Composting Castor Beans?

[Scott Lindstrom]

A couple questions:

I have a couple of Castor Beans that look great, as we've not had a frost yet. Does anyone know, or can anyone point to a reference, that details how long/if the poison in the plants remains in the soil? I know the seeds are the most poisonous part of the plant, but the stems/leaves (and presumably roots) are as well. If I put the whole thing in the compost pile, will it poison the compost?

It also occurred to me that the hot, sunny spot I planted them in would be ideal for tomatoes next year. If there is any poison left behind by the castor bean, will the tomatoes absorb it, or just have their growth stunted?

Anyone know the answer to these questions?

Scott, remove takeout to reply, of course

[vincent p. norris]

Is "Castor Oil" made from that plant, as the name implies?

I ask, because during WW I, many aircraft engines, "rotary engines," were lubricated with Castor Oil, which was pumped overboard rather than recirculated. Pilots could not avoid ingesting the stuff.

In their memoirs, many wrote of the problems caused by the laxative properties of the oil, but none of them seem to have been poisoned by it.

Can anyone explain this?

Thanks. vince norris

[zxcvbob]

The poison, ricin, is a protein. It is not really soluble in oil.

I also think the castor bean plants would be safe to compost [original poster's question] because the ricin would quickly biodegrade just like any other protein.

Best regards, Bob

[J. Del Col]

Yes. It is pressed from the seeds.

Castrol brand motor oil does, or at least at one time did, have castor oil in it

The Italian Fascists would dose their opponents with castor oil to give them explosive diarrhea and then march them through the streets to humiliate them.

J. Del Col