Ricinus communis, the castorbean or castor oil plant, is a species of perennial flowering plant in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae. Learn how to grow castorbean plants (Ricinus communis) with these helpful tips and tricks on soil conditions, sunlight, and more. Everything about castorbean is bold and a bit audacious, so gardeners with a bit of maverick in them seem to be drawn to this big plant. What are the characteristics of the castorbean plant? CastorBeanInformation - Planting Instructions For CastorBeans.Are CastorBeans Poisonous? The toxicity of this plant is another important aspect of castorbeaninformation. In addition to its resemblance to the maple (thanks to its palmate leaf), the castor oil plant, Ricinus communis, is useful in particular thanks to its seeds, from which the oil is extracted. Specimen #10: Castorbean, Ricinus communis And so, the plant secured a place in medicine cabinets through the mid-20th century. Not only a household he… Castorbean (Ricinus communis). Image from Wikipedia.For more information on Castorbean contact the Franklin County Noxious Weed Control Board or your local extension agent. Castorbean plants, which are not beans at all, are commonly grown in the garden for their striking foliage as well as shade cover. CastorBean's plant resembles a thin brown stem with a few branches sticking out, The leaves are a gradient of Pink from the middle to Green outwards. Castor Plant The castorbean plant, Ricinus communis, is a "native of tropical Africa cultivated in several varieties for the oil found in its leaves and for its bold foliage."(Alber and Alber).