Ricinus communis Palma-Christi

The Blood Castor Bean or Palm of Christ, also known as Ricinus communis, is a beautiful plant with reddish palmate leaves, giving it a very exotic appearance. The young leaves are adorned with a striking red-orange hue, gradually turning green. The velvety flower spikes, blooming in summer, give way to round, thorny fruits. This fast-growing, large tropical perennial is frost-sensitive and, therefore, grows as an annual in our climates. Sow directly in place, in pots or containers in fertile, humus-bearing, well-drained soil, in full sun.

The Ricinus communis is a plant from the Euphorbiaceae family, native to Northeast Africa and Southwest Asia. It is a perennial of tropical and subtropical climates, forming a bush in its country of origin but remaining smaller in our climates. It can still reach a height of 1.50m (5ft) and a width of 2m (7ft) in just one season. This plant is characterised by its superb foliage, deeply palmate-lobed, reddish-orange when young, bright green to purplish, shiny like waxed canvas. Flowering occurs in summer in pyramidal clusters, with female flowers occupying the top and male flowers forming yellowish tufts at the base. The fruits are capsules with three prominent and loaded midribs loaded with thorns. The Castor Bean is a species that disperses through autochory. The fruit violently explodes at maturity and propels the seeds several metres away. Birds and rain spread the seeds, and they can remain dormant for several years. The plant's development cycle is very rapid. All parts of the plant are highly toxic.

The castor bean allows you to quickly fill a corner of the garden, at little cost, for a guaranteed spectacle. Plant a Chinese windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei) and a Japanese banana (Musa basjoo) to create a perfectly exotic setting as a backdrop. Pair it with hedychium, close relatives of ginger, or canna lilies.