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Tropicalesque Gardens

Biggest - Fastest Growing Castor Bean Plants

tropic_of_chesapeake

15 years ago

Does anyone know which castor beans get the largest in a single growing season? I grew my first ones in the summer of 2007. They had huge green leaves and got about 14 feet tall. Last year 2008 I got some red leafed ones and they topped out at around 6 feet and the leaves were about half as big. I would love to find out if there is a red leafed variety that has the huge leaves and grows 12 feet or more in a single season.

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Comments (5)

JohnnieB
15 years ago
Sounds like the selection called 'Zanzibarensis' is what you grew. Plain green, but MUCH taller & bigger growing than most other castor beans. When I grew them they reached at least 15 feet tall in a single growing season.

The dark-leafed varieties all seem to be selected for smaller size but try 'Impala', which has very nice foliage and can make it to about 10 feet or more with plenty of water and fertilizer. Also, for best growth start the seeds directly in the ground. The seedlings send out a very long taproot almost immediately upon germination and starting them in pots nearly always stunts them.
JohnnieB
15 years ago
I dug up a photo of the 'Impala' I grew several years ago. This photo was taken in August 2003 and the brick wall is about 4 feet high. These are only about half the size of 'Zanzibarensis' but I like this cultivar because the foliage color is more subtle than many of the dark-leafed ones, and it grows relatively large. I haven't grown this one in several years but after looking back at this photo I'm inspired to try it again!
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While living in Calexico, CA, in the Sonoran desert, I had a friend that had a very exotic looking plant in his backyard - wanted same. Learned that it was a castor bean plant, took some seeds and planted in my yard. Later yielded many, many seeds. It that area my first plant grew over nine feet, was more beautiful the first year but always nice. No frost, lasted forever. The following is from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Has anyone ever died after being exposed to ricin? "Yes, several deaths have resulted after a victim was injected with ricin. People have been poisoned with ricin after eating castor beans, but most cases of eating castor beans do not result in poisoning, because it is difficult to release the ricin from castor beans. Also, ricin is not as well absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract when compared to injection or inhalation." Am not that worried about the swallowing of castor beans but would be careful around children. Have you ever seen a report of a person dying as a result of ingesting a castor bean? Neither have I. I brought some beans with me to WA, couldn't find them so purchased some on the Internet. No luck so far in starting these. Every bean I planted in southern CA sprouted. Someone asked why plant these? They are a very attractive tropical looking plant. Many plants are poisonous, even the Washington state flower - the rhododendron. The oleander growing en-mass in freeway dividers, etc., in southern CA. Take care...
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Any idea what Castor Plant these are from?
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You may want to contact the people who had this conversation on castor bean plants on GardenWeb (on Biggest-Fastest Growing Castor Bean Plants back in 2009): http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/tropesque/msg011229579635.html They may have information with which to help you find out which plant you may have been growing since they would probably easily recognize the size and shape of the seeds you currently have.
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Can I grow the Castor Beans seeds from the pods?
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OK. Maybe I've got it all wrong. When the pods (which are red--although this may vary-- I suppose) turn brown on the plant, they are full of small black seeds. Once the pod dries up and opens up one can collect the small seeds inside. What I don't have clear yet is...if these are not the seeds, then, which are the seeds? I have grown Castor beans for a couple of years and all I have seen is the red pods full of small black seeds. Wish I knew how to post a picture here to be more explicit. Now I am really confused--maybe that is why I can't germinate them--maybe they are not the seeds after all. Thanks so much for discussing this.
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Bluesmap. CB is fairly simple starting in pots. Either purchase a Seeding Mix or make your own. You can either use Peat Pellets or small plastic pots, 'to start.' Insert 1-2 seeds per pot..Water well. Cover with plastic, but cut straight lines of plastic for ventilation. Germination is fast. After seeds sprout, remove plastic. Place in a sunny spot, indoors. Water, when soil starts to feel a little dry, not muddy. Once babies reach 8" or more, more is better, plant in your garden, in a sunny spot. Good luck, Toni
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tropic_of_chesapeake
Original Author
15 years ago
Fantastic picture. I need to remember to get more shots of the garden. The 'Impala' looks just like what I had last year. I saved some seeds and will plant it again this year. Also ordered some 'Zanzibarensis' seeds, and am considering the 'New Zealand Purple' or 'sanguineus'.
don_brown
15 years ago
I believe that jungleseeds.com has a new variety which is supposed to be infused with more red colouration and approximates the size of the Zanzibarensis. I've not tried it yet, but it might be worth it as an experiment this summer.
HU-743928389
2 years ago
is there a way to stop castor bean plants from getting too tall like cutting off the red flower which seems to be the next growth spurt

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Can you help me identify this?

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