I never knew a Castor Bean plant could grow this tall. I hope this pic is good enought for you to tell. This plant came up as a volunteer and my DH has watered it regularly and I've never seen anything grow so fast and tall.
Castor Bean?
Yes, they are amazing growers, and very pretty too, just be careful if you have little ones that they don't get a hold of those seeds, they are very poisonous.
Josephine.
You should see the red. Stopped growing the green once I saw the red... love them even more.
Yes we know this plant is poisonous so we're being very careful.
Mitch I've never seen the red. I'll have to check those out.
There was a thread last year that featured a growing contest. Can't remember where it started.
I dont know but this year mine are all taller then my home... I just wish we lived in South America and they stayed with me year after year.
I've heard the seeds can be used to repel moles and rumored to work on fireants as an organic repellent.
seeds nothing, just the plant in the garden will repel moles from the area.
Mitch ~ any fireant experience?
None..
Don't be dismayed...but ....here is how tall they really can get. This was taken early spring, so leaves are small and spindily..but you can see how tall it is...I don't think I've ever seen one as tall since!
I would have to list that in the urban myth - My experience is no animal eats them. They know what's poison and what's not... That not to say that perhaps people do use them in a mixture of something else to repel them.
Yes, I was just lamenting to someone that I seem to have trouble growing small stuff...things just grow very giant. I'm always chopping and sawing....
It is now illegal to sell the seed.....can get them only by trade. Seems the seed is the base for the ricin poison that was used in the post office/package terrorist thing 4-5 years ago.
Can be ground and looks like talcum.....remember all those guys opening something and powder going all over them. I got two small plants just about a month ago. They are only 2' tall now. rj, will they come back or do you have to replant?
NO kidding? I did pick the seeds up off the grounds of a restaurant.
The large tree, well none of them have died yet...it's been 4 years. I've ended up cutting a few down. I'm very busy supply friends and neighbors with them...they particularly like the red ones.
I suspect they would come back unless it's a major 3 day freeze. They didn't seem to be bothered by the couple of freezes we had last winter, although like everything else looked rather scragely
Mine usually get about 8 feet tall, but freeze in the winter. I have the red ones. If you don't pick up the seeds the following spring I always get lots of volunteers. We recently took a trip to California and in Calastoga we saw one as tall as rjuddharrison's picture showed.
In our area you have to replant. Dont worry I have the red ones and will save you some seed.
good morning.
Morning -
I get alot of my spring plants, by going around the garden and plucking them from the soil, Castor Beans, Chocolate Plants, Impasiens, EE's..I think this garden would propagate itself If I ever left.
I don't hang on to the castor bean trees too long, people request them so much...Matter of fact am taking a red one over to my friends neighbors.
DanceyTx, here is a picture of the red. This is probably about 8 feet tall or so.
(Grown from seed received at the Dallas Plant Swap last fall, compliments of TARogers.)
He gives good seed right?
Definitely. ☺
Wow Dawnin that is beautiful! I like the red the best. But would love to have both colors in the garden. My Dh's Mother used to have a huge Castor Bean tree in her chicken yard. Dh said it was just like a tree so it probably looked similar to rjharrison's. I know ours will die back this winter. I just hope it and some of the seedlings will sprout up next spring. The one we have now has big leaves going all up the tree which makes a pretty nice privacy screen. Funny thing is it came up in the area where I wanted to plant a privacy screen. ;)
I spotted this thread and thought I would post some pictures of different Castor bean plants. We recently relocated and I was very worried about the gophers and moles and so decided to try the castor bean plants around the borders to see if they would help. We have only been here since March when we planted the gardens (hundreds of perennials), but so far not a single plant has been bothered by the gophers or moles. Unfortunately I don't know the name of all of the different ones.
Here is the red one that is mentioned above--believe it is called Hot Pink Heirloom Castor Bean I found this one does not get as tall as some of the others, but produces a lot more seed pods (the red you see) and produces them much earlier than some of the other varieties. They stay on the plants for months and is a really nice contrast with the somewhat purple tint leaves.
This one is a Burgundy Castor
I took this picture in the evening and so it has a bit more of a purple cast, but the entire plant, stems, leaves, and seed pods are burgundy.
This one has beautiful large leaves and a nice contrasting red trunk, gets quite tall
name unknown
Here is a large leaf very tall one with a green trunk
Another large leaf one that gets very tall and a gray trunk
name unknown
This one is known as the California Castor Bean
It does not have as large of leaves as the others, doesn't get as tall and puts out more seed pods (seeds) than any of the others I have.
Here is a distance view of the jungle I have now created with all these Castor Beans. This is only part of the gardens.
Oh my gosh, those are sooooo pretty!
I had no idea there were different varieties....and so lovely. Thanks for sharing. Learn something new everyday.
RJ and everyone, Would anyone be able to share their seeds for postage and envelope? Do not know the correct specifics in requesting seeds but suppose this would work. It seems they more than likely are on the deer resistant plant list.
Thanks a lot!
I suspected as much, especially when I saw that large leafed one at the arboretum.
I have the Burgandy one...and I'm not sure what the mega tall one is..but those leaves get pretty big. I'd say california?
Flowerette, if they are deer-resistant, someone for got to tell my deer! I keep thinking if I can hide them long enough for them to grow tall, then maybe the deer will leaving them alone.
Of course, I think I must have some of the most stupid deer in Montgomery County. There is no plant I have that they don't eat! I just have been building raised beds & putting chicken wire around them!
:~)
I had no idea there were so many different varieties. Those are so pretty! I have obtained some seeds for the red leaf one that I will plant next spring.
I just picked some seeds off of a kinda redish burgandy, one!
I'll try to get a pix b4 I go to Sylvia's & let her put it on here Friday nite!
I will learn to do that one of these days!
:~)
You know..there's a giant green one at mercer...what are the chances of asking for some seeds from them?
RJ
It might be worth a try. I think I read somewhere that they were involved with seed exchange or seed saving groups.