Purple Castor Bean 'New Zealand Purple'

This species has naturalized in 34 states. As far north as Maine, it can overwinter as a self-sowing annual.

Where it is h...Read Moreardy, it's a suckering perennial shrub that can reach a height of 40'.

It's a heavy producer of light air-borne pollen which is highly allergenic. It's a common trigger for hayfever and asthma. In many people, it also causes a skin rash on contact. The seed pods are spiny.

In California, Florida, and Texas, it's on the official lists of species invasive of natural habitat.

Native to the eastern Mediterranean, east Africa, and India, it's now spread to most tropical areas around the world, where it's commonly considered invasive.

It is not hardy here in Union Grove, Zone 8a or 7b, depending on who you ask, but it does self sow freely, slow to start but when it gets...Read More hot, grows very fast, reaches 8' easily and provides a nice Summer screen. It is bad for flopping by itself, so I usually sow a cluster. It does not transplant easily and if it lives rarely grows as well as direct sown seed. Here, I pick the seed stalks just before first hard frost and stick them in water for a week or two so the seeds ripen more and are likelier to sprout the next season, seed do keep quite well.

i started this plant from seeds this spring. and now it is over 6 ft. tall. the trunk is about 2 plus inches diameter or is that circum...Read Moreference?

the leaves are pretty magnificent. purple/red stalks, stems and veins. newer leaves are reddish purple and they just glow. seems like the ones facing the sun are more purple. bottom leaves are castor bean green with red veining. the leaves are huge. seed head/flowers are red.

the plant is gorgeous. i love it. i am thinking about digging it up so that i can keep the plant. i will save the seeds but sure hate to lose the plant.

I started this from 2 year old seed and it is doing very well, if growing a little slower than I would wish. I am using it as a screen a...Read Moregainst a trellis and hoping to save seed for next year.