Ricinus communis

by Ron Vanderhoff

Common Name(s)

castor bean, castor oil plant, Higuera, palma-christi , wonder-tree, castor-bean, castor-bean-plant, castor-oil-plant, kasterolieboom (Afrikaans), higuerilla (Spanish), African Coffee Tree, maple weed

Synonym(s)

Ricinus africanus, Ricinus angulatus, Ricinus armatus, Ricinus atropurpureus, Ricinus badius, Ricinus borboniensis, Ricinus cambodgensis, Ricinus communis fo. americanus, Ricinus communis fo. argentatus, Ricinus communis fo. argyratus, Ricinus communis fo. atratus, Ricinus communis fo. atrobrunneatus, Ricinus communis fo. atrofulvatus, Ricinus communis fo. atrofuscatus, Ricinus communis fo. atrophoeniceus, Ricinus communis fo. atrophoeniceus, Ricinus communis fo. atropurpureatus, Ricinus communis fo. avellanatus, Ricinus communis fo. blumeanus, Ricinus communis fo. canatus, Ricinus communis fo. canescens, Ricinus communis fo. carneatus, Ricinus communis fo. cervatus, Ricinus communis fo. cinerascens, Ricinus communis fo. cinereatus, Ricinus communis fo. denudatus, Ricinus communis fo. epiglaucus, Ricinus communis fo. erythrocladus, Ricinus communis fo. exiguus, Ricinus communis fo. fulvatus, Ricinus communis fo. fumatus, Ricinus communis fo. fuscatus, Ricinus communis fo. gilvus, Ricinus communis fo. glaucus, Ricinus communis fo. gracilis, Ricinus communis fo. guttatus, Ricinus communis fo. hybridus, Ricinus communis fo. incarnatus, Ricinus communis fo. inermis, Ricinus communis fo. intermedius, Ricinus communis fo. laevis, Ricinus communis fo. macrophyllus, Ricinus communis fo. intermedius, Ricinus communis fo. laevis, Ricinus communis fo. macrophyllus, Ricinus communis fo. maculatus, Ricinus communis fo. marmoreatus, Ricinus communis fo. murinatus, Ricinus communis fo. nigellus, Ricinus communis fo. nigrescens, Ricinus communis fo. niveatus, Ricinus communis fo. oblongus, Ricinus communis fo. obscurus, Ricinus communis fo. oligacanthus, Ricinus communis fo. ostrinatus, Ricinus communis fo. pardalinus, Ricinus communis fo. picturatus, Ricinus communis fo. plumbeatus, Ricinus communis fo. pruinosus, Ricinus communis fo. pullatus, Ricinus communis fo. punctatus, Ricinus communis fo. punctulatus, Ricinus communis fo. punicans, Ricinus communis fo. purpurascens, Ricinus communis fo. radiatus, Ricinus communis fo. rufescens, Ricinus communis fo. russatus, Ricinus communis fo. rutilans, Ricinus communis fo. scaber, Ricinus communis fo. scriptus, Ricinus communis fo. sordidus, Ricinus communis fo. stigmosus, Ricinus communis fo. striatus, Ricinus communis fo. subpurpurascens, Ricinus communis fo. subrotundus, Ricinus communis fo. subviridis, Ricinus communis fo. sulcatus, Ricinus communis fo. tigrinus, Ricinus communis fo. umbrinus, Ricinus communis fo. venosus, Ricinus communis fo. vinatus, Ricinus communis fo. viridis, Ricinus communis fo. zebrinus, Ricinus communis fo. zollingeri, Ricinus communis fo. zonatus, Ricinus communis subsp. indicus, Ricinus communis subsp. mexicanus, Ricinus communis subsp. persicus, Ricinus communis subsp. ruderalis, Ricinus communis subsp. sanguineus, Ricinus communis subsp. sinensis, Ricinus communis subsp. zanzibarinus, Ricinus communis subvar. viridis, Ricinus communis var. aegyptiaceus, Ricinus communis var. africanus, Ricinus communis var. amblyocalyx, Ricinus communis var. armatus, Ricinus communis var. badius, Ricinus communis var. bailundensis, Ricinus communis var. benguelensis, Ricinus communis var. brasiliensis, Ricinus communis var. brevinodis, Ricinus communis var. caesius, Ricinus communis var. genuinus, Ricinus communis var. glaucus, Ricinus communis var. glaucus, Ricinus communis var. indehiscens, Ricinus communis var. inermis, Ricinus communis var. japonicus, Ricinus communis var. leucocarpus, Ricinus communis var. lividus, Ricinus communis var. macrocarpus, Ricinus communis var. megalospermus, Ricinus communis var. mexicanus, Ricinus communis var. microcarpus, Ricinus communis var. microspermus, Ricinus communis var. minor, Ricinus communis var. nanus, Ricinus communis var. purpurascens, Ricinus communis var. reichenbachianus, Ricinus communis var. rheedianus, Ricinus communis var. roseus, Ricinus communis var. rugosus, Ricinus communis var. sanguineus, Ricinus communis var. speciosus, Ricinus communis var. spontaneus, Ricinus communis var. typicus, Ricinus communis var. undulatus, Ricinus communis var. vasconcellosii, Ricinus communis var. violaceocaulis, Ricinus communis var. virens, Ricinus communis var. viridis, Ricinus digitatus, Ricinus europaeus, Ricinus giganteus, Ricinus glaucus, Ricinus hybridus, Ricinus inermis, Ricinus japonicus, Ricinus krappa, Ricinus laevis, Ricinus leucocarpus, Ricinus lividus, Ricinus macrocarpus, Ricinus macrocarpus var. nudus, Ricinus macrophyllus, Ricinus medicus, Ricinus medius, Ricinus megalospermus, Ricinus messeniacus, Ricinus metallicus, Ricinus microcarpus, Ricinus microcarpus var. atrovirens, Ricinus microcarpus var. spontaneus, Ricinus minor, Ricinus nanus, Ricinus obermannii, Ricinus peltatus, Ricinus perennis, Ricinus persicus, Ricinus purpurascens, Ricinus ruber, Ricinus rugosus, Ricinus rutilans, Ricinus sanguineus, Ricinus scaber, Ricinus speciosus, Ricinus spectabilis, Ricinus tunisensis, Ricinus undulatus, Ricinus urens, Ricinus viridis, Ricinus vulgaris, Ricinus zanzibarinus

Is this plant a cultivar? No

Life History: Perennial

Growth Form: shrub

Native Range

probable origin is Africa; native to Europe

Plant Description

Ricinus communis (castorbean) is an herbaceous plant or semi-woody large shrub or small tree (family Euphorbiaceae). In California, is listed as a shrub and occasional tree.

History as an Ornamental

It grows quickly in mild climates and has escaped cultivation to become a noxious weed in southern and central California.

External Resources

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Images

by Ton Rulkens
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by Turelio
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by Syp
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by Ron Vanderhoff
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