Awesome! What fun!

What is that plant that was nearly double the size of your house, is that castor bean??

Yes, Those are castor beans

Wow! Very nice. My castors beans have NEVER gotten that big. Any secrets? Do you know the variety?

Thx, I bought seeds from Gurneys (www.gurneys.com) back in 2001 and they have been one of favorite plants ever since. That was also the last time I needed to buy seeds lol. I now have paper grocery bags full of seeds that I have harvested from my larger plants in past years. I don't feel as though I do anything all that special...Some of the plants I start indoors a month before the last frost. When they finally get transplanted(early May) I add a teaspoon of Osmocote slow release fert. and drop a couple more seeds in just for kicks. I water them for the first month and after that, they don't get too much attention other than staking and an occasional miracle grow watering...Note, some seeds sowed directly in the ground get big too...They all seem to start out so slow, then all of a sudden they take off - they love heat & sun. I can only imagine how big they could get in the south...Then again if I lived in a warmer climate I would grow palms and more bananas instead...

Castor beans are tough, drought-tolerant plants but if you give them plenty of water and fertilizer, along with summer heat, they really respond.

The castor beans in the photos look like 'Zanzibarensis'. This is a very large-growing selection of castor bean. Many of the other ornamental kinds have been selected to stay relatively small for gardens, both in stature and leaf size. I grew 'Zanzibarensis' a few years ago and they grew to about 20 feet in one season, with enormous leaves.

Wow, Absolutely gorgeous garden. You must be the envy of all your neighbours. I would love to try out that strain of castor bean. I can trade you red stem castor beans for some of your green stems. What types of bananas are you growing? Hopefully I will have a garden that spectacular this year. Cheers

I've always wanted to plant castor beans, but I've heard they're poisonous. Is that true?

Hey Banana fun, If you were in the area I'd just give you some. I have more than a few...But these days, I'd be a bit paraniod to mail them...A local tree farmer gave me some red ones over the winter. Do a google search for them or try www.jhusdsonseeds.net. Swmcduff, They are poisonous. Terriorist use the seeds to make ricin - no cure. Some people drop seeds in mole tunnels to reduce their population...Personally, I wouldn't be too worried about growing castor beans unless you have small children. Even then, trimming off the flowering seed pods should do the trick. There are therapudic(sp) uses so I hear. Castor beans aren't the only poisonous plant out there. Some elephant ears are too for example

Very much enjoyed those photos Well done
I was able to send them along to my son as well
Thanks

Great pics...they inspired me to buy castor beans this year.

Is there a trick to starting castor beans from seed? All mine rotted before they germinated. Started them indoors a couple months ago. None of the Castor beans came up but my other seeds grew in the same type soil. The growing medium was a perlite/peat mix.

I only have a few seeds left, in a couple weeks I plan to try growing them directly in the ground outside.

I had some that were a couple of years old. They were in sterile seed starting mix, in a warm, bright room. They came up within a week, although a few took quite a bit longer. Perhaps heat is important, just guessing?

Heat is important and not too soggy...I use Metro Mix 360(potting soil)- sold at nurseries. Normally they will come up in about a week, maybe 2. I have had "wild" ones coming up in my beds for about the last 2 weeks now.

Thank you watergal and jurassicdaryl! It was probably too soggy as I had them under a "Grodome"(flats covered with a clear plastic cover).

Nice pics and interesting posts. Some of my tropicals are starting to perk up now that we are finally getting some rains after the driest first 6 months since 1895. Check out my pictures from the link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mississippi Garden