed on mine was ready to pick. Rest are pretty sad - no seed!
