How are your Ricinus

[Yorkshire Kris]

Not sure what the Ricinus variety is but the border looks fantastic!

I'll second that!

[brendan]

Zanzibarensis is now over 7 foot and getting ready to flower. Its been hammered by the wind recently so had to cut some leaves off and have also had problems keeping it watered with next doors conifers behind but still it keeps growing well.
new zealand purple is now over 5 foot and needing plenty of water aswell.

[Bob]

My Zanzibarensis is about the same size Brendan, it's my first year with this one. Staggering really just how fast and big it has grown from seed in a few months, I'll defiantly be growing it again next year.

[jimhardy]

Mine is up to about 9' now.
Don't think it will hit 12' like a few years ago....
just to dry this year,only 1/2" rain in the last 2 months.

[Dave Brown]

Here's my potted New Zealand Purple it dries out daily.

Jim, Yours must be really deep rooted if if doesn't wilt like mine

[DiCasS]

I took this pic last year of what I think might be a NZ purple in Corfu late last year.

This is my mini one, not sure which one it is but apparently stays small so good for the front of the border.

Di

[Dave Brown]

Di, was the leaf size smaller on that tree, or is it just the size of the tree makes the leaves look smaller?

I think if they were perennial here, I would give it the Paulownia treatment.

[DiCasS]

They were smaller Dave and wasn't such a rich colour as we get over here. Here's a closer pic of the leaves.

I think I prefer the way they grow here, a bit too sparce and unwieldy for me.

Di

[derrick]

This is one of my Ricinus this has red stem green leaves not that tall but large leaves. My Zanzi green r about 4 feet and my blue about 5 feet blue look more slender and not so large leaves

[DiCasS]

Giant blue is now turning into a nice plant. Not giant by any stretch of the imagination, smaller than yours I would say Derrick, but the stem and underleaves are a nice blue colour and it's already flowered and setting seed. I may even get to pick my own seeds this year. Zanzi is normally too late for me to get decent seed. The mini variegated one has also flowered and is now setting seed.

I've not got the height this year as I normally get with the Zanzi, now I'm guessing only about 41/2 at the moment but nice big leaves. Still have another few weeks to go yet though

Di

[brendan]

Di have you got a picture of the varigated one as i have never seen one and where did you get it ?

[dave2166]

Giant blue is now turning into a nice plant. Not giant by any stretch of the imagination, smaller than yours I would say Derrick, but the stem and underleaves are a nice blue colour and it's already flowered and setting seed. I may even get to pick my own seeds this year. Zanzi is normally too late for me to get decent seed. The mini variegated one has also flowered and is now setting seed.

I've not got the height this year as I normally get with the Zanzi, now I'm guessing only about 41/2 at the moment but nice big leaves. Still have another few weeks to go yet though

Di

glad to see they are going well esp blue giant, any chance of some pics now so i can compare to mine
i agree with the height bit, but the leaves are getting huge, and i love the under leaf colour

[DiCasS]

Brendan my mini one above is the variegated one, though it dont look very much so when I took the photos. It seems to change with weather conditions. When it was first planted out it was creamy/green and gradually turned to red as in the pic above. But even after a few short days since I took the above one, no sun, they are starting to change colour again, and you can distinctly see the variegation. Here's a couple I took today.

I was kindly sent some seeds from a fellow forum member

Di

[DiCasS]

Sorry, just seen your post Dave. Will take a photo tomorrow and pop it on. Get ready with your shot too

Di

[dave2166]

thanks di

i'm away but will do so next week, assuming it hasnt been battered n the rain today