Castor Beans: To Grow or Not?

I’ve thought about growing a few castor bean plants, but I’m not sure that’s such a good idea.

Why would I want to grow castor beans? I’ve heard the plants repel ground-dwelling rodents like the moles tear up my garden. That’s because all parts of the castor bean plant contain ricin, a potent toxin that’s deadly to humans. This trait also gives the castor bean its scientific name, Ricinus communis.

They’re not really a bean since they aren’t in the legume family.

The “beans,” or rather seeds, contain the highest levels of toxins. But it’s also present in oil compounds in the roots. This purportedly repels many animals besides moles, including racoons and deer, which also regularly disturb my plants.

Supposedly, ingesting four to eight seeds is enough to kill an adult human. Despite its toxicity, humans have cultivated castor beans for centuries due to its usefulness.

The pressed seeds produce an oil with several unique properties. It was known as a longlasting fuel oil for lamps during ancient times. Castor oil was used as a mechanical lubricant for centuries before the advent of better-performing petroleumbased lubricants. It’s still used as an additive in many types of lubrication products.

The oil of castor beans is not as toxic as the seeds themselves. For that reason, castor oil has also been used for centuries as a medicine. Ingested, it acts as a laxative. Historically, midwives administered castor oil to induce pregnancy. It’s also used to treat skin and hair ailments. It’s an ingredient in many skin and hair-care products today. Obviously, I’m not a doctor, so don’t consume castor oil without consulting a medical professional.

Castor beans plants, which are native to Africa, can be quite beautiful. Some varieties have been bred as ornamentals, such as the striking “Impala” and “Purple Glow” cultivars. Some growers report that a few plants around the garden can repel some insect pests as well. I’ve seen some homemade insecticide recipes that call for castor oil due to its toxicity to many types of bugs.

Castor definitely has its uses. I’d be tempted to plant it except for one big problem.

A few weeks ago I was walking around the pasture and noticed a strange new weed. We haven’t sprayed weedkiller on the place in a few years. So it’s not a surprise to see new things pop up. I thought it was some kind of briar and didn’t give it too much thought, except that I need to be sure and shred that area in the spring to keep it from spreading.

But then the other day, I was reading something about castor beans. The article had a photo of the plant late in its growing season, after it has flowered. The plants develop these spiny seed pods that look sort of like briar. I thought, Could that plant I saw in the pasture be a castor bean?

Then I took a look at the texasinvasives.org database. Sure enough, the plant is considered an invasive species in Texas. I don’t really want to plant some castor beans and then have to deal with them spreading out of control. All I want them for is to see if they keep the moles away. Maybe it’s not worth it.

Has anyone else grown castor beans (on purpose)? I’d love to hear about your experience. Email me at andy@fayettecountyrecord. com.