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Castor Oil Plant in the GardenTags plant encyclopedia

Ricinus communis

 

Castor Oil Plant

Ricinus communis has green leaves shaped like palms with varying numbers of 'fingers' which have serrated edges. It produces spikes of small reddish coloured flowers, after which seed pods form. It is often grown as a half-hardy annual. WARNING: all parts of the plant, including the seeds, for all Ricinus species are poisonous. Please handle with care and always wash hands after handling any part of the plant or seeds

 
plant Features
  • Castor Oil Plant likes full sun

    Full sun

  • Castor Oil Plant likes occasional watering

    Occasional watering

  • Castor Oil Plant is frost hardy: 23f (-5°c)

    Frost Hardy: 23F (-5°C)

  • Castor Oil Plant likes moist and fertile

    Moist and fertile

 
plant information

Common name

Castor Oil Plant

Latin name

Ricinus communis

type

Perennial Flowering plant

family

Euphorbiaceae

ph

5.0 - 8.5 Acid - Neutral

  • Light

    Castor Oil Plant likes full sun

    Full sun

  • Frost

    Castor Oil Plant is frost hardy: 23f (-5°c)

    Frost Hardy: 23F (-5°C)

  • Soil

    Castor Oil Plant likes moist and fertile

    Moist and fertile

  • Water

    Castor Oil Plant likes occasional watering

    Occasional watering

Plant & bloom calendar

  •  
    Best time to plant
  •  
    When the plant will bloom

full grown dimensions

The size of a fully grown Castor Oil Plant is 1.00meters x 2.50meters 1.00 M 2.50 M

Ricinus communis

Ricinus communis has green leaves shaped like palms with varying numbers of 'fingers' which have serrated edges. It produces spikes of small reddish coloured flowers, after which seed pods form. It is often grown as a half-hardy annual. WARNING: all parts of the plant, including the seeds, for all Ricinus species are poisonous. Please handle with care and always wash hands after handling any part of the plant or seeds


Planting Outdoors

From Mid Spring TO Late Spring

Once frosts have gone plant out into a position that is in full sun, water in well.

 

Propagation by seed

From Mid Spring TO Late Spring

Seeds need to be soaked for a day before planting, sow into separate 3 inch pots. Pot on into larger pots when roots start poking through the bottom. Plant out after all signs of frost have gone. Save the seeds for propagating the following year.

 

Flowering

From Late Spring TO Late Summer

Spikes of reddish small flowers after which seed pods, after which seed pods form.

 
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