Ricinus communis ‘Carmencita’

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Ricinus communis ‘Carmencita’

Family: (Euphorbiaceae)

(A) to 10′.  Castor Oil Plant.  Although the common name tells of one of childhood’s most unpleasant associations, this plant’s best incarnation is in the large border.  New foliage is a lustrous, dark bronzy red maturing to huge one to three feet long lobed leaves of dark, glossy blue-green with prominent pink veins.  Striking, dense inflorescences of up to 15-inches are comprised of small male flowers with creamy yellow stamens that are held below terminal female flowers which have three conspicuous, bright red, star-shaped stigma lobes. The small spiny ovary of the female flowers develop into a golf-ball sized fruit after pollination.  Each spherical seed capsule is thickly covered with soft, flexible spines.  Sun.  SEED IS POISONOUS.  2B & 3 & T3