For a number of years I have admired the look of this plant which I often saw in seed catalogs.This year I sent for a package and put them in and what an impressive plant they are ,wonderful for a background in plenty of sun.
Castor Plant
I agree they are a very impressive plant. We have such a short season that mine don't get very big. Just remember all parts are poison. I grow them, not only for looks, but because I have voles and they do not like Caster anything.
Here is mine that I took over a month ago. It has grown larger since.
A different one. Planted out in July and taken August 5.
They are pretty plants.
Do they have nice flowers?
The funny thing is, they have different kinds. There is a green one that has beautiful pink flowers and this red one has a nice flower but the first one I posted I think they consider this one black or purple. Not sure, does not have nice flowers.
However, I think it is all in the eyes of the beholder, because someone said they grow them for the leaves because the flowers are nothing. shrug.
I grew one in a pot this year, on my patio. Not a huge pot, so it didn't get really big. Moved the pot last week, and felt a root break. Pulled about a 3 foot root out from between the bricks. Won't do that again!
Doesn't sound like a good place to put them. I have one in a half size wash tub with a yellow dahlia. Very pretty. And yes, it didn't get real big. There is an orange Thunbergia climbing it.
One of mone the one that is in the best spot is 10 ft tall and looks very tropical and impressive.
A friend in Iowa grows them every year and his are so big the trunks are about 4 inches thru. (small trees) But, he has very fertile soil and they are in the sun like you say. And yes, very tropical looking. He sent me a picture of the green with the flower and I really like it. I will see if I still have the picture. Or do you have the green?
Mine has not flowered yet,just the lovely foliage.We had horendous hail storm last evening and from a distance it doesn't look to bad but will take a closer look after work.
Always liked them. Did not plant them this year. Just be careful with the seeds. Highly toxic, eating just one can kill you.
Eeeeeek.....I can see my grandson picking off seeds!
Not a good plant with small children or pets that eat things. It's what's used to make ricin, the deadly poison the Russians used and al qaeda has tried to get.
Can't they grow the plant in the Mideast? Or don't they know how to distill it.......there's probably a recipe on the internet!
We had heavy hail Monday and it shredded the Castor and my Canna,mother nature is a tuff mother.
:(
Hail does that. Shreds my brugs too.