These are month-old R. Communis seedlings that I just potted up in 1-gallons a week or so ago. These things are scary. This is the growth one month from when I sowed the seeds, not from when they sprouted (which only took two days any way...). I'm going to have fun come the end of the year..... :-( http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t195/DGuertin/RComm.jpg
Congratulations! They look great. I have four out of the five I seeded. Each seed cost $1! It's the redder variety, Carmencita. After I read Christopher Lloyd's book about his exotic garden, I bought the ricinus and also Canna musafolia (banana canna). I love giant plants. Have Petasites giganteus in the garden also; I just had to have it after reading a book by Margaret Roach, The Making of a Garden. Your Texas heat is ideal for those castor bean plants. Happy gardening!
Oh Dear! Around here they're classed as noxious weeds - grow to the size of small trees and come up vigorously in disturbed soil. Not something to cherish. They are probably a slightly different variety - will try and get some pics for you.
Probably similar enough. I'm going to be watching mine very closely when they start seeding to be sure I get up as many as possible. No that I would particularly mind having a neighbourhood full of them, but somehow I doubt the remainder of the neighbourhood would agree with me. ;-) Like Debbie, I'm a foliage friend. Anything with leaves the size of my head or bigger is OK in my book.
