Description
Ricinus communis | ‘Carmencita Red’ Castor Bean
Castor Bean, also known as Castor Oil Plant, is an herbaceous annual that has been cultivated for at least 6,000 years. Castor Beans are fast growing spectacular plants that are primarily cultivated for the tropical look of their large, colorful leaves and spiky 1″ seed pods. This ‘Carmencita Red’ variety is unique in that it has large maroon leaves, red stems, and bright red seedpods. When grown as a perennial they can grow to 10 ft tall and 6 ft wide at maturity. When grown as an annual they can be expected to reach 3-6 ft tall if started early. It should be noted that castor beans will grow larger with no root restriction, planted directly outdoors in its final place. Castor Bean plants make excellent accent plants as they are visually stunning, and do great in borders and large containers too.
They grow best in average to moist, rich soils, but will not tolerate standing water. They’re highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. We’ve seen these growing in the wild in Mexico, in vast open expanses, where they were easily 10-15 ft tall!
Castor beans are extremely poisonous as they naturally contain a toxin called ricin. All parts of Castor Bean plants are highly toxic if eaten, and the foliage too may cause skin allergies. Castor Beans are processed throughout the world to make castor oil, and ricin is part of the waste “mash” produced when castor oil is made. Unintentional exposure to ricin is highly unlikely, except through the ingestion of castor beans, so do NOT chew on or eat these beans, and always wash your hands thoroughly after handing castor beans. Take extra care with children and pets around.
Type: Annual
Sun exposure: Full sun, always
Mature height: 5-6+ ft
Mature width: 3-4 ft
Hardiness zones: 9-11, annual in all others
*Please note: We cannot ship any Ricinus communis seeds to Florida at this time. Checkout is disabled for this product in this state.