Ricinus communis Seeds | Castor Bean
LATIN NAME: Ricinus communis
COMMON NAME: Castor Bean
Plant Profile
Castor Bean (Ricinus communis) grows as a bamboo. Castor bean is a striking, statuesque plant that demands respect. Handsome, mottled seeds within are among the most toxic seeds known, so the plant is strictly an ornamental, admired from a distance and kept well away from the children and the pets. It is a plant of open, sunny, fertile, well-drained ground. Pollinating insects take to the flowers at once, adding a little wildlife interest to its garden value. It is hard to name another plant that gives this much for this little trouble.
Science & Biotechnology
Like other members of the Ricinus group, Ricinus communis draws steady attention from botanists and plant breeders, who value the genus both as a subject of research and as a source of garden-worthy material. Castor bean has carved a strong place in plant science, and plant has been studied for a very long time for rich oil of its seeds and well-known, potent character of seed meal. Little about its garden performance is mysterious; it has been grown and observed for a very long time.
Uses & Benefits
Gardeners value Castor Bean for its ornamental character, and the plant also fits naturally into herb, vegetable and cutting gardens. Castor bean earns its keep as a bold, dramatic foliage plant and a source of fine, industrial oil. Great, glossy, palmate leaves in rich greens and bronzes give plant a striking, tropical look, and spiny, round seed capsules add their own curious charm. Pressed oil of seeds has a long record of use in industrial and household practice of the world. After the first season it asks for very little beyond a place that suits it.
The castor bean gives castor oil, the classic laxative and a vital industrial lubricant, and its beans contain ricin, among the most toxic natural proteins; it is grown as a bold ornamental, and the seed must never be tasted.
Growing from Seed
Castor Bean is one of those generous plants that come along well from seed. Use a fine, free-draining seed compost, scatter the seed evenly, cover it lightly and hold it just moist in good light. Pot the young plants on as they grow, harden them off gradually, and plant them into their final positions when sturdy.
Our Take
Castor Bean repays a little patience at sowing time with plenty of garden presence later.
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