Friday, October 23, 2009 6:10 PM CDT
Yard and Garden: Poisonous caster bean plant has its good points
By Marsha Overton, Master Gardener
Well, we are just about to “rack-up” up another month. It has really been a crazy year when it comes to the weather. I find myself saying this a lot. I think the mowing is done for this year. Next will come the snow plows, all of which we are definitely not ready for.
This week’s column falls into the category of “Just thought you might want to know.”
I had a “reader” come up to me in one of the stores the other day with a very good question. It seems she had planted a castor bean plant this past spring and was really appreciating its size and showy blooms, until she was informed that it is a very poisonous plant. She was very concerned about having planted such a “plant” in her area.
So, I did a little investigating and found out this information I would like to pass on to all of you. It is true this particular plant has seeds that are very poisonous, but the plant itself is where castor oil is derived from. This plant has had economic importance pretty much since the dawn of civilized time, yet because it can be used to prepare a toxin, there are people who think it should be made illegal (and in some places, it is).
The truth is, many common garden plants are toxic or have pharmacological properties. If we were to prohibit every plant that could poison you, your spring garden would be devoid of daffodils, rhododendrons, wisteria, jasmine, lantana, azaleas, crocuses, hyacinths, foxglove... you get the picture... many plants.
The castor bean plant is desirable for several reasons. It grows very quickly, reaching up to 15 inches in height by the end of summer if it has good care. The leaves are attractive and unusual. It contains alkaloids that deter most garden pests, plus, if it is strategically planted, helps to protect the rest of the garden from pests.
The plant is reasonably drought resistant and grows as a weed. It is bug and mold resistant and so is environmentally beneficial. The leaves and seeds are not bothered by local livestock (goats).
Leaves can be dried and used as a bio-friendly bug repellent. Stalks have a long fiber and make excellent paper.
These plants have gained such notoriety as a living mole repellent that it is often referred to simply as “mole plant.” Also called “caper spurge” (Euphorbia lathyris), it is an annual but reseeds itself readily.
Mole plant has striking architecture and is often grown as an ornamental, standing erect and bearing lance-shaped leaves. Its leaves are marked with an exquisite white vein running right down the middle.
If you make a cut into a mole plant’s stem, a milky sap will ooze out, as when you break the stalk of a milkweed plant. It is apparently the smell of this poisonous, caustic sap that repels the moles.
For more information on this plant: commercial mole repellent formulas are based on castor oil. Used in the old days as a laxative, there are still many folks out there who can attest to the repellent qualities of castor oil. And it would seem that moles don’t like it any better than humans do.
Could eating it kill me, my kids, or my pets? That’s highly unlikely. It turns out it’s difficult for people to poison themselves with castor beans even if they try. But, obviously with any plants you place in your yard you need to be watchful when children are present. And, if in doubt—then do not plant it in your yard.
I’d also like to bring to your attention that this is the time of year that you need to think seriously of becoming a master gardener. You can go to http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/coles/ or call the Extension office for the application (345-7034). Kathy Hummel did a wonderful article last week, but in case you missed it just contact the office. More information will follow.
Garden guide
for Central Illinois
Flowers: Wait until the ground freezes before mulching perennials, the reasons being to harden the plants somewhat and also to encourage rodents to find winter quarters elsewhere. Begin planting hardy spring bulbs. Follow guidelines for appropriate planting depths. Planting may continue until the ground freezes.
This is the ideal time to transplant and divide peonies and iris and amend soil with bone meal. Dig and store dahlia, cannas and gladiola bulbs. Remember to store them in a dry cool area until next spring. Cut perennials 3-4 inches to clean up beds and prevent disease. Let those that provide winter interest remain until spring.
Indoor gardening: Begin giving Christmas cactus short days and cool nights to initiate flowering for the holidays. Do not fertilize houseplants until next April, unless under artificial lights. Begin providing poinsettias with 14 hours of uninterrupted darkness so the flowers brats will change color for the holidays.
Provide extra humidity for houseplants by placing pots on a shallow dish with pebbles. Keep dish filled with water so pebbles are moist, but pots are not sitting in water.
Vegetables: Harvest Halloween pumpkins before a killing frost. Till manure or other organic matter into garden soil. Harvest tender crops such as tomatoes and peppers before killing frost. Green tomatoes will ripen indoors.
Remove asparagus foliage to reduce rust disease. After a killing frost, remove all dead plant debris from the annual and vegetable beds.
Trees: This is also the ideal time to transplant dormant deciduous trees and shrubs. Notice which in the area has good fall color. Wrap trunks of young, woody plants with burlap, heavy paper, or cylinders of hardware cloth to prevent rodent damage. Pick bagworms from evergreens. Sprays are not effective at this time.
Lawn: Mow and water as necessary. Rake up leaves, grass clippings and debris; use as mulch or build a compost heap. Apply fall lawn fertilizer or winterize at the end of the month. Winterize your irrigation system. Establish or renovate with sod only.
General: Get your containers cleaned out so that they will be ready next spring for your favorite annuals. If you have an area that you want to place plants in next spring, then lay several layers of newspaper down and cover them with mulch. This will kill the grass and weeds from that area. Get your garden tools in tip-top shape by cleaning and sharpening them.
This column is based on information and materials at the University of Illinois Extension office, located at 707 Windsor Road, Suite A., Charleston, 61920; phone 345-7034; or Web site: www.extension.uiuc.edu/coles/. If you have any horticulture questions, call the local Extension office Monday through Friday at 345-7034. Volunteer Master Gardeners are not in the office this time of year; they will return your call.
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