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Ricinus communis

Common Name: castor bean

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Common Synonyms: Croton spinosus, Ricinus africanus

USDA Hardiness Zone: 6a-11

Growth Habit: Shrub

Origin: Africa

FISC Category: 2

FDACS Listed Noxious Weed: No

Introduction Date: Earliest Florida voucher 1918

IFAS Assessment:

  • North: HIGH INVASION RISK
  • Central: HIGH INVASION RISK
  • South: HIGH INVASION RISK
Ricinus communis
Dan Clark, USDI National Park Service, Bugwood.org

Description

Shrub 1-4 m tall. Connate leaves leave scar marks around the stem. Long petiole 10-55 cm, leaf blade circular 15-50 cm across, with 7-12 lobes that increase in size. Separate male and female flowers. Flowers 6-30 cm. Female flowers with ovate sepals with numerous bristle tipped outgrowths and orange to red styles. Fruits are capsules, dark red and 1.5-2 cm across. Flowers and fruits in summer to late fall.

Habitat

Disturbed sites.

Comments

Flowers and fruits summer-late fall.

Map of species distribution

Control Methods

  • Manual: Mechanical: Hand pull seedlings.
  • Chemical: Basal bark or cut stump: 10% Garlon 4. Revisit site several times to pull up seedlings or treat seedlings with 5% Roundup.
  • Biological: NA

Control Notes

NA

References

Flora of North America Editorial Committee, eds. 1993+. Flora of North America North of Mexico. 20+ vols. New York and Oxford.

Langeland, K.A., J.A. Ferrell, B. Sellers, G.E. MacDonald, and R.K. Stocker. 2011. Integrated management of non-native plants in natural areas of Florida. EDIS publication SP 242. University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.

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