Not a native to Australia but this weed is now classed as 'naturalised' and I
thought I'd include it because you will see it as you drive around the
highlands.
If
left unchecked it can grow to be several meters tall with a trunk diameter
to suit its height.
Apparently Castor Oil bush seeds are extremely toxic and are dangerous to
all animals.
As timber goes, Castor Bush is not much better than Balsa wood but I managed
to score a trunk around 80mm diameter and turned a lidded box from it.
Only slightly denser than Balsa and not much heavier, it cut and sliced OK
but suffers from tear-out on the end grain so a lot of sanding is required.
