Castor Oil Bean 'New Zealand Purple'
Ricinus communis

Name: Castor Oil Bean 'New Zealand Purple'
SKU: S881
Rating: 0 (0 reviews)

SKU # S881

Product Type: Seed Packet

Approximate Seeds Per Packet: 7

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$4.00

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A Victorian and turn of the century favorite accent plant when tropical plants and gardens were all the rage. Vick's 1904 Garden and Floral Guide listed Duchess of Edinburg with dark purple stems and leaves. Ours is a similar inky purple, the spiky seed pods just as dark as the leaves. A heat-lover, it does well in humidity, too. Seeds extremely poisonous. Self sows. Poisonous

Seeds highly poisonous. Our deepest-hued variety

Lifecycle: Annual

Hardiness: Tender Annual

Size: 6-10' h x 3' w

Sun: Full sun

Soil: Rich, moist, well-drained

Season: Summer

Seed to Bloom: 12-14 weeks

Color: Inky purple leaves and seed pods

Rare

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Growing Guide

Sowing Instructions:

Depth: 1/2-1"
Sprout Time: 7-15 days
Starting Indoors: Sow indoors in pots 6-8 weeks before last frost. Keep at 65-75°F.
Starting Outdoors: Direct sow 2 weeks after last frost, when soil has warmed.

When to Set Outside

After last frost.

Placement & Cultivation

Great as a specimen or focal point Also great in containers or as a border. Do not place in areas where children or pets are present, as seeds are highly poisonous. Wear gloves when handling the plant, as contact of foliage with skin can cause skin irritation in some individuals. All parts of the plant are toxic if ingested.
Final Spacing: 3'
Water Use: Medium Water Use
Watering Details: About 1" per week; do not overwater.
Soil pH: Slightly acidic to neutral
Fertilizer: Mix about 2-4" of compost into soil prior to planting if soil is not rich. Feed monthly with a balanced organic fertilizer.
Diseases & Pests: May become weedy in frost-free areas.

Plant Description

Plant: Large, somewhat shrub-like, with colossal, palmately lobed purple leaves that are toothed and glossy. Stems are reddish purple.
Seeds: Flowers turn into bristly purple seed pods containing the highly toxic seeds; dispose of when they begin to dry on the plant.
When to Cut:

Fun Fact

Castor oil, used for medicinal purposes, is derived from the castor bean. The toxin ricin is water-soluble and is therefore not partitioned into the oil.

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Number of Comments 1

Average rating:

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

10 ft Tall! Wednesday, August 19, 2020

By Missouri

Select Seeds Confirmed Purchase

I started 5 from seed, indoors with grow lights, 3 germinated, and 2 made it through the transplanting outside in spring (zone 6a), and WOW - they look exactly like the photos here and are easily 10 ft tall now!!! They have withstood vicious thunderstorms that toppled everything else and I just can't say enough about them.

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Castor Oil Bean 'New Zealand Purple'
Ricinus communis

Growing Companions

Growing Guide

Sowing Instructions:

When to Set Outside

Placement & Cultivation

Plant Description

Fun Fact

Ratings & Reviews

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Castor Oil Bean 'New Zealand Purple' Ricinus communis

Growing Companions

Growing Guide

Sowing Instructions:

When to Set Outside

Placement & Cultivation

Plant Description

Fun Fact

Ratings & Reviews

Notify Me

Email A Friend

Castor Oil Bean 'New Zealand Purple'
Ricinus communis