You Tell Me: To Bean or Not To Bean?

This, my friends, is something called a Castor Bean.  As you can see, the leaves are HUGE!  Look at the height of this thing too!  It's taller than the mudroom roof.  This was the first year I ever grew one.  One of my neighbors gave me a young seedling in the spring and said, " oh, it's real pretty, JP and it has red flowers." 

However, I intentionally planted it within the confines of my garden fence because it is toxic.  Perhaps that's why he told me that it helps keep rodents (moles, chipmunks) away.

So, now that you know that it's toxic, would you plant it in your yard?

I'm debating as to whether or not I want to collect the seeds from it.  I will admit though, that it did keep Charlie the Chipmunk, Merv the Mole and Victor the Vole from running amuck in my garden this year!

I had to take this shot looking upward and under the leaves.  (That's the wooden gutter and roof edge of the house you see.)

I really don't know what to expect from the flowers on it.  But hey...live and learn!  And you're never too old for either...:)

Personally I think that once was enough!


Leave me a comment as to whether or not you'd plant it in your yard...thanks!