My castor bean looks really pitiful next to Lindas.

The castor oil plant, Ricinus communis, is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae.

Castor seed is the source of castor oil, which has a wide variety of uses. The seeds contain between 40% and 60% oil that is rich in triglycerides, mainly ricinolein. . The seed coat contains ricin, a toxin, which is also present in lower concentrations throughout the plant.

The toxicity of raw castor beans due to the presence of ricin is well-known. Although the lethal dose in adults is considered to be 4 to 8 seeds, reports of actual poisoning are relatively rare. According to the 2007 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records, this plant is the most poisonous in the world.

Castor seeds have been found in Egyptian tombs dating back to 4000 BC being used mostly to fuel lamps because of the slow burning oil. Herodotus and other Greek travelers have noted the use of castor seed oil for lighting, body ointments, and improving hair growth and texture. Cleopatra is reputed to have used it to brighten the whites of her eyes. The Ebers Papyrus is an ancient Egyptian medical treatise believed to date from 1552 BC. Translated in 1872, it describes castor oil as a laxative.

turtle bench

turtle bench at Turtle River State Park.
Dr Seabloom took his class for a field trip to the park.

A pink bottle has sprouted on my blue bottle tree.

Leucanthemella serotina

Easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun. Tolerates part shade. Tolerates moist conditions better than most leucanthemums.

Leucanthemella is a bushy, upright, clump-forming perennial which features large, daisy-like white flowers (to 3" across) with greenish-yellow centers in late summer to autumn. Flowers appear singly or in sprays (loose corymbs) on rigid stems typically rising to 3-5' tall (less frequently to 7'). Lance-shaped to elliptic, coarsely toothed, dark green leaves (3-5" long). Synonymous with Chrysanthemum serotinum and Chrysanthemum uliginosum.

caster bean leaves

Some of Linda's caster bean leaves

Hypertufa projects for the summer.

Poor old tired driveway is getting a face lift. Menards had Vinyl Cement Patch on sale. Yiipee!

Mike & I went to the Glad Festival at Honker Flats in Middle River, MN

One glad blooming. Going to the Glad Festival at Honker Flats

Ron in his pink shirt & red car, going golfing.

Planted at the Lustron House last night, then had a pot luck after all our hard work.

Mushroom made by hypertufa class.

2010 garden

I want to grow more Only the Lonely Nicotiana along the path behind the garage next year. Because it is so fragrant and its almost at nose level (more fertilizer?