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Castor Bean
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Posted by Crazy_Gardener ~Z2b~ AB Canada (My Page) on Sun, Aug 28, 05 at 14:36
Some of you folks wanted to see how
Ricinus communis ‘New Zealand Purple’ looks like...
JL Hudson says it will grow up to 8 feet, hmmm, not here, it is only about 4 feet right now. Maybe way down south it would acheive that size, I'm hoping to see some blooms too before the frost kills it.
Let's see your Castors too ;)
Sharon
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Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Castor Bean
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Wow Sharon, that is gorgeous! I love the black stem. Where did you find seed for it? I'm going to have to try to get some for next year.
This is a picture of Zanzibar Yellow from last fall. It grew to over 15', and had a stem like a tree trunk. I also have grown one called Carmencita, but it didn't get as tall. It did have pretty reddish/pink flowers though. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Zanzibar Yellow
RE: Castor Bean
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That's gorgeous! I bought mine from a local nursery as a seedling...only time I've ever seen it offered locally.
I don't have any pics. of the entire plant, but it's currently approx. 7 feet tall and about 4 feet wide. Every time my hubby lays eyes on it, he says, "I can't believe how big that thing is!". LOL It was only maybe 6-8 inches tall when I first planted it.
Anyway, I do have some recent pics. of the flower buds on my ricinus. This is when it was just starting to bud out a couple of weeks ago.
My plant is a plain green variety - even though the new leaves are a pretty shade of pink, they mature to plain ol' green. Renee 
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RE: Castor Bean
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| Very nice Renee and FlowrPowr, you folks sure can grow them huge! Next year I plan on planting some NZ's by themselves in a new bed that I made this year, it's located in all-day direct full sun, so maybe then it will acheive full size. FlowrPowr you can find seeds for NZ at JL Hudson ;) Sharon |
RE: Castor Bean
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| Well, gee, then I have another variety.. it is all green. I also have the one Renee has... would love to get some New Zealand seed. Sharon, wanna trade a few? I'll try to post a picture tomorrow. |
RE: Castor Bean
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| Very nice :)) I have 'Carmencita' and it been in flower for at least a month....does anyone know if the red seed pods that make up the flower turn brown at maturity or do they hold on to their color? My plants have not grown more than 4' here either....but I did here they will grow bigger if direct sown vs being transplanted. I'll do that next time. 
Vera |
RE: Castor Bean
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Here are a couple more...
Ricinus communis 'Carmencita' & Amaranthus caudatus 'Velvet Curtains' 
Ricinus communis Zanzibariensis
Very nice Vera, I believe the seed heads do turn brown when ready. Unfortunately I can never get viable seed for the reason that we usually have an early frost before they reach maturity ;( Sharon |
RE: Castor Bean
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| Vera, I have grown 'Carmencita' before. The seed pods do turn brown when they are ripe. 'Carmencita' is a shorter Castor bean than most. But it has such pretty flower/pods, that it is well worth growing. If yours are like mine, you will have more than enough seed by late fall. Lori |
RE: Castor Bean
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| Here's a couple of pictures of my castor bean plant. 
A close up of one of the leaves using a foot long ruler for scale. 
Eliza Ann |
RE: Castor Bean
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| This one is over 8 feet and still growing. It's my first castor bean plant so don't know anything about collecting seed from it. Any tips? I'm 5'4" and can't even reach the seeds, doubt my 6' dh can either, so I know I'll have to cut it down when it's time. Just not sure when that will be. 
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RE: Castor Bean
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| After seeing that gorgeous picture of New Zealand Purple, I went looking for it. I found it at Dianeseeds.com. I have ordered from her before with great results, and had these in four days. Can't wait for next year! |
Maybe the Castor Bean Experts Can Help
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I have been reading this thread with great interest. I posted this question on the Name That Plant Forum with no result and I was wondering if maybe one of you who grow them might venture an opinion as to what this one might be?
I purchased Ricinus communis L. subsp. zanzibariensisis seeds from J.L. Hudson this spring, and 3 of the 5 I have from that are zanzibariensis, but two appear to be something else.
Does anyone know these? They are over 6 feet tall-maybe they would have been taller without the drought, but zanzibarinus has grown much taller than these. The seeds are solid dark chocolate brown with no apparent mottling, shiny, and very large. Leaves green with white ribs, stems red. Thank you in advance for looking.
Alana
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RE: Castor Bean
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| Have you compared it to the species? That would be my guess, but it's just that, a guess. |
RE: Castor Bean
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| Guesses are very welcome! I have what I thought was the species that self-sows every year in my vegetable garden and it is quite different: taller, with reddish leaves and mottled seeds. Is there a lot of variation with with the species? |
RE: Castor Bean
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| The photo of ricinus "Impala" on the Thompson & Morgan website makes the leaves look positively blue (which seems highly unlikely). Any growers of "Impala" that can describe the plant? |
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