Wednesday, February 4, 2015

castor oil plant (Ricinus communis)







The plant grows very well in Auckland, a very bushy one at Morningside. I was attracted by it's burgundy red which reminds me of a similar plant we used to call false rambutan in Borneo.


The castor oil plant (Ricinus communis) is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae. It belongs to a monotypic genus, Ricinus, and subtribe, Ricininae.

Usually described as absolutely deadly in the tiniest of amounts; 50,000 tonnes a year being produced; usually said to be reasonably easy to extract from the plant.

Many women in the West would know what it is  or rather what castor oil does.

In New Zealand pregnant women  are giving a spoonful, helps to clean inside so when you push, only baby comes out.

Then after you have the baby, you are afraid to push because of the pain, you are given castor oil so you don't feel the pain when you go to the toilet. Everything slides out.

Castor oil from from the castor bean. For ages, it is a cure for constipation. For childbirth, they say it is a stimulant to the bowels, irritates the uterus and starts contractions.

I had 3 babies in New Zealand, and I know what I am talking about. I had my youngest in Singapore, they didn't give me castor oil, and I know the difference.

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