| Scientific Name: | Ricinus communis |
| Common Name: | castor bean |
| Family Name: | Euphorbiaceae |
| Origin: | Europe |
| Hardiness Zone: | Zone 9: (-7 to -1 °C) |
| Plant Type: | Annual (grown as) |
| Mature Size: | 1.3 - 2.0m x 0.6 - 1.0m (height x width) |
| Habit: | Upright |
| Form: | Vase |
| Texture: | Very coarse |
| Landscape Uses: | Summer interest |
| Exposure: | Full sun |
| Soil or Media: | Well-drained |
| Leaves: | Simple, Lobed, Alternate, Leathery, Heavily veined, Palmate venation, Glabrous, Orbicular, Dentate, Palmately lobed, Serrate |
| Flowers: | Cyme, Green, Pink, Red, Jul-Aug |
| Fruit: | Schizocarp, Green, Pink, Red, Brown, Sep-Oct |
| Key ID Features: | |
| Leaves alternate, orbicular, 15-45cm long and wide, palmate venation with 5-12 deep lobes, median lobe typically 10-20cm long x 2-5cm wide, margin coarsely dentate, petioles 5-20cm long; panicle-like inflorescence up to 15cm long with lower male and upper female flowers, reddish stigmas and or bracts; fruit a spiny capsule about 2cm wide. | |