Ricinus communis
Castor bean · also Castor oil plant, Castor
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Ricinus communis, commonly known as Castor Bean, is a fast-growing, multi-stemmed plant that can form a bushy shrub or small tree, featuring glossy, deeply lobed leaves and spiny capsule fruits. It is evergreen and drought-tolerant, often growing as a weed in disturbed sites. All parts of the plant, especially the seeds, contain ricin, a highly potent toxin.
Where it grows
Trees in each city's inventory, with the share of that city's named trees this species accounts for.
- 14,6581.00%—1.3 in
- 340.01%—4.5 in
- 10.01%——
No city in this list records planting dates for this species, so age is blank throughout.
Traits
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Mature height
- 5–40 ft
- Canopy spread
- 0–10 ft
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Water needs
- Low
- Drought tolerance
- Low
- Blooms
- Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov
Trunk diameters across every city: median 4.3 in, mean 5.5 in, 90th percentile 9.4 in. Measured at breast height, as published by each inventory.
Native range
Terrestrial ecoregions where this species is native. Trees in the dataset mostly stand well outside it.
Tropical & Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas & Shrublands
- Horn of Africa xeric bushlands