Dear Master Gardener: I was given a small plant as a gift last spring. It grew into a gigantic plant with striking leaves and spiky pink seed pods. I've learned it is a castor bean plant. I'd like to ...

Of the many plants in my garden, one that I particularly appreciate is the Castor Bean, because of its several interesting characteristics. This plant, known botanically as Ricinus communis, is a ...

A: The castor bean, Ricinus communis, gets a really evil reputation as the source of the poison, ricin. Yes, it can be used in that way but it is also the source of castor oil, used in industry as a ...