Alien Invasives
Castor-oil Plant (Ricinus communis)
05 October 2016
- Other names
-
Castorbean, Wonder Tree (English)
Kasterolieboom, Bloubottelboom, Bosluisboom (Afrikaans)
umhlakuva (isiZulu)
umhlakuva (isiXhosa)
mohlafotha (Sesotho)
mokhura (Pedi)
mufuta (Shona)
umfude (Ndebele) - Invasive status
-
NEMBA Category 2
CARA 2002 Category 2 - Description
- The Caster Oil Plant is an annual shrub with a softly woody stem growing up to 4 metres high. The shiny, dark green or reddish leaves are paler below and star-shaped with serrated margins. The flowers are held above the leaves on stalks with the uppermost flowers being reddish and lower flowers cream. These are followed by green, brown or reddish, three-lobed capsules covered with soft spines. The entire plant is poisonous.
- Originally from
- Tropical Africa
- Where is it a problem?
- All provinces in South Africa
- How does it spread?
- Seed dispersal
- Why is it a problem?
- It competes with indigenous pioneering species especially in watercourses and is extremely poisonous.
- Uses
- Ornamental and production of castor oil
Please help...
Any donations would be greatly appreciated and are much needed to support these efforts. Please consider setting up a stop order with your bank for a regular monthly contribution rather than (or in addition to) a one-off donation. This would greatly assist us in budgeting and planning for the future.
Please EFT to the following account:
| Bank: | Nedbank |
| Branch name: Branch code: |
Morning Glen Branch 198 765 |
| Account Name: | Sandspruit Ullmann Park Association |
| Account Number: | 1014 852 641 |
| Reference: | Your name |
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