Can you identify this plant?
United Kingdom
The missus has fallen in love with this plant that she has seen growing in London. Can anyone please tell me what it is so I can earn some brownie points? (its the one with the red leaves!!)
- 7 Aug, 2009
Answers
you beat me to the browny points wagger.
just remember it is exceedingly poisonous as it contains ricin. so grow it but with care, not that you would eat the leaves....
7 Aug, 2009
Lol - beware strange men brandishing umbrellas.
7 Aug, 2009
Oh definately.....its a lovely plant for all its poisonous attributes.....
7 Aug, 2009
There are different cultivars of it, not all have red leaves and red flowers.
Taken from a website:
"'Carmencita' has bronzy red leaves and bright red female flowers. 'Impala' is smaller and has red leaves that age to reddish purple. 'Sanguineus' has blood-red stems and leaves. 'Gibsonii Mirabilis' is dwarf, only 4' tall, and has dark red leaves and stems.
'Zanzibarensis' is taller and has larger leaves that are green with white veins. "
NB they mention 4 feet tall for the dwarf one, but the site was for Florida, - the height may depend on the climate.
7 Aug, 2009
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It's Ricinus communis, the castor oil plant. It's an annual easily grown from seed.
7 Aug, 2009