Castor Bean

You must have had the unpleasant experience of taking castor oil, at least once in your life. The following article will provide you information about castor bean tree, seed and oil. Read on if you are inquisitive....

Castor bean (Ricinus communis) is native to the Ethiopian region of tropical east Africa. Castor bean plant has always been the source of numerous economically important products. Researchers have found castor beans in ancient Egyptian tombs, dating back to 4000 B.C. Castor oil was used thousands of years ago in wick lamps for lighting. Mostly, people consider the castor bean tree as overgrown, undesirable weed though it offers us one of nature's finest natural oils.

Castor Bean Plant

Castor bean plant grows well in tropical and warm temperate regions all over the world and has now become an increasingly abundant weed in the southwestern United States. Castor bean plants can be commonly noticed along stream banks, river beds, bottom lands and just about any hot area. They can grow fast in the soil which is well drained but has necessary nutrients and moisture to sustain their vigorous growth. 'Are castor bean poisonous?', is the commonly asked question. The castor bean seed or castor bean is extremely poisonous. Castor beans are considered as one of the earliest commercial products. Castor bean plant survives for many years in areas with mild, frost-free winters and then it may become quite woody and tree-like. Although it is known for fast and robust growth with little care or insect pests, its use in cultivation is discouraged because of the extremely poisonous seeds or 'castor beans'. Cultivating castor oil plants involves risk as small children might be attracted to the large, spotted seeds which are produced abundantly.

Castor Bean Seed

The castor bean seed pod or capsule is spiny and it consists of three sections or carpels which split apart at maturity. One seed is obtained from each carpel and when the carpel dries and splits open, the seed is often thrown out with considerable force. If you have ever walked among large castor shrubs, on a hot summer day, you might have heard the sound of exploding carpels and seeds flying through the air and bouncing off road signs, sidewalks and your head. Castor bean seed is known as Ricinus communis and it mainly contains the toxic protein 'ricin'. Even one milligram of ricin can kill an adult. Castor bean plant in a garden should not be allowed to flower and seed. You should "nip it in the bud".

The seeds of castor plants are shiny, having very beautiful and intricate designs. They are a little larger than pinto beans. The small, spongy structure at one end is called the caruncle, which helps the seeds in the absorption of water, when planted. The intricate designs on the seeds appear like human faces, finger prints or the spots on a leopard. It is amazing that no two seeds have exactly the same pattern. There is no doubt that castor bean seeds are among the most deadly seeds on earth, and it is their irresistible appearance that makes them so dangerous. The beautiful designs on castor seeds also exhibit infinite genetic variation. The seeds look like the bodies of ticks, particularly ticks satiated with blood.

Castor Bean Flower

You can observe the flower cluster (inflorescence) of castor bean, throughout the year in dense terminal clusters, with female flowers just above the male flowers. This species is clearly monoecious, with separate male and female flowers on the same individual. Castor bean flowers have no petals and each female flower has a little spiny ovary and a bright red structure with feathery branches (stigma lobes) that receives pollen from male flowers. The spiny ovary later develops into the fruit or seed capsule. Each male flower has a cluster of many stamens which literally smoke as they shed pollen in a gust of wind. Pollination takes place with the help of wind.

Castor Bean Oil

Castor oil is popular for its use as a laxative. It is used in the production of medicines which cure skin problems. It is used to induce labor. Read more on castor oil induction. It can offer you relief from pain and many other problems like indigestion, irregularities in menstruation, etc. It is used to manufacture anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal medicines, various cosmetics, soaps, inks, lubricants, paints, plastics, brake fluids, etc. It helps soften artificial leather during manufacturing process.

Many varieties of castor bean plant are green but some are reddish brown. The green flowers are inconspicuous but pink or red flowers are noticed in the pigmented varieties. Castor bean plant is grown as an ornamental plant in gardens, like other houseplants. It grows annually in the south and is a a perennial plant in the tropics and it may grow 15 feet tall outdoors. It is the woody herb belonging to the family of Euphorbiacea (Spurge).