Plant id please

Live at Three

What is this plant?

looksee

Its a castor oil plant.

my3cents

Yep, Castor Oil Plant, possibly the variety "Red Giant" (Ricinus comunis "Red Giant") - there are however a lot of red leafed varieties.

Grow from seed each year as an annual, ideally you need a greenhouse/pollytunnel to get it started early and growing well before planting out but can be raised on a window sill.

I don't like to rant about plants that are toxic because most of what you read is hysteria, I would however mention that there is a hint in the plants name Ricinus. One the other hand Castor Oil isn't know for being toxic and there are very few cases of poisoning from the seeds. I just think its worth mentioning so kids don't end up in a situation where they could pick up and eat what looks much like a broad bean seed.

philstar

castor oil plant?? i thought you were taking the mickey

....em does it actually contain castor oil?

looksee

Yes, the seeds have the oil.

Live at Three

looksee wrote: »

Yes, the seeds have the oil.

Thanks a lot look see. That pic was taken by a friend on holiday in Norway last week.