Hi

I am trying to find out what a plant is that I have seen in a local
park and the Leicester University Botanical Garden. It has leaves
similar in size and shape to a Fatsia but is a dark green/red leaf. The
plants I have seen are about a metre high and have pink spiky looking
fruit/flowers close to the stem.

I just wondered if anyone knew what it was

Many thanks
Lucy

Lucy wrote:
Hi

I am trying to find out what a plant is that I have seen in a local
park and the Leicester University Botanical Garden. It has leaves
similar in size and shape to a Fatsia but is a dark green/red leaf. The
plants I have seen are about a metre high and have pink spiky looking
fruit/flowers close to the stem.

I just wondered if anyone knew what it was

Many thanks
Lucy


It's Ricinus, or Castor bean plant

http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants/castorbean.html

On 19/9/05 10:50, in article , "Philippe
Gautier" wrote:

Lucy wrote:
Hi

I am trying to find out what a plant is that I have seen in a local
park and the Leicester University Botanical Garden. It has leaves
similar in size and shape to a Fatsia but is a dark green/red leaf. The
plants I have seen are about a metre high and have pink spiky looking
fruit/flowers close to the stem.

I just wondered if anyone knew what it was

Many thanks
Lucy


It's Ricinus, or Castor bean plant

http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants/castorbean.html

It certainly is. Very striking and extremely poisonous. I understand that
it's the most poisonous plant in UK.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

Many thanks to everyone. Yes it is that one as I had a look at some
pictures on the web. However if it is as poisonous as you say I'll
perhaps avoid it as I've two young children.

Cheers
Lucy


Sacha wrote:
On 19/9/05 10:50, in article , "Philippe
Gautier" wrote:

Lucy wrote:
Hi

I am trying to find out what a plant is that I have seen in a local
park and the Leicester University Botanical Garden. It has leaves
similar in size and shape to a Fatsia but is a dark green/red leaf. The
plants I have seen are about a metre high and have pink spiky looking
fruit/flowers close to the stem.

I just wondered if anyone knew what it was

Many thanks
Lucy


It's Ricinus, or Castor bean plant

http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants/castorbean.html

It certainly is. Very striking and extremely poisonous. I understand that
it's the most poisonous plant in UK.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

On 20/9/05 10:23, in article
, "Lucy"
wrote:

Many thanks to everyone. Yes it is that one as I had a look at some
pictures on the web. However if it is as poisonous as you say I'll
perhaps avoid it as I've two young children.

snip

It's fair to say that there are no known cases of deaths from eating
Ricinus accidentally, as far as I know. Indeed, more plants are poisonous
than are not, at least to some degree. But this is so toxic that I
wouldn't plant it with children around, no. However, the great thing is to
teach children not to put anything *at all* in their mouths without asking
you first. And they should bring *you* to the plants, not vice versa! You
don't want them picking Euphorbia or rue!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

"Sacha" wrote in message
.uk...
On 20/9/05 10:23, in article
, "Lucy"
wrote:

Many thanks to everyone. Yes it is that one as I had a look at some
pictures on the web. However if it is as poisonous as you say I'll
perhaps avoid it as I've two young children.

snip

It's fair to say that there are no known cases of deaths from eating
Ricinus accidentally, as far as I know. Indeed, more plants are
poisonous
than are not, at least to some degree. But this is so toxic that I
wouldn't plant it with children around, no. However, the great thing is to
teach children not to put anything *at all* in their mouths without
asking
you first. And they should bring *you* to the plants, not vice versa!
You
don't want them picking Euphorbia or rue!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)


==============
I believe that sale of the seeds was banned a few years ago when it was
considered that the poison which could be produced (Ricin) could be used to
make the type of gas which caused so many deaths and injuries in the gas
attacks on Japanese railway stations.

Cic.

"Lucy" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi

I am trying to find out what a plant is that I have seen in a local
park and the Leicester University Botanical Garden. It has leaves
similar in size and shape to a Fatsia but is a dark green/red leaf. The
plants I have seen are about a metre high and have pink spiky looking
fruit/flowers close to the stem.

I just wondered if anyone knew what it was

Many thanks
Lucy

Probably the "Castor Oil Plant" Ricinis.

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs)