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Fatsia?


DAVEinMB

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There are a handful of these growing in full sun on this lot. I believe mine is a Japonica and it would never look as good as any of these if it saw full sun. 

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23 minutes ago, DAVEinMB said:

There are a handful of these growing in full sun on this lot. I believe mine is a Japonica and it would never look as good as any of these if it saw full sun. 

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Castor Bean, Ricinus comminus.

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@Silas_Sancona do you have any idea if it's common for them to look this good in a southeastern zone 8b? I did a quick search and it says they act like perennials when frost is involved

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4 minutes ago, DAVEinMB said:

@Silas_Sancona do you have any idea if it's common for them to look this good in a southeastern zone 8b? I did a quick search and it says they act like perennials when frost is involved

I'd imagine they'd die down, at least down to thicker wood, over the winter there but come back with a vengeance in spring.  If your winters have been milder recently  ( or the spot is where they're planted ) they might not sustain as much die back and have a longer season to put on the kind of growth you're seeing. That said, they might not have enough time to form seed/ are cut back before doing so.  

Have seen them growing in some pretty tough places ( cold in winter, or really dry ) Inaturalist lists observations from all over the mid/upper Midwest, Northeast, and parts of Canada.  Very prolific once they gain a foothold somewhere. Never allow plants to go to seed ( for that reason, and if you have kids/pets )

I see what look like Brugmansia to the right in the last picture.. If those can survive and reach roof height in one year there if cut down by a frost/freeze in winter, Castor Beans will also.

 

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19 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

I see what look like Brugmansia to the right in the last picture.. If those can survive and reach roof height in one year there if cut down by a frost/freeze in winter, Castor Beans will also.

There were a number of those in the back yard as well. Pretty large specimens with tons of flowers on them.  Really pretty yard

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1 hour ago, DAVEinMB said:

There were a number of those in the back yard as well. Pretty large specimens with tons of flowers on them.  Really pretty yard

They're great plants although they can get big and can be cut down -Quite a bit in some cases- during winter in colder areas.

Related Iochroma are another nice group of tropical-looking "Angel's Trumpet"- type plants for flowers also, particularly for shades of Blue, Purple, Pinkish/Plum, and White ( some cultivars/crosses, & a rarer sp that grows at 6-12K elevations in Central/ S. America ). There's at least a couple sp. that produce Red/Red Orange flowers also but think they're really sensitive to cold.  The more common, blue-purple flowered sp supposedly tolerate/ will regrow better/faster following being cut back to older wood/ the base after a freeze than others though and some of the crosses/cultivars produce a better display of flowers compared to straight species ( bigger, more "flared" flowers vs. rather skinny, tube- shaped flowers ).  Another group of plants you have to be careful planting though. Quite toxic if consumed accidentally ( Supposedly taste awful, not sure how someone / something would want to munch on them on purpose lol ).

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When I lived in 7a NJ I grew castor bean as an annual.  They'd go from seed to about 12' in 1 season.  My dad had much better soil than I did (I was coastal so all sand) and he got one to about 20' in 1 season.  Pretty crazy looking out a second story window at giant tropical looking leaves in NJ.  I also grew Tetrapanax Steroidal Giant which has a similar look but grew back from the roots every year.  The Tetrapanax got big but never put on as much size in 1 season as the Castor.  The Tetrapanax will run all over the place which I have read is accelerated in areas where it dies down to the ground.  Not too hard to control though and gives you a lot of plants for trade fodder as these aren't all that common.

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On 10/15/2020 at 6:18 PM, Silas_Sancona said:

Castor Beans

I was a bit surprised when my castor bean (magenta colored leaves) up and died a few weeks ago as I had expected it to last more than 3 years.  I had planted it in 2017 and it grew to nearly 15' with a trunk nearly double the size of the one pictured.  It was nearly defoliated after 20°F in January 2018 but no cold damage to it since.  Perhaps our drought conditions hastened the death but they usually just laugh at extreme heat and dry conditions.  Only about 5,000 seeds to deal with now and I'm sure there are plenty of volunteer seedlings ready to take its place.

Edited by Fusca
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Jon Sunder

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51 minutes ago, Fusca said:

I was a bit surprised when my castor bean (magenta colored leaves) up and died a few weeks ago as I had expected it to last more than 3 years.  I had planted it in 2017 and it grew to nearly 15' with a trunk nearly double the size of the one pictured.  It was nearly defoliated after 20°F in January 2018 but no cold damage to it since.  Perhaps our drought conditions hastened the death but they usually just laugh at extreme heat and dry conditions.  Only about 5,000 seeds to deal with now and I'm sure there are plenty of volunteer seedlings ready to take its place.

I'd believe it, lol.. Just wait until next spring, Muah Ha Ha!  At least the seedlings are easy to remove, compared to other aggressive weedy things. 

Wonder what killed the mother plant.. Maybe they just have a short lifespan?. Like you said, these things are tough as nails.. Easy to find them growing on the sides of freeways/ other disturbed spots out in CA, well away from any urban core areas where they get absolutely no regular water.. and they grow fine.  Honestly never really paid enough attention to any i've seen to account for how long the bigger ones i'd come across might have been around though.

Veering off topic for a sec., You have access to fresh Montezuma and/or Bald Cypress seed? Trying to track down either..

Edited by Silas_Sancona
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3 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

I'd believe it, lol.. Just wait until next spring, Muah Ha Ha!  At least the seedlings are easy to remove, compared to other aggressive weedy things. 

Wonder what killed the mother plant.. Maybe they just have a short lifespan?. Like you said, these things are tough as nails.. Easy to find them growing on the sides of freeways/ other disturbed spots out in CA, well away from any urban core areas where they get absolutely no regular water.. and they grow fine.  Honestly never really paid enough attention to any i've seen to account for how long the bigger ones i'd come across might have been around though.

Veering off topic for a sec., You have access to fresh Montezuma and/or Bald Cypress seed? Trying to track down either..


I read where they are short-lived but didn't think anything could kill these!  I see them planted along railroad tracks down in the RGV.  Often times the seed pods "explode" and I end up with an unwanted volunteer in some outside container.  It's almost like they know where they are!  And yes, I can send you some Bald Cypress seeds - I think I still have your address in an old PM.

 

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Jon Sunder

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12 minutes ago, Fusca said:


I read where they are short-lived but didn't think anything could kill these!  I see them planted along railroad tracks down in the RGV.  Often times the seed pods "explode" and I end up with an unwanted volunteer in some outside container.  It's almost like they know where they are!  And yes, I can send you some Bald Cypress seeds - I think I still have your address in an old PM.

 

Appreciate it Jon..  Let me know if you need me to pm my address again.

Yea, lol you'd figure Castor Beans would be one of those ' practically indestructible ' plants you have to attack w/ a flame thrower when they try to take over.. Kind of like Bermuda.. Except i doubt even fire would kill that stuff.

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  • 1 month later...
On 10/17/2020 at 3:49 PM, Silas_Sancona said:

Yea, lol you'd figure Castor Beans would be one of those ' practically indestructible ' plants you have to attack w/ a flame thrower when they try to take over.. Kind of like Bermuda.. Except i doubt even fire would kill that stuff.

White tailed deer will completely defoliate castor bean plants.

Mine have never survived a winter, but I think it's because of placement. Will try again this spring.

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  • 3 years later...
On 10/17/2020 at 11:49 PM, Silas_Sancona said:

Appreciate it Jon..  Let me know if you need me to pm my address again.

Yea, lol you'd figure Castor Beans would be one of those ' practically indestructible ' plants you have to attack w/ a flame thrower when they try to take over.. Kind of like Bermuda.. Except i doubt even fire would kill that stuff.

DO you think tetrapanax will remain evergreen in 9b with some frosts?

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previously known as ego

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6 hours ago, Than said:

DO you think tetrapanax will remain evergreen in 9b with some frosts?

I'm sure you're climate is different than mine, but I have tried Tetrapanax 3 separate times now in 9B and they sputtered out and died every time.  They were a super easy grow when I used to live in 7A.  Not sure if they didn't like the heat or the humidity or the clay, but whatever it was it killed them relatively quickly.

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7 hours ago, Keys6505 said:

I'm sure you're climate is different than mine, but I have tried Tetrapanax 3 separate times now in 9B and they sputtered out and died every time.  They were a super easy grow when I used to live in 7A.  Not sure if they didn't like the heat or the humidity or the clay, but whatever it was it killed them relatively quickly.

Could the sun be too intense in Texas? Did they die in the summer or winter?

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previously known as ego

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32 minutes ago, Than said:

Could the sun be too intense in Texas? Did they die in the summer or winter?

They have no problem with heat or humidity...having originated in Taiwan. They thrived in my old garden in Natchez, Mississippi, which is sweltering and humid in summer. And plenty chilly in winter. If they failed, it would probably be an issue with soils perhaps?...I can't imagine what else would make them fail.

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Michael Norell

Rancho Mirage, California | 33°44' N 116°25' W | 287 ft | z10a | avg Jan 43/70F | Jul 78/108F avg | Weather Station KCARANCH310

previously Big Pine Key, Florida | 24°40' N 81°21' W | 4.5 ft. | z12a | Calcareous substrate | avg annual min. approx 52F | avg Jan 65/75F | Jul 83/90 | extreme min approx 41F

previously Natchez, Mississippi | 31°33' N 91°24' W | 220 ft.| z9a | Downtown/river-adjacent | Loess substrate | avg annual min. 23F | Jan 43/61F | Jul 73/93F | extreme min 2.5F (1899); previously Los Angeles, California (multiple locations)

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5 hours ago, mnorell said:

They have no problem with heat or humidity...having originated in Taiwan. They thrived in my old garden in Natchez, Mississippi, which is sweltering and humid in summer. And plenty chilly in winter. If they failed, it would probably be an issue with soils perhaps?...I can't imagine what else would make them fail.

I mean could it be dry heat that killed them? Is it humid in TX?

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previously known as ego

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