Sure looks like castor bean to me as well, but I believe the mole thing is mostly a myth...

Castor Bean & Moles

It is indeed a castor bean. I grew it back in northern KY for years. A very pretty plant but you should know the leaves and seeds are extremely poisonous.

D, the plant looked familiar that is why I let it be in the garden, I never grew it but I have seen it before, especially around the trail. I was thinking some sort of flower, the leaves look a little bit like a fig but not really, that is why I can count on you and all the other forum members that know different things than me.:)

Carol, thanks for the link. I don't have any moles in the garden right now and that is a good thing.

Bea, I will keep an eye on the plant and if I see that any of my pets show an interest, the plant will have to go. Right now, they only have eyes for the snap peas, they love them! lol

Silvia

People grow that on purpose?

Oh sure. Many cultivars exist too.

Yeah, but in FL it's the signature plant for pile-of-dirt-that's-been-sitting-for-a-while-on-disturbed-construction-site. Unless you need to tat up some ricin, I personally can't imagine giving it garden space. Bidens alba or nettles at least have more useful qualities. When I was a kid we lost a few rabbits who nibbled on castor bean leaves when they got out of their hutch and into the vacant lot next door.

I can't imagine allowing it in a garden with any animals or small children.

The red ones are really pretty. I've always wanted one.

Love castor beans because they are pretty but then I love growing poisonous plants. When we lived up north I had an entire garden devoted to some of the most poisonous plants in the U.S. I find plants that have such powers fascinating. Hubby said once he had to make sure to be nice to me. Lol

Writersblock, I was just remembering where did I see it planted and it was in a gorgeous sunny garden where wallisadi took me to see his friend when I went to visit his garden, the castor plants where in a very visible spot in the ornamental garden.

Tom, they do look pretty and I am sure people grow them for the looks.

Writersblock, I am very careful about my pets, I only have dogs and they never being sick because they ate something from the garden. I make their own food with veggies, chicken and rice. Anything that can hurt them, I put it in the front yard, including cactus where they can get spines or needles, I don't even have pineapples in the backyard. They don't really have to look for food, they eat 3 times a day just like I do.:)

D, the castor plants in the ornamental garden that I saw where red, very pretty! On a side story my neighbor had moles, so he told me that he put castor oil in the holes. I don't know if it work or not because he changed his entire lawn to a different grass and he has no problem now.

Bea, I can see your fascination with those kind of plants, a lot of plants are poison more than we think, when I lived in Arizona everyone had oleanders because they took the heat and around the same time there was a book white oleander? where somebody got killed with the flowers.

And your Hubby is right, he better be good to you! lol

Silvia

I have 2 red castor bean seedlings that just came up. I last grew some in 2009. They r pretty i just have to make sure to keep the seed pods from dropping when they mature because I dont want our chickens eating them.

I remember all the oleanders in AZ lol. I even saw them at pediatrician offices etc. People have them everywhere and dont think too much about them, I guess. I read that book, much better than the movie where they slaughtered the book..as per usual lol.

This reminds me of something...Years ago my grandmother wanted some castor beans for repelling moles, so i found some seeds at a local store and mailed them to her..Apparently the envelope wasnt padded enough and they got crushed in the machine at the P.O. (why they tried to put the envelope through the machine, i have no clue) anyhow the were crushed pretty good when my grandma got them..yikes crushed castor beans equal ricin..lol Nowdays that might have caused quite a problem lol.

Hi Sultry, I guess is a blast from the past! lol, I don't remember seen the movie but here we have our own set of poison plants. I think some of the berries and pods, leaves like the uncooked chaya, we just have to be careful....

Silvia

Sultry, I did not see the last words about the mailing and you are right, these days everything is suspicious.:) I ordered some tomato seeds from Tania's tomatoes in Canada and the envelope was opened and checked by Homeland Security! at least the put back the seeds.:)

Silvia