Ricinus communis L.

Castor Bean; Castor Oil Plant; Palma Christi

Shrub

Perennial

Vascular

Castor Bean is an introduced semi-woody, frost-tender perennial (annual in our area) in the Spurge family (Euphorbiaceae). It is native to tropical and subtropical areas of Africa, India, and the Middle East, where it is an evergreen shrub or small tree reaching heights of 20-35 feet. Castor Bean has been widely cultivated as a fast growing warm-season shade plant, and for its seed which are the source of Castor Oil and the toxin ricin. Castor Bean can be found as an escape from cultivation throughout Alabama, though it is more common in the southern portion of the state. It occurs on roadsides, along fence rows, along railroads, in vacant lots, and around the edges of fields. Castor Bean is a fast growing species that reaches heights of 6-15 during a few months of growth. Small plants usually are unbranched and larger plants have a few branches giving them an open, rounded, canopy. The leaves are alternate, petiolate, peltate in outline, with 5-9 deep palmate lobes and serrate margins. Both stems and leaves are glabrous. The leaf teeth are gland tipped, and there are conspicuous glands on the petiole. The flowers are produced in a terminal thyrse. The staminate flowers are located towards the bottom and pistillate flowers are near the top. Flowers are greenish in color and lack petals. The male flowers have prominent creamy yellow stamens and the female flowers have bright red stigmas. The fruit is a muricate (covered in short bluntly pointed projections) capsule containing three seed. The seed are large, mottled brown and gray in color, bean-like in appearance, with a warty caruncle at their base. The caruncle is a type of elaiosome that promotes dispersal of the seed by ants. Castor Bean is readily available from many seed companies. In addition to the typical variety, there are several with red or bronze foliage. It should be planted directly in the garden after danger of frost has passed. All parts of the plant are toxic to humans, animals, and many insects.--A

**

Not Native FACU (NWPL)

**