A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Plants and Flowers Forum Castor Bean

I just love the tropical look of castor bean plant leaves, but this year the heavy rainstorms have done in almost all the large leaves. But the good thing is... the flower heads are much larger this year too, and I'll have lots of seeds to save!

Here is a flower head in full bloom


And another one that is making the seed pods already.
Each ball will have 3-4 seeds inside.
The pods are VERY PRICKLY!!!

lynne, i love them. the ones you sent me (forever ago) grew, but did not bloom. i think i didn't have them planted right. but, if i can get my beds together (when it starts getting dark earlier) i'm going to try to put in another bed of these. i love the way they look!

Does it stay warm enough there to grow them during winter?

And you do remember that all parts of this plant are toxic, right?

yes and yes. they will reseed here. i just never got the bed fixed right, and had them in containers. but we are nearly a zone 9, and in places a solid zone 9. and, yes, i do remember the toxic. thanks for the reminder. but i don't have grands, and the animals are penned, so i'm good! (well, unless you count matthew and scott, but they should know better by now )

When I was very young I was told that castor beans were illegal to grow in Cal. because they do reseed so readily and are so toxic. They still go wild around here, all colors, but are a weed to me. I understand their beauty for others. And enjoy looking at the pics.

VERY nice blooms on the caster, lynne. I grow them myself. I just LOVE the tropical look and they are so easy to grow where I am, but not invasive.
when I first planted my caster beans I warned the kids how toxic they were. they are scarred to even walk by that plant and freak out if I touch it!
I remind them that lots of plants are toxic. just don't eat it, I tell them.
mine are very slender and stick like this year. I guess since it's been so dry. and no blooms yet. your's are just beautiful.

I used to grow them in my garden edge back at the farm. I was told it would keep the Moles out of my garden. mY Uncle did it thru his whole life of gardening.

I have not had the need nore the room to plant them here.

oops I forgot----

Lynne: Your Castor Bean plant is beauitful.

I do not remember the pod being such a bright red. I bet the deer leave THAT plant alone huh??? Where do you have it, at the pond area??

can I plant caster bean and cannas togather