Castor Bean Jonah talks about a gourd vine which grew up and shielded Jonah from the sun and then disappeared overnight. Although some botanists believe this was a form of wild gourd, the Hebrew word used by the author was the word used for the castor bean plant , Ricinis communis . The castor bean plant reaches tree-like proportions with umbrella like leaves. A common herbal remedy, castor oil, is pressed from the seeds. The origin of the castor bean plant is unknown but archaeologists have found castor beans in ancient Egyptian tombs.
Botanists believe it originated somewhere in tropical Africa.
This is a quick growing plant that makes a dramatic focus point in the garden. It is native to Syria where it is eaten chopped in salads, ground as a beverage, or boiled as greens. It was very common throughout Egypt as a wild plant and most likely used by the Egyptians in the same way the Syrians did. The Hebrew word is karpas. It was also called vine wool.