Ricinus communis
| Ricinus communis | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 9 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen Self Pollinated | |
| Height: | 5' |
| Width: | 3' |
| Speed: | Fast |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer-Early Fall |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Ricinus communis (common name: castor-oil plant)
Propagation: Seed - sow early spring in a warm greenhouse in individual pots. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out after the last expected frosts[1]. The seeds retain their viability for 2 - 3 years[2].
Cultivation: Prefers a well-drained moisture retentive clay or sandy loam in full sun[3][4]. Requires a rich soil and daytime temperatures above 20°c for the seedlings to grow well[5], though the seed may fail to set if temperatures rise above 38°C for an extended period[2]. The plant requires 140 - 180 days of warm temperatures in the growing season in order to produce good crops of seed, and is readily killed by frost[2]. The plant is reported to tolerate an annual precipitation in the range of 20 to 429cm, an annual temperature in the range of 7.0 to 27.8°C and a pH of 4.5 to 8.3[2].
The castor-oil plant is a fast-growing shrub in the wild, reaching up to 12 metres in height, though it is much smaller when cultivated in the temperate zone[6][5]. A very ornamental plant[1], although it is not winter hardy in Britain, it can be grown outdoors as an annual bedding plant for sub-tropical displays, and can flower and produce fruit in its first year in warm summers[1][7]. It has been known to ripen a crop of seeds as far north as Christiana in Norway[7]. Providing the plants water needs are met, yields of around 1 tonne per hectare have been achieved, with exceptional cases of up t 5 tonnes per hectare[2].
It has a long history of cultivation as an oil-bearing and medicinal plant, having been grown in ancient Egypt[8]. It is still widely cultivated for its seed in tropical and sub-tropical zones[1][9]. There are many named varieties, some developed for ornamental use and others for oil production[7][2].
Plants may need support in exposed areas[6].
Range: Africa? Original habitat is obscure. Naturalized in S. and S.C. Europe.
Habitat: Not known in a truly wild situation.
Edibility: The seed contains 35 - 55% of an edible oil, used in cooking[10][11]. The seed is a rich source of phosphorus, 90% of which is in the phytic form[12]. Some caution should be observed, see the notes above on toxicity
Medicinal: The oil from the seed is a very well-known laxative that has been widely used for over 2,000 years[13]. It is considered to be fast, safe and gentle, prompting a bowel movement in 3 - 5 hours, and is recommended for both the very young and the aged[7][14]. It is so effective that it is regularly used to clear the digestive tract in cases of poisoning[14]. It should not be used in cases of chronic constipation, where it might deal with the symptoms but does not treat the cause[7]. The flavour is somewhat unpleasant, however, and it can cause nausea in some people[7]. The oil has a remarkable antidandruff effect[15]. The oil is well-tolerated by the skin and so is sometimes used as a vehicle for medicinal and cosmetic preparations[14].
Castor oil congeals to a gel-mass when the alcoholic solution is distilled in the presence of sodium salts of higher fatty acids[16]. This gel is useful in the treatment of non-inflammatory skin diseases and is a good protective in cases of occupational eczema and dermatitis[16].
The seed is anthelmintic, cathartic, emollient, laxative, purgative[7][15][17]. It is rubbed on the temple to treat headache[12] and is also powdered and applied to abscesses and various skin infections[12]. The seed is used in Tibetan medicine, where it is considered to have an acrid, bitter and sweet taste with a heating potency[18]. It is used in the treatment of indigestion and as a purgative[18].
A decoction of the leaves and roots is antitussive, discutient and expectorant[12]. The leaves are used as a poultice to relieve headaches and treat boils[16].
Usage: The seed contains 35 - 55% of a drying oil. As well as being used in cooking, it is an ingredient of soaps, polishes, flypapers, paints and varnishes[10][7][15][3][19]. It is also used as a lubricant and for lighting and as an ingredient in fuels for precision engines[15][20][21]. The oil is used in coating fabrics and other protective coverings, in the manufacture of high-grade lubricants, transparent typewriter and printing inks, in textile dyeing (when converted into sulfonated Castor Oil or Turkey-Red Oil, for dyeing cotton fabrics with alizarine) and in the production of 'Rilson', a polyamide nylon-type fibre[2]. The dehydrated oil is an excellent drying agent which compares favorably with tung oil and is used in paints and varnishes[2]. The hydrogenated oil is utilized in the manufacture of waxes, polishes, carbon paper, candles and crayons[2].
A fibre for making ropes is obtained from the stems[15].
The growing plant is said to repel flies and mosquitoes[15][3][22][23][11][24]. When grown in the garden it is said to rid it of moles and nibbling insects[3][23][24]. The leaves have insecticidal properties[11].
Cellulose from the stems is used for making cardboard, paper etc[9][11].
Pollinators: Wind
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Seed Ripens: Early Fall-Late Fall
Flower Type: Monoecious
Heavy Clay: Grows in heavy-clay soils.
Known Hazards: The whole plant is very poisonous[25][26][23], even one seed has been known to be lethal to children[27][28][4]. The seedcoat contains an extremely lethal poison that was once used by the KGB to dispose of their enemies[5]. The leaves are only mildly
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Duke, James. Handbook of Energy Crops. 1983.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Hylton, Josie and William Holtom. Complete Guide to Herbs. Rodale Press, 1979.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Phillips, Roger and Martyn Rix. Conservatory and Indoor Plants Volumes 1 & 2. Pan Books, London, 1998.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Brickell, Christopher. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers. Dorling Kindersley Publishers, 1990.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ Bown, Deni. Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, 1995.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Hedrick, Ulysses. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Hill, Albert. Economic Botany. The Maple Press, 1952.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Duke, James and Edward Ayensu. Medicinal Plants of China. Reference Publications, 1985.
- ↑ Foster, Steven and Billy Tatum. Medicinal Plants of Eastern and Central North America. Houghton Mifflin, 1990.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Chevallier, Andrew. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants. Dorling Kindersley, 1996.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 Chiej, Roberto. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald, 1984.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Chopra, R. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, 1986.
- ↑ Lust, John. The Herb Book. Bantam Books, 1983.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Tsarong, Tsewang. Tibetan Medicinal Plants. Tibetan Medical Publications, 1994.
- ↑ Schery. Robert. Plants for Man. Prentice Hall, 1972.
- ↑ Clapham, Arthur and Tom Tootin, Edmund Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, 1962.
- ↑ Polunin, Oleg. Flowers of Europe. Oxford University Press, 1969.
- ↑ Philbrick, Helen and Richard Gregg. Companion Plants. Watkins, 1979.
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 Riotte, Louise. Carrots Love Tomatoes. Garden Way, 1978.
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 Allardice, Pamela. A-Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers, 1993.
- ↑ Altmann, Horst. Poisonous Plants and Animals. Chatto and Windus, 1980.
- ↑ Stary, Frantisek. Poisonous Plants. Hamlyn, 1983.
- ↑ Frohne, Dietrich and Hans Pfänder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Timber Press, 1984.
- ↑ Cooper, Marion. Poisonous Plants in Britain and their Effects on Animals and Man. The Stationery Office, 1984.