| Author | L. | |
| Distribution | In scattered locations across the state.
Native of northeastern Africa (and India?); in N.A. NC to MO, south to FL, TX, CA. | |
| Abundance | Apparently rare to uncommon throughout. Cultivated as an ornamental still today, even though the seeds are dangerously poisonous and many people are allergic to the sap -- giving a rash like Poison-ivy (Toxicodendron radicans). | |
| Habitat | Waste areas, garden weed, near hog pen, near barn on farm, trash dump, disused compost pile, roadsides. | |
| Phenology | Flowering and fruiting July-October. | |
| Identification | Castor-bean is easily recognizable by its coarse shrubby look (despite being an annual), reddish or red-brown stem, and dark green palmate leaves that look like overblown Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua). The inflorescence is a vertical shoot supporting a narrow panicle with male (yellow) and female (red) flowers embedded within spiny spheres. | |
| Taxonomic Comments | There is only one species in the genus.
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| Other Common Name(s) | | |
| State Rank | SE | |
| Global Rank | GNR | |
| State Status | | |
| US Status | | |
| USACE-agcp | FACU link |
| USACE-emp | UPL link |
