We need to talk about the stems first, Then the alien apparitions up top. The largest Caster (oil) plant (Ricinus communis) is tall. It grows leaves, and when they fall off they leave a pit in the middle of the stem. Here is my previous post on this plant.
I have been meaning to post on the amazing growth these have had since the weather got nice out. When I saw this flower top of sorts, I knew today was they day to bring it up and write about it.
Here is the larger of the two that I have out back, a shot from top to bottom that shows the stem to be almost bamboo-like. When I saw the way this one grows, I thought of a palm tree.
The smaller of the two (below), although they are nearly the same height due to a different depth pots, also drops leaves but it is growing new leaves out of each one of those little pits. The large one doesn't do that.
Smaller one actually seems to be growing branches out of each little pit that a fallen leaf leaves.
Here's another The slightly larger branch (left) has a split like any other tree might branch out. On the right, we see a maro shot of another that might be making a branch. Both of these are capturing an area the size of a slice of bread.
And it is happening all the way down the stem, just as the absence of any leaves or branches is occurring all the way down the stem on the larger plant.
Here are the two of them together, one with new branches starting and the other without.
I got a flower tops of sorts that is sprouting up there, which is where all of this started.
I found one of these spiky pods in the forest preserve and brought it home. Even detached from its stem, it's still matured and exploded little beans from it all over the place. Now I have this beauty on my terrace.
These last few macro shots of the flowers tell the story of their appearance and what their state is at this time.
Above, we have the best close shot I got of the flowers. They will be changing and morphing into many other stages of their development, if I remember right. Let me know if you would like to see them all as we go.
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