Ricinus communis (common names: Castor oil plant)

Funny how a weed in your country is a sort-after architectural bedding plant over here!! It's not hardy over here, of course, so there's no chance of it 'escaping' into the wild :-)

Thank you so much Sid. I immediately read up about it and it is a declared weed in Australia. It should not be there in the rainforest. I wonder how it got there? I will report it. Thanks again. Pity, it looks lovely! And I saw it gets prickly but nicelooking pink flowers.
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Origin: Native to Africa and Eurasia.
Introduced to Australia and noted in records in 1803. Now in all States except Tasmania. Widespread and common in wasteland. Seedlings and juveniles grow rapidly. Castor oil is extracted from seeds. Seeds contain the toxin ricin. Toxicity to stock differs with the animal. Humans are sensitive to the toxin and a few seeds ingested may kill. Leaves are unpalatable and unlikely to be eaten by stock. Castor Oil Plant is scattered over the distribution shown on the map.

It is the Castor Oil plant - Ricinus communis. The seed is EXTREMELY toxic - one seed can suposedly kill an elephant and it is used to made the nerve agent Ricin. However, processed, the seed is also used to make castor oil. It's a handsome thing, but don't eat it whatever you do!!

These plants should reach 5 to 7 feet tall... and the leaves have seven lobes... Hope these grow to be huge! first time for everything, they say!

Beautiful leaves, all shiny too Lori. I love their shape.

Hi Gillian!... they have finally started to put on some height! It's the first time I've grown them...I was put off by the "poisonous" label...but the taller they get the more I like them! Now I can't wait to see their flower..

I remember seeing pictures of when they were seedlings! Doing very well.

How I wish there were woods behind this area...but what there is is a neighbours 8 ft fence...They are prissy townie types who wouldn't know compost if they fell into it...and wouldn't know what to do with it anyway...they'd probably call an exterminator... they are very into their lawn...hahahaha.

Your garden blends right in with the woods in the background, looks the way mother nature would have intended it to look.